The temple of Bhairavnath situated in Varanasi has been erected a mile to the north of the temple of Visheswar. The temple is dedicated to Lord Bhairavnath, the deified kotwal, or police-magistrate, of Varanasi and its suburbs, as far as the Panchkosi road. Under the orders of his royal master Visheswar, he exercises divine authority over both gods and men. The Lord had been ordered by Visheswar to keep the holy city of Varanasi free from evil spirits and evil persons. If he found any then he must prevent them from entering the city and expel them.
The deity in the temple is represented by a stone that is about four feet in height. It is worshipped and revered by the devotees visiting the temple and especially every Tuesday and Sunday. Three bells can be seen suspended in front of the idol. A priest is seen sitting in from the temple with a stick made of peacock`s feathers in his hand. He gently taps the head of the devotees with it.
Architecture of Temple of Bhairavnath
The temple of Bhairavnath has been carved beautifully and looks gorgeous. The wall on either side of the door, leading into the enclosure, is decorated with paintings. A large figure of Bhairavnath can be seen on the right side. It is deep blue colour and behind him is the figure of a dog, intended for him to ride on. Another huge figure of a dog has been carved on the left side of the doorway. The image is adorned by ten small paintings hanged above it. These pictures represent the ten avatars of Lord Vishnu. The door itself is carved and embellished beautifully.
The base of the temple is built of plain stone on three sides. The attractive spire of the temple rises to a considerable height. The shaft is surrounded by many small domes. These domes rise in successive series up to the apex, which consists of a gilded dome.
The entrance door to the temple of Bhairavnath is on the north side. In front of the shrine occupied by the idol is the porch. The porch is supported by pillars, and is painted and decorated according to the Hindu architectural type. The threshold of the shrine is guarded by two idols, known as Dwarpaleswar. The weapon of the Lord, a trident with its prongs painted red can be seen standing in upright position by the wall. The interior of the shrine has a small room. A small shrine made entirely of copper is situated on another side. This temple also houses the idol of Bhairavnath. The idol is of stone but his face is of silver. He possesses four hands, and stands in a grotesque posture. He adorned with garlands which hangs down in front of him. A small lamp is always kept burning here. A priest sits close by and applies kundi, a kind of dun-coloured powder, to the foreheads of the worshippers.
The temple was erected by Baji Rao, of Poonah. He built it on the site of the old temple. On the southern side outside the quadrangle is an ancient shrine. It also houses many deities. One of these is a figure of Bhaironath himself. There are other images in this temple; among them, Lord Shiva, Lord Ganesha, and Lord Surajnarayan.
