Humans of Kashi | Humans of Kashi

The Miraculous Durga Idol in Varanasi That Refused to Be

Meet Sunil Lahri: The Banaras Animal Rescuer Who Has Saved

DIG Vaibhav Krishna Fulfills Tribal Women’s Dream of Visiting Kashi

How Manoj Yadav Educated 1,000+ Underprivileged Children Despite Leaving College

Kashi’s “Cow Baba” Has Been Feeding Stray Cows for Years.

July 24, 2026
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12
Jul

The Miraculous Durga Idol in Varanasi That Refused to Be Immersed for 258 Years

  • Humans of kashi
    Humans of kashi / 2 weeks
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  • 3 min read

When Maa Durga’s Idol Did Not Move Even an Inch for Immersion in Kashi The idol has not been immersed for 258 years The Goddess appeared in a dream to the Mukherjee family, asking to remain in Kashi Varanasi. Kashi, the city of Lord Shiva, unique among all the three worlds, is filled with extraordinary mysteries. Resting upon the trident of Lord Shiva, this city has always attracted people with its remarkable miracles. Every year, people come here not only from across India but also from abroad after hearing about the power and miracles of its temples. Today, we introduce one such idol of Adishakti in Kashi. Located in the Jagambari, Madanpura area of Varanasi, this ancient temple, famous as the Old Durga Bari Temple, has remained a center of faith for devotees for centuries. The idol of the Goddess here has not been immersed for 258 years. When the Mukherjee family from West Bengal came to reside in Kashi, they installed the idol of Maa Durga during Durga Puja in the year 1767. On the day of immersion, the Goddess appeared in a dream to the head of the Mukherjee family and expressed her desire to remain there. Since then, this clay idol has remained established at the same place. The idol of Adishakti has been crafted in the Bangla Chala style. This idol of Maa Durga is made from ordinary straw, clay, bamboo, and jute twine, and appears extremely beautiful. The Goddess became so pleased with the worship and devotion of the Mukherjee family that she chose to reside there permanently. Even today, the seventh generation of the Mukherjee family continues to serve the Goddess with devotion. To the right of the idol of Maa Durga stands a black stone idol of Lord Vishnu, which is believed to date back to the 11th century. Even More Than 50 People Could Not Lift the Idol Members of the Mukherjee family residing in the temple premises stated that on Vijayadashami, when people attempted to lift the five-foot-tall idol for immersion, it did not move even an inch from its place. Initially, 15 to 20 people tried to lift the idol. Later, more than 50 people made the attempt, but they still could not move the idol of the Goddess even an inch from its place. On the night of the immersion, the Goddess appeared in a dream to the head of the Mukherjee family. She said that she was extremely pleased with their worship and wished to remain at the same place. Since then, this clay idol of the Goddess has remained enshrined there. Devotees Come from Far and Wide After Hearing of Her Glory After hearing about the glory of Adishakti Maa Durga, devotees from distant places come here during Navratri to seek the Goddess’s blessings. Although the Goddess is worshipped every day, special worship is performed for nine days during Navratri. Jaggery and roasted gram are especially dear offerings to Mata Rani. Devotees visiting from outside also offer roasted gram and jaggery in the temple premises while praying for the fulfillment of their wishes. It is believed that the Goddess fulfills every wish asked with a sincere heart in the temple. The temple remains open every day from 7:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and again from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

17
Jun

How Manoj Yadav Educated 1,000+ Underprivileged Children Despite Leaving College Midway

  • Humans of kashi
    Humans of kashi / 1 month
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  • 5 min read

The Degree Was Left Incomplete, But the Determination Never Broke: Manoj Lit the Lamp of Education in the Lives of Thousands of Children Has educated more than one thousand children so far; many children have passed High School and Intermediate examinations Also conducts online classes through YouTube and provides new and old clothes to underprivileged children Varanasi. Whether in a city or a village, you will find many people with degrees. But there is also a person whose own degree remained incomplete. Even so, he illuminated the lives of thousands of children through education. His name is Manoj Yadav. Children lovingly call him “Guruji.” Living in Ugapur, Pandapur of Cholapur, Manoj has become a ray of hope for those children who cannot even afford school fees. It was in 2013 that Manoj took admission in a graduation course at Banaras Hindu University. He loved studying and had a passion for moving ahead in life. But his pockets were empty. The financial difficulties were so severe that he had to leave his studies midway. His dream of earning a degree remained incomplete. Most people would have stopped there, but Manoj decided that what happened to him due to lack of money should not happen to anyone else. He resolved that no child in his neighborhood would have to leave studies midway because of financial hardship. And that is where the story began. The Classroom Began in the Lanes of a Slum Manoj’s journey was not easy. In the beginning, he had neither benches nor a blackboard to teach children. He gathered children who could not attend school and started teaching them. He taught whatever he knew—Hindi, Mathematics, and English. The fee for his classes was zero. Manoj himself was not financially stable. Despite this, he made every possible effort to light the lamp of education in the lives of poor children around him. His wife Anita supported him wholeheartedly throughout this journey. Anita said, “We may eat less, but we will definitely provide education to children.” That support gave Manoj the courage to continue. What started with one or two children is now transforming the lives of thousands. Manoj says that more than 1,000 children have been associated with him so far. Many of them had never even seen the inside of a school. Manoj taught them, guided them, and got them admitted to government schools. Today, many of those children have passed High School. Some have even completed Intermediate education. One child who could never afford a notebook or pencil is now topping Intermediate examinations. For Manoj, that is the greatest degree of all. Along with Education, He Also Demonstrated Humanity Manoj’s work is not limited to the classroom. When he visits slum settlements and sees children in torn clothes, his heart melts. Along with education, he also made arrangements to clothe the children. He encourages people to donate old clothes for children. Along with collecting used clothes from people, he also buys new clothes for children during festivals. Especially during winters, he visits slum areas and arranges warm clothes for children. Classes Also Run on YouTube Manoj’s classes are now conducted on YouTube as well. As times changed, Manoj adapted too. When mobile phones and the internet became common, he created a YouTube channel. Now, even a child from a remote village can watch his lectures. His online classes maintain the same style—simple language and everyday examples. There are no technical terms, making it easy for children to understand. When a child asks a question in the comments section, Manoj responds through a video. Technology has taken his classroom from the lanes of a slum to the entire state of Uttar Pradesh. Educational Tours for Awareness Social worker Manoj’s goal is not only to provide basic education to children. To help High School and Intermediate students studying in slum settlements fulfill their dreams, he also introduces them to the outside world. For educational tours, he often takes children not only around his city but also to other states. He mostly brings children to Banaras Hindu University by bus. There, he encourages them to pursue higher education and motivates them to study in institutions like BHU. After these educational tours, children become even more enthusiastic about completing their studies. No Big Support, Just a Big Intention Manoj says that when intentions are pure, every destination becomes easier to reach. He believes that society can change only through education. Every poor and deprived person has a right to education. To ensure that children do not face obstacles in education, he has launched a campaign encouraging people to donate ₹100 every month for education. Financial support received from donors also helps in the education of children. He firmly believes that society will change only through education. “I do not have a degree, but sharing knowledge does not reduce knowledge.” Today, Manoj Yadav may not have a paper degree, but he possesses the degree of blessings from thousands of children. People in Cholapur call him “Guruji.” A child who could never even imagine going to school now looks at Manoj and says, “I will study too.” His degree remained incomplete, but his determination never broke. That same determination has rebuilt hundreds of broken dreams. Perhaps this is true education—that a person who could not complete his own studies helps others to study.