Somnath Temple, Gujarat
Shimmering under the timeless elegance of the glowing moon, the glinting Somnath Temple tucked away in Gir, Gujarat is where the first Jyotirlinga dwells. Coloured of sandalwood, built by the mighty Maratha ruler Ahilyabai Holkar, the Somnath Temple is 155 feet tall and reflects Chalukya architecture. Soak in the divine-filled air as you get to witness the spectacular light and sound show along with the evening aarti. When here, do visit the Panch Pandav Gufa, along with the Triveni Sangam. End the day with a lovely stroll down the Somnath Beach as you catch the golden-hued sunset!
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All That Awaits You In & Around The Iconic Somnath Temple
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Mallikarjuna, Srisailam, Andhra Pradesh
Worshipped as Mallikarjuna, Shiva is represented as the ‘lingam’ while Brahmaramba is a depiction of Parvati at the Mallikarjuna Jyotirlinga. The temple has a gold-plated Vimana and sits around the legend that Lord Shiva and Parvati came after their eldest son Kartikeya and stayed here with the name of Arjun and Mallika. The temple sits close to the banks of the Krishna River in Srisailam and resembles a mighty fort. When in Srisailam, do visit the Srisailam Tiger Reserve where you can spot the majestic tigers in their full splendour. Also, see the Srisailam Dam that’s home to gushing white waters.
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Here's Your itinerary for a Perfect Weekend in Srisailam
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Mahakaleswar, Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh
Seated in the sacred city of Ujjain, in Madhya Pradesh, the Mahakaleswar Temple sits at the brink of the glistening Shipra River and exudes serenity to its devouts. Mahakaleswar is the seat of the Shiva, represented by the ‘lingam’ that is known to have manifested on its own (Swayambhu). Every day, before the daybreak, the lingam is worshipped with and bathed in ash, followed by the ‘Bhasm Aarti,’ which is a key highlight here. The architecture of the temple is an amalgamation of Chalukya and Maratha styles. Also, do visit the Vedha Shala astronomy and the Kaliadeh Palace, if you visit Ujjain.
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Omkareshwar Jyotirlinga, Khandwa, Madhya Pradesh
Dwelling on the ‘OM’ shaped island of Mandhata amid the Narmada River, the Omkareshwar Jyotirlinga –that translates to the ‘deity of Omkara’ is home to the lingam of Lord Shiva. Reflecting the Nagara style of architecture, devouts can reach the temple by ferry. It is believed that every night, Lord Shiva would come to rest here (Shayan), and hence Shayan aarti is performed daily at night, at the temple. Do take one round (parikrama) of the island to feel peaceful. When in Omkareshwar, do visit the renowned Ahilya Ghat, the Kajal Rani Cave, and the Gauri Somnath Temple that sits on a hillock.
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Kedarnath, Rudraprayag, Uttarakhand
Seated in innate elegance in the Rudra Himalayan Range, close to the Mandakini River, the glimmering Kedarnath Temple is the abode of Lord Shiva. Known to have manifested as a ‘cosmic light’ or the jyotirlinga, The Kedarnath Shrine is more than a thousand years old and has been built by Adi Shankaracharya; it is made of colossal slabs, and sits on a rectangular shaped platform and perched at 3,581mt. The views of the temple and the Himalayan peak wrapped in a snowy ethos lends a unique spiritual charisma to the valley. In Kedarnath, also visit the Chorbari Lake and explore the quaint town of Rambara.
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Kedarnath: A Comprehensive Pilgrimage Guide
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Bhimashankar, Maharashtra
Encircled by the sparkling greens of the Sahyadri Hills, the Bhimashankar Jyotirlinga exudes a beautiful serenity and sits close to Pune in the ghat region at the height of 3250 feet, in Maharashtra. Featuring Nagara architecture, the temple has intricate carvings – that are a work of Vishwakarma sculptors. Built-in the 13th century, the temple showcases a fusion of new and old buildings and gives way to a beautiful setting, forming a part of the Bhimashankar Wildlife Sanctuary. In Bhimashankar, you could either hike your way to the temple, visit the pristine white Ahupe Waterfalls or picnic away at the banks of the luscious Hanuman Lake.
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A One-stop Guide for a Memorable Pilgrimage to Bhimashankar
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Kashi Vishwanath, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh
Stacked away at the west waterfront of the holy Ganges, the Kashi Vishwanath Temple is one of the most revered Jyotirlingas and dedicated to Lord Shiva or Vishwanatha, meaning – ‘the ruler of the universe.’ Built-in 1780 by Maharani Ahilyabai Holkar – the shape is quadrangle and embellished with intricate carvings. The temple is composed of two domes and a spiral made in Gold, while the Shivling - made of black stone is enshrined in a silver colour altar. The temple complex also has wisdom well called ‘Jnana Vapi.’ In Varanasi, you could visit the Asi Ghat and witness the serene Ganga Aarti at the Dashashwamedh Ghat.
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Trimbakeshwar, Nashik, Maharashtra
Made with black stone, in Nagara style of architecture, the Trimbakeshwar Temple rests at the foothills of the leafy Brahamagiri Hills and is one of the most revered sites of Lord Shiva. The temple was built by Maratha ruler Peshwa Nana Saheb in the 18th century and is believed to be the source from where River Godavari originates, hence the temple’s spacious courtyard has a ‘kunda’ or a waterbody. The ‘Lingam’ at Trimbakeshwar has three faces representing the entities of Brahama – the creator, Vishnu - the restorer, and Shiva – the destroyer. When here, do visit the spellbinding Anjneri Hill to soak in the spiritual hues amid the green deluge.
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Baidyanath, Deoghar, Jharkhand
Blooming white like the lotus, under the canopy of the blue sky, the Baidyanath Jyotirlinga is the home of Lord Shiva and is believed to have been built by the heavenly architect Vishwakarma. The 72 feet high temple exudes serenity and sits around the legend that Ravana – the demon worshipped Shiva at the site of the temple. The main ‘lingam’ is 5 inches tall and is broken from the top. However, the temple complex is home to many other shrines, a prominent one being the one of Parvati, Shiva’s wife, which is tied by red coloured threads to Shiva’s temple, representing the sacred unity of Shiva-Shakti.
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A Pilgrimage to Baidyanath: All You Need to Know
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Nageshvara, Dwarka, Gujarat
Nageshvara Jyotirlinga is enshrined in an underground sanctum by one of the 12 swayambhu (self-existent) jyotirlingas in the world. The vicinity houses a 25m tall sitting statue of Lord Shiva, while a large pond and a beautiful garden at the site add to its many attractions for devouts. Believed to be known as ‘Darukavana,’ an ancient epic name of an Indian forest in India, it is known for two legends. The first is around how Lord Shiva tested the devotion of a group of dwarf sages and the second one around a demon named Daruka. Soak in the ancient divinity and let tranquility at Nageshvara Temple wash you clean.
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Ramanathaswamy in Rameshwaram, Tamil Nadu
Nestled away on Tamil Nadu’s Rameswaram Island, the beautiful Ramanathaswamy Temple is one of the holiest jyotirlingas. The temple’s innermost sanctum houses a sandy lingam that is said to have been made by Lord Rama’s wife Sita when he wanted to worship Shiva at the banks of the Indian Ocean while Lord Hanumana with his army had gone searching for a lingam near the Himalayas and was delayed. Hence, the Ramanathaswamy Temple is home to two jyotirlingas known as ‘Ramalingam’ (By Rama) and ‘Viswalingam’ (By Hanumana) that were both installed by Lord Rama. The intricately carved Ramanathaswamy Temple features long airy corridors and 1000 pillars and is made with black granite, with a gold-plated Vimana.
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Grishneshwar in Aurangabad, Maharashtra
The last of the twelve jyotirlingas, The Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga emanates a hue of red, thanks to the red coloured rocks, used for its construction. The serene temple is known to have been reconstructed by Ahilyabai Holkar in the 18th century and features a five-tier intricately-knotted Shikara. The temple sits close to the famous Ellora Caves, northwest of Aurangabad at a distance of 30km, and also houses other eminent deities. The inner-most altar that holds the Lingam requires men to enter bare-chested. Let magnificence, wrapped in serenity, take over your senses at the Grishneshwar Temple. Do visit the Mughal Silk Bazaar along with the UNESCO listed Ellora Caves during your spiritual sojourn.
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