Kaal Bhairav Temple

This temple in the Visheshar Ganj area of old Varanasi is dedicated to Kaal Bhairav, the fierce aspect of Shiva who is regarded as the kotwal, or guardian, of Kashi. Devotees believe his leave is needed to live in the city or even enter it, so pilgrims customarily come here after darshan at Kashi Vishwanath, and many treat the visit as both the start and the close of their stay. The shrine is mentioned in old texts such as the Skanda Purana.

The deity appears as a silver face seen through the sanctum door, the rest of the image wrapped in cloth and garlands. Worshippers offer oil, black sesame and flowers, and often have the Bhairav Raksha Sutra, a protective thread, tied on the wrist. Tuesdays and Sundays are the busiest days, and the main festivals are Bhairav Ashtami, Mahashivratri and Annakoot; crowds are usually lighter early in the morning and in the evening.