A photograph of a Varanasi temple tower leaning more than the Leaning Tower of Pisa in Italy, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, has been shared on the internet and is gaining traction. Former Norwegian diplomat Erik Solheim shared this picture of Varanasi’s Ratneshwar Temple, which is tilted by nine degrees. Located in Manikarnika Ghat, this temple is also known as ‘Kashi Garwat’. In this case, this temple is constantly being discussed on social media.
Described by the locals and tourists as one of the most unique cities in the world, Varanasi aka Banaras or Kashi is a sanctuary of peace in Uttar Pradesh. There are ample temples in this ancient city, but none like the Ratneshwar Mahadev Temple.
The Leaning Tower of Pisa in Italy is world famous and one of the wonders of the world. While this tower is considered to be the world’s leaning tower, recently photos of the Varanasi temple tower have been shared. The construction of this Pisa Tower started in AD. It was started in 1173 and completed in 1372. While the tower was completed with a height of 186 feet and 7 floors, the tower began to lean slightly after the completion of the construction work.
However, it is considered a great miracle that the tower has not yet fallen down. Various efforts have been made to prevent the tower from falling down. It is also noteworthy that this tower was raised by four meters in the year 2018.
About the legend of Ratneshwar Mahadev Temple:
Ratneshwar temple near Manikarnika Ghat is also called Kashi Karvat. It means a temple in Kashi, which leans ( karvat) to one side. Reportedly, Ratneshwar Mahadev Temple has a higher tilt than Italy’s famous Leaning Tower of Pisa or the Torre Pendente di Pisa built in 1173. The story behind its tilted nature is quite interesting. There is a legend surrounding the origin of this temple, which states that it was built by a certain servant of Raja Man Singh for his mother, named Ratna Bai.
Once the temple was built, the man proudly declared that he had paid the debt to his mother. Much to his shock, as soon as these words escaped his lips, the temple started tilting backward (north-west) to show that the debt to one’s mother can never be paid. The sanctum sanctorum of this shrine remains under Ganga water for most of the year.
This iconic temple of Varanasi is dedicated to Lord Shiva and is also widely known as Matr-rin Mahadev, the Leaning temple of Varanasi. Situated in between Manikarnika Ghat and Scindhia Ghat, the ancient Ratneshwar Mahadev temple has a phamsana mandapa and a nagara-style spire.
As per the reports, the well-preserved temple’s garbagriha or sannidhanam (the sanctum sanctorum) generally remains below the water much of the year, except for a few months in summer as the level of the temple is conspicuously low, right by the river’s edge.
Stay connected with us on social media platforms for instant updates click here to join our Twitter, & Facebook
