Samparka

HARA HARA GAṄGE

By Sañjay Kabāḍ
Photo Credits: Guñjan Hosaṅgaḍī
 

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NAMASTE VĀRĀṆASĪ

H.H. Shrīmat Sadyojāt Shaṅkarāshram Swāmījī had desired that a Team of Shrī Chitrāpur Mat͟h (SCM) functionaries and a few guests visit Vārāṇasī towards the end of May 2026. Accordingly, the visit for the Team and guests was organised from 29th May to 1st June 2026. The aim of the visit was to acquaint the SCM functionaries with our properties at Vārāṇasī viz. Shrī Chitrāpur Mat͟h, Vārāṇasī, the Three Temples located within the premises of our Vārāṇasī Mat͟h, the Velaṇkar building (our Mat͟h property), and also having darshana of Shrī Kālabhairav and Shrī Kāshī Vishwanāth. An itinerary was drawn up to include these visits. The Team consisted of the following:

Shrī Pravīṇ Kaḍl̃e mām - President, Standing Committee, SCM
Shrī Kishore Kumbl̃e mām - General Manager, SCM
Shrī Guñjan Hosaṅgaḍī mām - Vahivaṭdār, SCM Vārāṇasī
Shrī Shailesh Burḍe mām 
Shrī Mahesh Kāikiṇī mām 
Shrī Sañjay Kabāḍ mām 
Shrī Varuṇ Mallāpur mām 
Shrī Chaitanya Shiroor

The following guests were invited to Vārāṇasī: 
 
Mahārāval Shrī Jagmal Singh Jī of Banswārā
Mahārānī Trishūlinī Kumārī Jī of Banswārā
Cdr. Sunīl Kapāsiā
Shrī Manoj Joshī Gaur (Purohit of the Royal Family) 
Shrī Sushānt Rāṇā and family (Smt. Shāmbhavī Rāṇā and Puṇyodaya) 

All of us arrived in Vārāṇasī by the late evening of 29th May 2026 (Friday), and were accommodated at Shrī Shriṅgerī Mat͟h, Mahmoorgañj, Vārāṇasī. Shrī Guñjan Hosaṅgaḍī, (Vahivaṭdār, SCM Vārāṇasī) along with Shrī Anil Kiñjawaḍekar mām (our architect and single point of contact at Vārāṇasī) had made all the arrangements for our visit. 

Kālabhairav Temple visit

Our visits to the temples commenced with Shrī Kālabhairav Temple early in the morning of 30th May (Saturday). Shrī Kālabhairav is the Protector (Kotwāl) of Vārāṇasī. Shrī Kālabhairav is the fierce manifestation of Bhagawān Shiva. Tradition says that no one can enter into or reside in Vārāṇasī without His permission and devotees often seek his Blessings before beginning their spiritual journey in Kāshī. 

This temple is located at Ghāsī Ṭolā, the heart of the old city of Kāshī. It is a popular location and situated in the middle of a narrow road, which makes the temple very crowded with pilgrims during the day. We therefore decided to have darshana at 5.00 a.m. (the opening time of the temple).

Travelling by E-rickshaws is the most convenient way in Vārāṇasī as they alone can manoeuvre through the narrow lanes. We hired 5 E- rickshaws and proceeded to the temple. As expected, there was already a big crowd of pilgrims waiting in queue to have darshana of Shrī Kālabhairav. 

With the Blessings of our Revered H.H. Swāmījī, we experienced a miracle here while waiting in the queue for darshana!) The temple authorities opened the rear gate of the temple and ushered us into the temple!! We were therefore very fortunate to have a quick darshana of Shrī Kālabhairav. Four amongst us (Mahārāval Jī, Mahārānī Jī, Manoj Joshī jī – their purohit and Pravīṇ Kaḍl̃e mām) entered the Garbhaguḍī of Shrī Kālabhairav Temple and offered flowers and fruits.

This was followed by a scrumptious breakfast of pūrī-sabjī and jalebī. Believe me, people of Vārāṇasī are very fond of good food!!! Post breakfast, we visited our Shrī Chitrāpur Mat͟h Premises at Rājā Ghāṭ. Shrī Anil Kiñjawaḍekar  mām (our architect and single point of contact at Vārāṇasī) and Shrī  Srīkānt Pāt͟hak (our Purohit who performs daily pūjā-s at the three temples located inside our Mat͟h Premises) joined us at our Mat͟h.

Shrī  Chitrāpur Mat͟h at Rājāghāṭ (Reddish-brown building with the three temples in the foreground)

Shriṅgerī Mat͟h Vārāṇasī in the Background

We were taken around our Mat͟h premises, the three temples located within the Mat͟h premises, our Mat͟h building and the Velaṇkar building by Guñjan mām and Anil Kiñjawaḍekar mām . These temples are of great importance to us as our Pūrvāchāryā-s - H.H. Shrīmat Pāṇḍuraṅgāshram Swāmījī, H.H.  Shrīmad Ānandāshram Swāmījī and H.H. Shrīmat Parijñānāshram Swāmījī III have performed Anus͟ht͟hāna-s and meditated here.

 

 

After the walkaround, we had a meeting to discuss and decide the pending issues related to infrastructure and upkeep of our premises. After the meeting, we all came back to Shrī Shriṅgerī Mat͟h for lunch and much needed rest to recoup!!

 

 

The Kāshī Vishwanāth Temple is the most revered of the 12 Jyotirliṅga-s dedicated to Bhagawān Shiva. It holds supreme significance as the ‘Abode of Bhagawān Shiva’, the ultimate destination for achieving moks͟ha.  Legend states that Kāshī is the first Jyotirliṅga to manifest and it sits upon Bhagawān Shiva's trident, remaining untouched even during cosmic dissolution.

 

 

 

Shrī Anil Kiñjawaḍekar had organised the special darshana of Shrī Kāshī Vishwanāth for us, during the Shṛṅgāra Ārati in the evening of 30th May. We left for the temple in E-rickshaws at around 4.30 p.m. and due to the huge influx of devotees, we had to walk a considerable distance through the crowd. We made it to the temple gates by 5.30 p.m. and finally entered the temple at 6 p.m. after completing formalities like submitting copies of our Aadhaar cards, handing over mobile phones and other electronic items at the security counters.

Anil Kiñjawaḍekar mām had deputed a person known to him to accompany us, and had made all arrangements for the special darshana. We were very fortunate to witness the Mahā-Ārati, with all of us seated just outside the Garbhaguḍī. It was a blissful experience.

On Sunday, 31st May, Varuṇ mām , Sañjay mām  and Guñjan mām  left early for our Shrī Chitrāpur Mat͟h at Rājā Ghāṭ.They were tasked with taking accurate measurements of our entire land property. Measurements were taken of every room of our Mat͟h and the Velaṇkar building using a laser beam instrument. 
 
Saṅkaṭamochan Hanumān Temple

Our Team (other than the three members mentioned above) visited the Saṅkaṭamochan Hanumān Temple at around 9.30 a.m. After completing their task at the Mat͟h, Varuṇ mām , Sañjay mām  and Guñjan mām  joined us.

 

 

This temple is of great importance to us. Sant Tulsīdās got the divine darshana of Shrī Hanumānjī in this temple after which He was inspired to author Shrī Rāmcharitmānas and Shrī Hanumān Chālīsā. 

Boat ride to the Ghāṭ-s and Witnessing Gaṅgā Mahā Ārati

Guñjan mām had hired a special boat for us to visit the Ghāṭ-s and also to witness the Gaṅgā Ārati. Assī Ghāṭ was our starting point. 

Our first halt was at the Tulasī Ghāṭ where we had darshana of the Pādukā-s of Sant Tulsīdās. 

Thereafter, on the way, we passed by the Maṇikarṇikā Ghāṭ, Pañchagaṅgā Ghāṭ, Scindiā Ghāṭ, Jain Ghāṭ and also saw our Shrī Chitrāpur Mat͟h and the temples at Rājā Ghāṭ from the boat. We alighted at Gaṇesha Ghāṭ and visited the Peshwā Gaṇesha Temple which occupies a prime location on Gaṇesha Ghāṭ.

We then proceeded to Brahma Ghāṭ and visited Kāshī Mat͟h. Hectic preparations and modifications were in progress at the Mat͟h, as Kāshī Mat͟h Swāmījī, HH Shrimad Samyamindra Thirtha Swāmījī is going to observe the Chāturmāsa vrata here later this year. We paid our respects to Shrī Bindumādhava, Shrī Veda Vyāsa and Shrī Narasiṁha at the Kāshī Mat͟h. 

The Gaṅgā Ārati was a grand spectacle lasting about 45 mins. We witnessed it comfortably from our boat.

 

With this our Vārāṇasī visit came to an end. 

All our guests left on 31st May. Dr. Dharamvīr Jaiswāl (husband of Smt. Poojā Jagdīsh Balse pāchī) came to see us in the evening. He had come from Maū to Vārāṇasī (about 120 Kms distance) on work. He dropped us at the Vārāṇasī Airport on 01st June and also treated us to a scrumptious breakfast enroute!!  

Our sās͟hṭāṅga praṇāma-s to our revered H.H. Shrīmat Sadyojāt Shaṅkarāshram Swāmījī for giving us this opportunity to visit Shrī Chitrāpur Mat͟h, Vārāṇasī, and to have darshana of the temples in Vārāṇasī. 

Oṁ Namaḥ Pārvatīpataye Hara Hara Mahādeva