Jyotirlingas in India | Jyotirlinga
A Jyotirlinga or Jyotirling or Jyotirlingam is a shrine where Lord Shiva, an aspect of God in Hinduism is worshipped in the form of a Jyotirlingam or "Lingam (pillar) of light." There are twelve traditional Jyotirlinga shrines in India.
It is believed that Lord Shiva first manifested himself as a Jyotirlinga on the night of the Aridra Nakshatra, thus the special reverence for the Jyotirlinga. There is nothing to distinguish the appearance, but it is believed that a person can see these lingas as columns of fire piercing through the earth after he reaches a higher level of spiritual attainment.
Location of the Jyothirlinga Temples:
Two on the sea shore, three on river banks, four in the heights of the mountains and three in villages located in meadows; the twelve Jyotirlingas are spread out like this. Every place has been described in glorious words by many detailing the surroundings etc.
Those of us who go to these temples of Shubhankar Shankar- Jyoti-Sivasthan, receive the holy blessings of the Lord, and come back happy, peaceful and blessed. This in indeed depends on one’s devotion and experience too.
Significance of Jyotirlinga:
The Puranas vociferously sing the praises of the greatness of the Jyotirlingas. By reciting the name of this, one can eliminate all the sins. The Sadhaka becomes calm, chaste and pure. He becomes illuminated and enlightened with supreme and divine knowledge. The names mentioned for the benefits of all:
Saurashtra Somnatham Cha Shrishaile Mallikarjunam ||
Ujjainyam Mahakalomkare Mammaleshwaram ||
Parlyam Vaijnatham Cha Dakinyam Bheem Shankaram ||
Setu Bandhe Tu Ramesham Nagesham Daruka Vane ||
Varanasya Tu Vishwesham Tribakam Gautamitate ||
Himalaye Tu Kedaram Ghurmesham Cha Shivalaye ||
Aetani Jyotirlingani Sayam Prataha Pathennaraha ||
Sapta Janma Kritam Papam Smaranen Vinashyati ||
Twelve Jyotirlingas
The names and the locations of the 12 Jyotirlingas are mentioned in the Shiva Purana. These shrines are:
- Someshwara Somnath
- Mallikarjuna Srisailam
- Mahakaleswar Ujjain
- Omkareswar Ujjain
- Kedarnath Temple
- Bhimashankar Pune
- Vishwanath Varanasi
- Tryambakeshwar Temple
- Baijanath Bihar
- Nageshvara Jyotirlinga
- Rameshwar Rameswaram
- Grishneshwar Near Ellora caves
Other temples with names as Jyotirlingas:
These are not actual jyotirlingas, but it's faith of Hindus outside India to have temple as sacred as a jyotirlings, so they are listed here. There are two Jyotirlingas outside India, one in Australia and the other in Mauritius:
- The Mauritiuseswarnath Mandir at Ganga Talao, Mauritius was consecrated in 1989. Ganga Talao or Grand Bassin is a lake situated in a secluded mountain area in the district of Savanne, deep in the heart of Mauritius. It is about 600m above sea level. It is considered the most sacred Hindu place in Mauritius.
- The Mukti-Gupteshwar Mandir in Sydney, Australia is the only man-made cave Mandir dedicated to Lord Shiva. The Jyotirlingam was consecrated in 1999.
Someshwara Somnath:
Shree Somnath is first among the twelve Aadi Jyotirlings of India. It has a strategic location on the western coast of India. The Somnath Temple located in the Prabhas Kshetra near Veraval in Saurashtra, on the western coast of Gujarat, India, is one of the twelve Jyotirlinga shrines of the God Shiva. Somnath means "The Protector of (the) Moon God". The Somnath Temple is known as "the Shrine Eternal", having been destroyed six times and rebuilt six times. Most recently it was rebuilt in November 1947, when Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel visited the area for the integration of Junagadh and mooted a plan for restoration. After Patel's death, the rebuilding continued under K. M. Munshi, another minister of the Government of India.
The Someshwar Mahadev temple stands tall among the temples of India. The construction of the present temple in Junagadh district began in 1950. It is the seventh temple built to commemorate the glory of Lord Somnath who was known as BhAiraveshwar in the Sa(ya Yug, Shravanikeshwar in Treta Yug and Shrigaleshwar in DwaparYug.
According to legend, Soma, the moon God built the temple in gold, Ravan in silver, Krishna in wood and king Bhimdev of Anhilwad in stone. Soma constructed the temple as a gesture after Lord Shiva cured him of his illness. This illness was caused by his father-in-law Daksha Prajapati's curse.
Daksha cursed him to wane as he was infatuated with Rohini and was neglecting the other 26 wives, all 26 of whom were the daughters of Prajapati. It is said that Brahma advised him to build the temple in honour of Shiva.
In the first phase of construction the shikhar portion, the sanctum sanctorum and the sabha mandap (assembly hall) were built. The nritya mandap (the dancing hall) was built later. The temple has been constructed in the Solanki style.
The pinnacle rides to a height of 155 feet. The kalash atop the shikhar weighs 10 tonnes. The flag- mast is 37 feet long. These details give an idea of the size of the temple. In historical times the temple, the third to be precise, was raged to the ground by Sultan Mohmad of Ghazni. Then Sultans Allauddin and Mohmad Begda too desecrated it.
After the Maraths took over Gujarat Rani Ahalyabai of Indore constructed a temple near the old temple and worship is offered there ever since.
The temple is so situated that there is no land from here to the South Pole. An arrow indicates the direction.
Dehotsarga also called Balkh Tirth where Krishna shuffled off his mortal coil is nearby which the pilgrims should visit. The tirtha stands at the confluence of Hiranya, Saraswati and Kapila rivers. Vallabhacharya's Baithak is also there at Prabhas Patan.
How to reach Somnath:
Amdavad / Ahmedabad is connected by Rail, Road and Air with all the major destinations. Veraval Somnath is connected with Amdavad / Ahmedabad to Rail and Road facilities. Somnath is at a distance of 465 km. from Amdavad. At present Jet Airwais operates passenger flight from Bombay
By Air: The nearest Airport is at Keshod, (125 kms.) which is connected with Mumbai.
By Train: Veraval, (5 kms.) is the closest Railway station.
By Road: State transport buses and private luxury coaches connect various centres of Gujarat to Somnath.
Mallikarjuna Jyotirlinga Srisailam:
Sri Mallikarjuna Swamy is one of the twelve Jyothirlingas of Lord Shiva situated at Srisailam in Andhra Pradesh state, India.
Story:
When Shiva and Parvathi decided to find suitable brides for their sons, Ganesha and kaarthikeya argued as to who is to get wedded first. Lord Shiva bade that the one who goes round the world in Pradakshinam could get married first. By the time Lord Muruga could go round the world on his vahana, Lord Ganesha went round his parents 7 times (for according to Sastras, going in pradakshinam round one's parents is equivalent to going once round the world (Boopradakshinam). Lord Siva got Siddhi & Buddhi, the daughtersof Viswaroopan married to Lord Ganesha. Muruga on his return was enraged and went away to stay alone on Mount Kravunja in the name of Kumarabrahmachari. On seeing his father coming over to pacfy him, he tried to move to another place, but on the request of the Devas, stayed closeby. The place where Lord Siva and Parvathi stayed came to be known as Sri Sailam. Lord Siva visits Lord Muruga on Amavasai day & Parvathi Devi on Pournami. The temple is situated facing East. The centre mandapam has several pillars, with a huge idol of Nadikeswarar.Mahashivratri is the main festival celebrated at Srisailam Mallikarjuna Swamy temple.
How to Reach Mallikarjuna:
By Air: Nearest airport is located at Hyderabad (175 km).
By Railway stations: Markapur road, Ongole, Nandyal.
By Road: Hyderabad - Mahbubnagar (NH 7)- Srisailam temple / Ongole - Markapur - Srisailam temple / Gooty - Nandyal - Atmakur - Srisailam temple.
Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga:
Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga is one of the most famous Hindu temples dedicated to Lord Shiva and is one of the twelve Jyotirlingams, which are supposed to be the most sacred abodes of Shiva. It is located in the ancient city of Ujjain in the state of Madhya Pradesh, India. The temple is situated on the side of the Rudra Sagar lake. The presiding deity, Shiva in the lingam form is believed to be Swayambhu, deriving currents of power (Shakti) from within itself as against the other images and lingams that are ritually established and invested with mantra-shakti.
Transport:
The temple is located in the heart of Ujjain, at a distance of two kilometers from the Ujjain railway station and bus stand. It is accessible by state-operated tempos (fare Rs. 5/- per head from railway station or bus stand to temple. The service of Tempos is after every five minutes), auto-rickshaws or private taxis.
Omkareshwar Jyotirlinga Ujjain:
Omkareshwar is a Hindu temple dedicated to God Shiva. It is one of the 12 revered Jyotirlinga shrines of Shiva.
It is on an island called Mandhata or Shivapuri in the Narmada river; the shape of the island is said to be like the Hindu ॐ symbol.
There are two temples here, one to Omkareshwar (whose name means "Lord of Omkaara or the Lord of the Om Sound") and one to Amareshwar (whose name means "Immortal lord" or "lord of the Immortals or Devas").
But as per the sloka on dwadash jyotirligam, Mamleshwar is the jyotirling, which is on other side of Narmada river.
Location:
It is situated in the Khandwa district of Madhya Pradesh state in India. It is about 12 miles (20 km) from Mortakka in Madhya Pradesh.
Omkareshwar is formed by the sacred river Narmada. This is one of the most sacred of rivers in India and is now home to one of the world's biggest dam projects.
How to reach Omkareshwar:
There are steamboats across the Narmada river and also two connecting bridges to reach the temple.
Air : The Airports close to Omkareshwar are at Indore (77 km) and Ujjain (133 km).
Rail : Nearest Railway Station is at Omkareshwar Road (12 km) on the Ratlam-Khandwa section of the Western Railway which is not a mainline. The other nearest railway station connected to Delhi and Mumbai is at Indore (77 km).
Road : Omkareshwar is connected to major towns and cities of Madhya Pradesh. There are regular bus services from Indore (77 km), Ujjain (133 km) Khandwa (61 km.) and Omkareshwar Road (12 km). By bus, it takes 2.5 hrs from Khandwa railway station to Omkareshwar.
While traveling from Khandwa to Omkareshwar, on the left side of road in the outskirts of Khandwa you can see the memorial to the celebrated singer, Kishore Kumar.
Kedarnath Temple:
Kedarnath Mandir is one of the holiest Hindu temples dedicated to Lord Shiva and is located atop the Garhwal Himalayan range near the Mandakini river in Kedarnath, Uttarakhand in India. Due to extreme weather conditions, the temple is open only between the end of April to karmic purnima (full moon). During the winters, the murtis (idols) from Kedarnath temple are brought to Ukhimath and worshipped there for six months. In this region Lord Shiva is worshipped as Kedarnath, the 'Lord of Kedar Khand', the historical name of the region.
The temple is not directly accessible by road and has to be reached by a 14 km uphill trek from Gaurikund . The temple is believed to have been built by Adi Sankaracharya and is one of the twelve Jyotirlingas, the holiest Hindu shrines of Shiva. The older temple existed from the times of Mahabharata, when the Pandavas are supposed to have pleased Shiva by doing penance in Kedarnath. The temple is also one of the four major sites in India's Chota Char Dham pilgrimage of Northern Himalayas.
How to reach Kedarnath:
Air: Jolly grant (Dehradun)-239 km.
Rail: Railhead at Rishikesh, 221 km Railhead at Kotdwara, 250 km Gopeshwar
Bus: This service is available at Rishikesh, Haridwar and Kotdwara for Gaurikund. During Yatra season, some special Yatra services are also arranged to Gaurikund.
Bhimashankar Jyotirlinga Pune:
Bhimashankar Temple is located in the village of Bhorgiri 50 km north west of Khed, near Pune, in India. It is located 127 km away from shivaji nagar(Pune) in the Ghat region of the Sahyadri hills.It takes four hours to reach there. Bhimashankar is also the source of the Bhima river, which flows south east and merges with the Krishna river near Raichur. The other Jyotirlinga shrines in Maharashtra are Parli, Tryambakeshwar and Grishneshwar. Regular pilgrims near Mumbai visit Bhimashankar from Karjat via Khandas. The Bhimashankar Wildlife Sanctuary located here is a popular weekend getaway from Mumbai and Pune.
Legend:
Bhimashankar is approx 127 km from Pune (or 200 km from mumbai). The route to Bhimashankar is via Manchar.the second route is from rajgurunagar via vada. One can go to this place, full of natural beauty and lovely scenery, and be back to Pune in one day. Bhimashankar is a good paradise for nature lovers, trekkers, jungle lovers and bird watchers. It is recommended to visit the place for at least 2/3 days. The best seasons to go to Bhimashankar are monsoon and winter. There is a beautiful temple of Lord Shiva which is one of the 12 Jyotirlingas in India. Lord Shankara after getting angry, killed Rakshas Tripurasura. The heat generated from their war caused the origin of river Bhima. That is why it is called Bhimashankar.
There are Buddha style carvings of Amba-Ambika, Bhootling and Bhimashankar in the hills of Manmaad near Bhimashankar. This is at a height of 1034 mtrs. A big size bell in Hemadpanthi structure built by Nana Phadanavis is also a feature of Bhimashankar. Various places that could be visited in Bhimashankar are Hanuman Lake, Gupt Bhimashankar, Origin of River Bhima, Nag Phani, Bombay Point, Sakshi Vinayak and a lot more. Bhimashankar is a conserve red forest area and wildlife sanctuary where a variety of birds, animals, flowers, plants can be seen. A rare animal "Shekru" can be found in deep woods. Bhimashankar is worth visiting for jungle lovers and trekkers as well as for pilgrims.
How to reach Bhimashankar:
Bhimashankar is seventy-four miles or 127 km from Pune by road. State buses go there from Pune daily, with more than five hours of bus journey. During the Mahashivaratri festival, when there is a great fair at the temple, buses ply to and fro daily. It is also accessible from Karjat on the Pune - Mumbai section of the Central railway. There is no proper road from Karjat to Bhimashankar and only the devotees who wish to go to the temple on foot during festivals use this road.
If you are coming from Aurangabad or Ahmednagar, move towards Alephata which is 30 KM from Nagar. Then go to Manchar which is 60 KM from Alephata. Take right from Manchar and after 59 KM you'll reach Bhimashankar. (Aurangabad to Ahmednagar is 112 KM).
Another root is Via Sangamner, which lies on Nashik-Pune Road, From Sangamner go to Manchar, and then follow the same route towards Bhimashankar, which is 59 KM.
From Pune ST Buses are avalaible from shivaji nagar pune to bhimashankar at 5:30 in the morning to 2:00 pm and ticket is approximately 91/- for a person.
(From Pune -> Rajguru Nagar -> Manchar -> Ghodegoan -> Bhimashakar)
(From Mumbai ->Chakan [i.e. exterior part of Pune] -> Rajguru Nagar(Khed) -> Manchar -> Ghodegoan -> Bhimashakar)
From Mumbai
If coming from Mumbai, take Pune road. About 31.02 km from Deonar traffic junction lies the Mumbai Pune Expressway (NH-4) after crossing Navi Mumbai and Panvel. After 52 km from Panvel is Lonavala and 50 km from there is on NH-4 is Wadgaon. At Wadgaon, turn left on State Highway towards Chakan which is about 12 km. At Chakan, take NH 50 towards Manchar which is around 65 km to Bhimashankar. from mumbai direct State Transport buses are available from Mumbai Central. the morning bus leaves mumbai central around 6.00 am and the last bus is of 10.30 pm. the traveling from mumbai to bhimashankar lasting only 6 hours by private car and state transport vehicles takes 7 hours.
From Pune
If starting from Pune, drive along the Pune-Nasik highway and turn off at the road leading to Bhimashankar. The mountain road is quite a steep climb. The distance is about 160 km from Pune. Accommodation at Bhimashankar mainly comprises two bungalows [with a capacity of 8 beds] and tents.
Government MSRTC buses (non luxury) run from Pune to Bhimashankar every 30 minutes from 5:30 AM in the morning till 4:00 PM in the evening.
Visit Times:
The best time to visit is between August and February. Though any time of the year is good to visit Bhimashankar, it is better to avoid visiting during summer. Similarly during monsoon unless one likes trekking, it is better to avoid. That leaves the best period to seven months between August and February.
Vishwanath Varanasi:
Kashi Vishwanath Temple is one of the most famous Hindu temples dedicated to Lord Shiva and is located in Benaras, the Holiest existing Place of Hindus, where at least once in life a Hindu is expected to do pilgrimage, and if possible, also pour the remains (ashes) of cremated ancestors here on the River Ganges. It is in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India. The temple stands on the western bank of the holy river Ganges, and is one of the twelve Jyotirlingas, the holiest of Shiva temples. The main deity is known by the name Vishwanatha or Vishweshwara meaning the Ruler of the universe. The temple town that claims to be the oldest living city in the world, with 3500 years of documented history is also called Kashi and hence the temple is popularly called as Kashi Vishwanath Temple. Due to this 15.5m high golden spire, the temple is sometimes called as the Golden Temple, similar to the Golden temple, a Sikh Gurudwara at Amritsar.
The temple has been referred in Hindu theology since a very long time and as a central part of worship in the Shaiva philosophy. The temple has been destroyed and rebuilt a number of times. The Gyanvapi Mosque, which is adjacent to the temple, is the original site of the temple. The current structure is believed to have been built by Maharani Ahilya Bai Holkar of Indore in 1780. Since 1983, the temple is being managed by Govt. of Uttar Pradesh. During the religious occasion of Shivratri, Kashi Naresh (King of Kashi) is the chief officiating priest and no other person or priest is allowed to enter the sanctum sanctorum. It is only after he performs his religious functions that others are allowed to enter.
How to reach Varanasi:
Varanasi is easily accessible from all parts of the country. Very well connected by road, rail and air, the City of. offers convenient and comfortable travelling options to and from other cities of India.
By Air
Indian Airlines flies to Babatpur airport which is 22 km. from Varanasi and 30 km. from Sarnath There is a. direct, daily flight connection between Varanasi and New Delhi. It also connects Varanasi to Delhi, Agra,. Khajuraho, Calcutta, Mumbai, Lucknow and Bhuvaneshwar. For travel reservations contact Indian Airlines.
By Train
Varanasi is an important and major rail junction. The city is served by trains from all metros and major cities across the country. New Delhi, mumbai, Calcutta, Chennai, Gwalior, Meerut, indore, Guwahati, Allahbad, Lucknow, Dehradun… the city has direct rail connections.
By Road
Varanasi, on (National Highway) NH2 from Calcutta to Delhi, NH7 to Kanya Kumari and NH29 to GoraKhpur is connected literally to the rest of the country by good motorable, all – weather roads. Some important road distances are: Agra 565 km., Allahabad 128 km., Bhopal 791 km., Bodhgaya 240 km., Kanpur 330 km., Khajuraho 405 km., Lucknow 286 km., patna 246 km., Sarnath 10 km., Lumbini (Napal) 386 km., Kushi Nagar 250 km. (via Gorkhpur), UPSRTC Bus Stand, Sher Shah Suri Marg, Golgadda Bus Stand.
Local Transport
Taxis: Private taxis are available from travel agencies, hotels, etc., auto rickshaws, cycle rickshaws and Tempos are also readily available.
Left Luggage Facility: Left luggage facility is available at both the Varanasi and Mughalsarai railway stations(24 Hours).
Tryambakeshwar Temple:
Trimbakeshwar or Trambakeshwar is an ancient Hindu temple in the town of Trimbak, in the Nashik District of Maharashtra, India, 28 km from the city of Nashik GPS Reference 20.021944 N, 73.729935 E. It is dedicated to Lord Shiva and is one of the twelve Jyotirlingas.
It is located at the source of the Godavari River, the longest river in peninsular India. The Godavari River, which is considered sacred within Hinduism, originates from Bramhagiri mountains and meets the sea near Rajahmudry. Kusavarta, a kund is considered the symbolic origin of the river Godavari, and revered by Hindus as a sacred bathing place.
Location of Trimbakeshwar:
About 38 kms away from Nashik Road Railway Station, it is connected by bus and taxi service. There are modern Dharmashalas (caravansary) built by charitable Gujarathi Community available for stay for three days to any individual. The stay can be extended by written permission of the trustees. Besides, there are big houses of Kshetropadhyes (the local priests), where lodging and boarding is made available.
By Air : Nearest airport is Nashik 39 kms.
By Rail : Nearest railhead is Nashik Road 44 kms on Central Railway.
By Road : Bombay - Trimbakeshwar 180 kms. Nashik - Trimbakeshwar 28 kms. State Transport buses ply between Nashik - Trimbakeshwar frequently.
Baijanath Vaidyanath Jyotirlinga :
Vaidyanath Jyotirlinga temple, also known as Baba dham and Baidyanath dham is one of the twelve Jyotirlingas, the most sacred abodes of Shiva. It is located in Deoghar in the Santhal Parganas division of the state of Jharkhand, India. It is a temple complex consisting of the main temple of Baba Vaidyanath, where the Jyotirlinga is installed, and 21 other temples.
According to Hindu beliefs, the demon king Ravana worshipped Shiva at the current site of the temple to get the boons that he later used to wreak havoc in the world. Ravana offered his ten heads one after the another to Shiva as a sacrifice. Pleased with this, Shiva descended to earth and cured Ravana who was injured. As he acted as a doctor, he is referred to as Vaidhya ("doctor"). From this aspect of Shiva, the temple derives its name.
Difficulty in identifying location of Vaidyanath Jyotirlinga:
'Vaidyanatham chithabhoomau' [sivmahapuran kotirudra samhita 1/21-24] is the ancient verse that identifies location of vaidyanth jyotirlinga. According to which vaidyantham is in 'chidabhoomi', which is the ancient name of Deoghar. While, the same part of text has variation by which, verse is 'paralyam vaidyanatham', i.e., Vaidyanatham is in Parli, Maharashtra.
Thus the three temples of,
- Baiydanath temple at Deoghar, Jharkhand,
- Vaijnath temple at Parli, Maharashtra (it is the most popular one)and
- Baijnath temple at Baijnath, Himachal Pradesh are claiming their shrines as 'real' jyotirlinga of Vaidyanath.
In Dwadasa jyothirlinga sthothram, Adi Sankaracharya has praised Vaidyanath jyothirlinga in following verses
This states that Vaidyanath jyotirlinga is located at Prajwalika nidhanam (meaning funeral place i.e., chithabhoomi) in the North-Eastern part of the country. Deoghar is far located in east compared to Parli which is in west central part of the country. Also Chidabhoomi indicates that, in olden days, this was a funeral place, where corpses are burnt and post-death ceremonies were performed. This place could have been a centre of tantric cults like Kapalika/Bhairava where Lord Shiva is worshipped significantly as smasan vasin (meaning, residing in graveyard), sava bhasma bhushita (meaning, smearing body with ashes of burnt bodies).
Interestingly, the same shrine of Vaidyanath is considered as on of 51 Shakti Peethas, where 'yoni peetham' of jyotirlinga itself is considered as the Shakti Peetha.
How to Reach Vaidyanath Jyotirlinga:
Babadham is located in north-eastern Jharkhand, four miles from Jasidih railway station on the main line of the Eastern Railway from Howrah to Delhi. There is a small railway branch line from Jasidih to Babadham. The railway station at Babadham is called Baidyanath Dham.
Babadham stands near the G.T. Road connecting Calcutta with Delhi. From the G.T. Road, you can take a turn to the state road at Bagodar or at Dumri. Devotees coming down from Kolkata or other parts of West Bengal can take the route via Jamtara.
In the North-East Dumka, Rajmahal and Bhagalpur; in the North-West Munger; in the West Hazaribag and in the South Giridih district border the region.
Passenger buses run regularly from Ranchi, Jamshedpur, Hazaribag, Bhagalpur, Dumka, Patna, Gaya, Munger, and other places in Jharkhand and Bihar to Deogarh. Taxis and Rickshaws are available at Babadham and at Jasidih railway station.
Nearby Airports are - Ranchi, Gaya, Patna and Kolkata.
By Road
By road Babadham (Deoghar) to Kolkatta 373 kms, Giridih 112 kms, Patna 281 kms, Dumka 67 kms, Madhupur 57 kms, Shimultala 53 kms etc.
Approximate journey time is 6 hrs from Munger,Ranchi, Dhanbad; 3 hrs from Sultanganj and 4 hrs from Bhagalpur & Hazaribag.
By Rail:
The nearest railway station is Jasidih (10 kms) on Howarah - Patna - Delhi line.
Structure of Vaidyanath Jyotirlinga:
Vaidyanath Temple at Deogarh houses a spacious courtyard bound by stone walls. In the temple complex are twenty-two other temples. The Baijnath or Vaidyanath temple faces east. The top of the Shiva Lingam is slightly broken, keeping with the legend that it chipped away when Ravana tried to uproot it. Near the temple is the Shivaganga Lake.
Shravan Mela:
More than a million pilgrims visit this shrine every year. It is famous for the mela of Shraavana (a month of the Hindu calendar), between July and August. About 7 to 8 million devotees visit the place from various parts of India and offer holy water of Ganges to the deity collected from Sultangunj, which is almost 105 km from Deoghar. An unbroken line of people in saffron-dyed clothes stretches over the full 104 km for the month. They pilgrims are called Dak Bam and they do not stop even once in their journey from Sultangunj, located near Bhagalpur to Vaidyanath. Pigrims to the temple later visit the Basukinath temple.
Nageshvara Jyotirlinga:
Nageshvara Jyotirlinga is one of the 12 Jyotirlinga shrines mentioned in the Shiva Purana (Śatarudra Saṁhitā,Ch.42/2-4, referred as "nagesha darukavane"). Nageshvara is believed as the first Jyotirlinga on the earth. There are three major shrines in India which are believed as identical to this Jyotirlinga. Those are the Jageshwar temple near Almora in Uttarakhand state, the Nageshwara temple near Dwaraka in Gujarat state and the Nagnath temple in Aundha in Maharashtra state.
The narratives on Nageshvara Jyotirlinga:
The Shiva Purana says Nageshvara is in the Darukavana, which is an ancient epic name of a forest in India. Darukavana finds mention in Indian epics like Kamyakavana, Dvaitavana, Dandakavana,etc.
According to a narrative, the Balakhilyas, a group of dwarf sages worshipped Shiva in darukavana for long time. To test their devotion and patience, Shiva came to the Darukavana as an digambara (nude) ascetic, wearing only Nagas[serpants] in his body. Wives of sages were attracted and ran after the ascetic, leaving back their husbands. Sages got very disturbed and frustruated with this. They lost their patience and cursed ascetic to loose his linga. Shivalinga fell on the earth and whole world trembled. Brahma and Vishnu came to Shiva, requested him to save earth from destruction and take back his linga. Shiva consoled them and took back his linga.(Vamana Purana Ch.6 and 45)
Shiva promised his divine presence in Darukavana as Jyotirlinga for ever. Later Darukavana became favourate place of Nagas and Vasuki worshipped Shiva here for long and there after the Jyotirlinga came to be known as Nagnath or Nageshvara.
Also, there is a narrative in the Shiva Purana on the Nageshvara Jyotirlinga. It says, a demon named Daaruka attacked a Shiva devotee by name Supriya and imprisoned her along with several others in his city of Darukavana. This place was a city of snakes and Daruka was the king of the snakes. On the insistence of Supriya, all the prisoners started to chant the holy mantra of Shiva and instantly Lord Shiva appeared and vanquished the demon and later started to reside here in the form of a Jyotirlinga.
Rameshwaram Jyotirlinga Rameswaram:
Ramanathaswamy Temple is a famous Hindu temple dedicated to god Shiva located in the island of Rameswaram in the state of Tamil Nadu, India.
Significance:
According to Shaiva mythology, Lord Rama is believed to have prayed to Shiva here to absolve any sins that he might have committed during his war against the demon king Ravana.The temple is one of the holiest Hindu Char Dham shrines that has to be visited in one's lifetime and is one of the twelve Jyotirlingas, the holy abodes of Lord Shiva.
Structure of Rameshwaram Temple:
Rameswaram Temple is spread over an area of 15 acres and has lofty gopurams, massive walls and a colossal Nandi. Rameswaram Jyotirlinga also boasts of a 4000 feet long pillared corridor with over 4000 pillars, supposedly the longest in the world. The carved granite pillars are mounted on a raised platform. Worth noticing fact about this corridor is that the rock is not indigenous to the island and is said to have been brought in from elsewhere in Tamil Nadu across the sea.
The eastern Rajagopuram towers to a height of 126 feet and has nine levels. The Western Rajagopuram is also quite impressive though not as tall as the Eastern one. The temple also has several mandapams with mini shrines to other deities. There is a huge Nandi measuring 12 feet in length and 9 feet in height with the idols of Viswanatha Naicker and Krishnama Naicker. The lingams are housed in the inner section of the Ramalingeshwara. High walls enclose the temple, forming a rectangle with huge pyramidal gopura entrances on each side.
How to reach Rameswaram:
By Air:
Madurai is the nearest airport to Rameshwaram, which is located at a distance of 163 km away from Rameshwaram. Madurai is connected to many cities by air including Coimbatore, Chennai and Bangalore. International travelers have to get connecting flights from Chennai International airport. Pre-paid taxi services in Madurai airport charge about Rs 3500 to Rameshwaram.
By Train:
The railway network connects Rameshwaram to and from Chennai, Madurai, Coimbatore, Trichy and Thanjavur. The 2 km long Indira Gandhi Bridge connects the island of Rameshwaram with the mainland of Mandapam.
By Bus:
Tamil Nadu Road Transport Corporation buses connect Rameshwaram with all cities in Tamil Nadu, including Kanyakumari, Madurai, Trichy and Thanajvur. Overnight deluxe super fast buses connect Chennai and Bangalore with Rameshwarm, both cities are nearly 600 km away. The bus fare is about Rs 1700.
Grishneshwar Near Ellora caves:
Grishneshwar, also known as Ghushmeshwar, is a famous Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva and is one of the twelve Jyotirlingas, the sacred abodes of Shiva. The temple is located eleven km from Daulatabad, near Aurangabad in Maharashtra India. The temple is located near the famous Ellora Caves.
The Grishneswar temple was re-constructed by Maloji Raje Bhosale of Verul, (grandfather of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj) in the 16th century and later by Ahilyabai Holkar in 18th century, who also re-constructed the Kashi Vishwanath temple at Benares, and the Vishnupad Mandir at Gaya.
Grishneshwar is an ancient pilgrimage site revered as the abode of one of the 12 Jyotirlingas of Shiva. It is located at a distance of 11 km from Daulatabad near Aurangabad in Maharashtra. Daulatabad was once known as Devagiri. Located nearby are the popular tourist attractions Ellora - featuring ancient rock cut monuments from the 1st millennium CE, and Ajanta known for its exquisite cave paintings again from the 1st millennium CE.
The Grishneswar temple was constructed by Ahilyabhai Holkar who also re-constructed the Kashi Viswanatha temple at Benares and the Vishnu Paada temple at Gaya. Grishneshwar is also known as Ghushmeshwar.
Legend has it that a devout woman Kusuma offered worship to Shiva regularly by immersing a Shivalingam in a tank, as a part of her daily ritual worship. Her husband's first wife, envious of her piety and standing in society murdered Kusuma's son in cold blood. An aggrieved Kusuma continued her ritual worship, and when she immersed the Shivalingam again in the tank, her son was miraculously restored to life. Shiva is said to have appeared in front of her and the villagers, and then one is believed to have been worshipped in the form of a Jyotirlinga Ghusmeshwar.
How to reach Grishneshwar:
By Air:
Nearest Airport is located at Aurangabad, which is at distance of about 29 km from the city of Grishneshwar (Velur village). Regular flight services are available from Aurangabad Airport to Jaipur, Mumbai, Udaipur and Delhi.
By Train:
Nearest Railway station is Aurangabad, which is not in the main route. Nearest major Railway Station is Manmad at distance of 140 km. It costs about Rs 1,500 from Manmad to Grishneshwar by taxi.
Railway stations near Grishneshwar
Aurangabad (AWB) 22 km from Grishneshwar
Manmad Junction (MMR) 86 km from Grishneshwar
By Road:
From Aurangabad Velur is at a distance of 29Kms. Aurangabad railways station is on the broad gauge line between Secunderabad and Manmad. The distance between Hyderabad and Aurangabad is 615Kms. From Manmad, Aurangabad is only 115Kms.
There are very less lodges available in Velur. Travellers better stay at Aurangabad.
Distance between Grishneshwar and other main cities.
Grishneshwar  to Nasik Distance   189 km
Grishneshwar  to Pune Distance 256 km
Grishneshwar  to Mumbai Distance 359 km
Grishneshwar  to Indore Distance 386 km
Grishneshwar  to Nagpur Distance 525 km
Grishneshwar  to Hyderabad  Distance 555 km
Grishneshwar to Ahmadabad Distance 597 km
Grishneshwar to Bangalore Distance 964 km
Grishneshwar to Delhi Distance 1224 km
Grishneshwar from Pune
Grishneshwar (Maharashtra) to Pune (Maharashtra) is 256 km and takes approx 4 hrs, 33 mins by road.Manmad Jn (MMR) and Aurangabad (AWB) are 2 nearby train stations connected to Pune.
Grishneshwar to Nasik
Nasik (Maharashtra) to Grishneshwar (Maharashtra) is 187 km and takes approx 3 hrs by road.
Grishneshwar does not have railway station. Manmad Jn (MMR) and Aurangabad (AWB) are 2 nearby train stations connected to Nasik.
Grishneshwar to Shirdi
Grishneshwar (Maharashtra) to Shirdi (Maharashtra) is 122 km and takes approx 2 hrs, 18 mins by road.Kopargaon (KPG) and Manmad Jn (MMR) are 2 nearby train stations connected to Grishneshwar.
Manmad Jn (MMR) and Aurangabad (AWB) are 2 nearby train stations connected to Shirdi.
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