Kashi-Khand

 

3      KASHI-KHAND

                 What is Kashi- Khand? The area demarcated as Kashi is called Kashi-Khand. This area is described in the Kashi Purana. Kashi-Khand is bordered

a.       on the north by river Varuna,

b.       on the south by River Assi,

c.       on the east by river Ganga and

d.       on the west by a part of circumference which includes the 6 main stop-points as outlined in the Kashi-Khand Parikrama. These stop-points are called Padavs. 

 

3.1     Kashi-Khand Parikrama Stop Points and Distance

The Kashi-Khand Parikrama can be done on foot or by car. Pilgrims start at Manikarnika and finish at Manikarnika or start at Assi and finish at Manikarnika. The Kashi-Khand Parikrama is about 80-kms and by car it takes about 8 hours as one must get off at the stops, offer worship and continue. Some devotees prefer to do this on foot and it takes days.

According to a swami of Ramakrishna Mission Varanasi, who performed this parikrama on foot a number of times; the Kashi-Khand Parikrama starts at Assi Ghat and consists of the following 10 stops:

1.             Assisangameshwar

2.             Kardameshwar

3.             BhimChandi

4.             Rajatola-Rameshwaram

5.             Shivapura- Panchapandav

6.             Kapildhara - Brishavadhwaja Shiva

7.             Cross Varuna

8.             Adi Keshav

9.             Manikarnika

10.         Dashashwamedh.

 

Internet lists the following stops for the same parikrama:

A.                 Manikarnika

B.                 Kardameshwar - 3 Kos or 9.6. Kms

C.                 Bhim Chandi - 5 Kos or 16 kms

D.                Rameshwar - 7 Kos or 22.4 kms

E.                 Shivapur - 4 Kos or 12.8 kms

F.                  Kapildhara - 3 Kos or 9.6 kms

G.                Manikarnika - 3 Kos or 9.6 kms.

 

Total distance in either of the routes is 25 Kos or 80 Kms where I Kos = 3.2 Kms. 

 

3.2     When Varanasi became Benaras

There used to be a huge place called Varanasi surrounding the Kashi-Khand. Eventually, Kashi-Khand became so popular, the surrounding Varanasi dwellers wished to get incorporated into the Kashi and over time the entire area came to be known as Varanasi.  Over time Varanasi become synonymous to Benares.

 

3.3     Moksha kshetra Kashi Khand rules

In Varanasi, the Moksha-Kshetra is associated with Kashi-Khand only and thus people who wish to be liberated do not wish to stay outside this Kashi Kshetra, i.e., on the other sides of Assi river or on the other side of Ma Ganga.

Incidentally Paramhamsa Ramakrishna Dev refused to answer calls of nature within the Kashi Khand and had to be carried on palanquin across Assi river. His pratyaksha-darshanam (direct perception) was literally the golden Kashi. Being an incarnation, Sri Ramakrishna perceived Kashi pulsating with the light of pure consciousness and this light of the Truth made Kashi Golden. It is said the sages perceive a column of light (Jyotirlinga form of Lord Shiva) in Kashi.

Pilgrims desirous of punya and moksha shun from taking a dip on the other bank of Ganga known as Vyas Kashi for fear of becoming a donkey...! This story has been explained in the Stories of Kashi under Ganga folklore. 

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