The brief history of the temple is as follows
- The Muslim rulers of India from 1033 to 1063 AD attacked Varanasi several times as they would envy this Hindu pilgrimage centre. Masjids were built in place of the temples. However Hindu devotees continued pilgrimage to the Jyotirlingam, as a result the place continued to develop.
- In the year 1776 AD, the Maratha Monarch Maharani Ahilya bai Holkar rebuilt the main temple. Following this in 1785 AD, the King of Kashi, Mansaram built more small temples near this place.
- In 1852 AD, Srimant Baji Rao Peshwa constructed the Kalabhairava temple.
- In 1839, two of the temple domes were gold plated by King Ranjit Singh.
- After independence since the year 1983, the temple affairs has been handled by the government of Uttar Pradesh.
- The third dome was then gold plated by the Ministry of Culture and Religious affairs of the Uttar Pradesh Government.