This city, Varanasi, which is also known for the Kashi Vidvat Parishad as well as Sanskrit schools, is such a place, such a place of pilgrimage, where one can easily experience the fear-free and worry-free environment due to its deep-rooted eternal values.
(Alkesh Patel) August 22, 2026: Panchkoshi Yatra of Kashi Surat's birth and Kashi's death – almost every Gujarati knows this saying. Everyone knows its meaning also. As soon as the name Kashi means Banaras means Varasani, every Sanatani remembers Lord Shiva. Remember the darshan of Kashi Vishwanath, remember the grand ghats of Kashi. But among all this, perhaps very few would know about the Panchkoshi Yatra of Kashi. Lakhs and crores of Hindus must have gone on the Kashi Yatra, but it is possible that not all of them have knowledge about the Panchkoshi Yatra. So today let us try to get some preliminary information about it.
What is Panchkoshi Yatra?
local level commissionCroshi This punch is also popular as a journeycell The journey is actually a journey to see all the Gods and Goddesses of Sanatan. For those who are familiar with words like Kosh, Cow, it is not difficult to understand the word Panchkoshi (or Panchkroshi). Panchkoshi means five cells i.e. 11 miles i.e. 17.6 kilometers.
The basic thing is that, there are total 108 temples in Atla area of Kashi i.e. Panchkoshi area where Chali has to visit. However, local guide Mr. Ravi Tripathi says that as centuries have passed, information about some temples is no longer available. Under normal circumstances this journey lasts for five days. Some people do it in three days and if there is lack of time and physical capacity, then the yatra can be done in one day also by visiting the main temples of the entire yatra route.
Importance of Panchkoshi Yatra
Panchkoshi Yatra is a way for the devotees to seek the blessings of Lord Shiva, the revered deity of this city. This journey starts from Manikarnika Ghat, one of the most sacred ghats of Varanasi and covers many important pilgrimage sites including Kardameshwar Temple, Rameshwar Temple and Shivpur Temple. Panchkoshi Yatra is not just a physical journey but a spiritual journey, where devotees can connect with divinity and gain spiritual knowledge. The pilgrimage is considered a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and many devotees undertake the journey as a way to seek forgiveness for past mistakes, fulfill wishes, or simply express their devotion to God. The city of Varanasi, with its rich cultural and spiritual heritage, provides an excellent backdrop for this holy pilgrimage. With its narrow streets, bustling markets and magnificent temples, Varanasi is a city steeped in tradition and spirituality.
personal feeling
Recently, Kashi Panchkoshi Yatra organized by SMaRT i.e. Samachar Manyata Association for Research and Training gave a kind of supernatural spiritual experience. The local associate of the organization, Mr. Arjun Pandey, who conducts this journey for thousands of devotees every year, and the team of experienced local guides from Kashi, Mr. Ravi Tripathi and Anurag Maurya, provided us with a memorable experience of life by conducting this journey. In this journey, I met all Shri Harshvardhan Tripathi (renowned journalist and TV panelist), Shantanu Gupta (TV panelist and author of the biography of Shri Yogi Adityanath), Sandeep Singh (author of Temple Economics (two volumes) and visiting faculty of various IIM institutes), Mrityunjay Sharma (author and industrialist), Mandar Ghotkar (industrialist and Sanghadar). Volunteer), Anadiranjan Biswas (Journalist, Andaman-Nicobar and West Bengal) and Rangarajan Narasimhan, who single-handedly led the movement for the protection of temples in Tamil Nadu.
Significant contribution of Umashankar Gupta
During the Panchkoshi Yatra, a photo was posted near a Ganesh temple in which there was information about 56 Vinayak temples located in Kashi. On enquiry, it was found that Umashankar Guptaji, an elder of this holy city, has been taking people on Panchkoshi Yatra for many decades, but his main contribution is that he has documented 56 ancient Ganeshji temples of Kashi.
When I had to meet Mr. Umashankarji face to face, he told Rivoie that while the Kashi administration was documenting the entire Panchkoshi Yatra, the system had no information about all the ancient temples of Lord Ganesha. He provided this information, in return for which Umashankarji was honored by the administration.
A single report about Kashi and Panchkoshi Yatra is not enough. There are many ancient stories associated with each temple here. It is no exaggeration to say that thousands of people come here every day to undertake pilgrimage and visit Kashi Vishwanath. Naturally, not all who come here can afford to stay in expensive hotels and hence the city administration has prepared huge Dharamshalas at many places where the devotees can stay. Arrangements such that devotees can prepare food themselves are also seen in these Dharamshalas.
This city, Varanasi, which is also known for the Kashi Vidvat Parishad and Sanskrit schools, is such a place, such a place of pilgrimage, where one can easily experience the fear-free and worry-free environment due to its deeply rooted eternal values.