Leaning Temple of Varanasi beats the Leaning Tower of Pisa, this is how

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.

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.

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 backwards (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.
Ratneshwar Temple Vs The Leaning Tower of Pisa
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. As the story behind the tilted nature of this Italian monument goes, the ground to its one side had started sinking under the weight of the stones after its construction.

Interestingly, the Leaning Tower of Pisa leans at 4 degrees, which is less in comparison to the 9 degree tilt of the Ratneshwar Mahadev Temple. Yet, this Leaning Temple of Varanasi has been lost in anonymity in India; time to explore this secret in our very own backyard?