Shri Durga Temple of Varanasi is one of the ancient and historic temples of Varanasi.
History suggests that Shri Durga Temple was built in the year 1760 by Rani Bhavani who was the then queen of Bengal. At that time, the cost of building the Durga temple was 50 thousand Indian Rupees.
Maa Durga pratishthit in the Durga Temple of Varanasi is seated on Shri Yantra which makes it an ideal center for obtaining Devi Sadhna and bhakti.
Alongside Maa Durga, the viagra of Kaal Bhairav, Maa Sharda, Maa Lakshmi, and Maa Kali are also installed separately in the Durga Temple of Varanasi. It is mandatory to take the darshan of the unique priest's temple located in the Durga Temple after visiting the main deity and it is only then that the darshan of Maa Durga is complete.
According to Devi Purana Maa Durga rested in the Durga Temple after killing 'Shumbha' and 'Nishumbha' Rakshas. Maa Durga resides here in the form of Adi Shakti and this is from the beginning.
In times of Purana, there were only three main temples in Kashi, first Kashi Vishwanath, second Maa Annapurna, and third Shri Durga Temple. In the Havan Kund of the temple, Chandi Homam is performed every day here and the Agni in the Kund never extinguishes.
According to the 23rd chapter of the Devi Bhagwat Purana, the ruler of Kashi invited for a 'Swayamvara' of his daughter named 'Shashikala'.Soon after the announcement the king of Kashi came to know about his daughter's love affair with the prince Sudarshan, whom she had married secretly. The King of Kashi on knowing about
it called off the Swayavar.Princes of other kingdoms who wanted to pitch themselves for the swayamvara declared a collective war against Sudarshan and the king of Kashi after the news of the marriage was broken to them. Sudarshan and Kashi Naresh both offered their prayers in Shri Durga Temple and they both
received Devi Maa's blessing for victory in the war even though the odds were stacked against them.
After the war, the king of Kashi was declared the winner and he requested Maa Durga to protect Kashi forever and then the grand structure of Shri Durga Temple was built.
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