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The 12 Jyotirlingas of Shiva in India
April 11, 2023
‘Jyothi’ means ‘radiance,’ and ‘linga means ‘phallus’. Jyotirlingas are temples where Shiva is worshipped as ‘Jyoti’ or a fiery column of light. There are 12 Jyotirlingas in India, scattered across different parts of the country.
Huge numbers of devotees, especially devotees of Shiva, flock to these 12 Jyotirlingas every year as part of their spiritual journey. These temples also offer a glimpse into our ancient history and culture, apart from allowing us to connect with the divine in a spiritually charged and serene atmosphere.
The 12 Jyotirlingas in India
Here is a list of the 12 Jyotirlingas in India:
- Somnath – Gir Somnath, Gujarat
- Nageshwar – Daarukavanam, Gujarat
- Bhimashankar – Pune, Maharashtra
- Trimbakeshwar – Nashik, Maharashtra
- Grishneshwar – Aurangabad, Maharashtra
- Vaidyanath – Deoghar, Jharkhand
- Mahakaleshwar – Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh
- Omkareshwar – Khandwa, Madhya Pradesh
- Kashi Vishwanath – Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh
- Kedarnath – Kedarnath , Uttarakhand
- Rameshwaram – Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu
- Mallikarjuna – Srisailam, Andhra Pradesh
Jyotirlingas in West India
Let us first explore the Jyotirlingas in western India.
Somnath – Gir Somnath, Gujarat
Somnath Jyotirlinga temple is undoubtedly one of the most renowned of the 12 Jyotirlingas in India. It is the first among the 12 Aadi Jyotirlingas and also one of the most revered pilgrimage spots in the country. The temple architecture is in the Chalukya style, and Shiva supposedly appeared in the Somnath temple as a bright column of light.
The Shiva Purana says that Chandra or Moon married the 27 daughters of Daksha Prajapati. But Prajapati cursed his son-in-law for neglecting all his wives save one – Rohini. To regain his luster and beauty, Chandra worshipped Shiva. Shiva granted his wish and also took up residence here as Somnath. Somnath is in the Kathiawad region. The Somnath Jyotirlinga shrine was destroyed and rebuilt around sixteen times. This temple tops the 12 Jyotirlingas’ list for its importance.
Temple Timings: 6 am to 9 pm. Aarti is at 7 am, 12 noon, and 7 pm. ‘Joy Somnath,’ the famous light and sound show, is between 8 to 9 in the evening.
How to Reach: Veraval is the nearest railway station. It is well-connected with the important cities in India and is only 5 km away from Somnath. One can take a taxi or cab to the shrine.
Nageshwar – Daarukavanam, Gujarat
Nageshwar Jyotirlinga temple is located on the Saurashtra coast in Gujarat, between Gomati Dwarka and Bait Dwarka. Nageshwar is a very popular Jyotirlinga shrine that attracts thousands of devotees around the year. The shrine of Nageshwar Mahadev is in an underground sanctum. The 25-m tall statue of Shiva, a large garden, and clear views of the Arabian Sea are the main attractions. Among the 12 Jyotirlingas in India, Nageshwar Jyotirlinga temple is a very powerful temple. Worshipping here grants protection from all types of poisons.
Temple Timings: 5 am to 9 pm, all days of the week. Devotees can get darshan between 6 am to 12:30 pm and between 5 pm to 9 pm.
How to Reach: The nearest railway stations are Dwarka and Veraval. Jamnagar (45 km) is the nearest airport to Dwarka.
Bhimashankar – Pune, Maharashtra
Bhimashankar is one among the 12 Jyotirlingas. Bhimashankar Jyotirlinga temple lies on the banks of the Bhima river. It is a beautiful black rock structure in Nagara architectural style. Bhimashankar Jyotirlinga temple is surrounded by a wildlife sanctuary that has the same name. This temple was supposedly built by Bheema, the son of Kumbhakarna. It draws a lot of pilgrims throughout the year, especially during Maha Shivratri. Kamalaja temple for Goddess Parvati is close by.
Temple Timings: All days of the week from 4:30 am to 12 noon and 4 pm to 9:30 pm. Darshan begins at 5 am and continues till 9:30 pm. In the afternoon, during Madhyan Aarti, there is no darshan for 45 minutes.
How to Reach: Karjat is the nearest railway station (168 km). One can take a bus or rickshaw to the shrine.
Trimbakeshwar – Nashik, Maharashtra
This is one among the 12 Jyotirlingas of Shiva. Trimbakeshwar Jyotirlinga temple is near Brahmagiri mountain. This is where the Godavari River, also called Gautami Ganga, originates. The Shiva Purana says that Godavari river and Sage Gautami requested Shiva to reside here, so Shiva manifested as Trimbakeshwar. The most unique feature of Trimbakeshwar Jyotirlinga temple is its shape. There is no shrine here, but only a void with 3 pillars inside. The 3 pillars represent Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva.
Temple Timings: 5:30 am to 9 pm, all days of the week.
How to Reach: The nearest airport is Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport. The nearest railway station is Igatpuri. One can travel by road too.
Grishneshwar – Aurangabad, Maharashtra
Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga temple has a magnificent red rock 5-storied Shikhara style structure. In the main court hall, there are carvings of Gods and Goddesses and a huge Nandi Bull. This is one of the 12 Jyotirlingas that finds mention in the Shiva Purana. It is near the caves of Ajanta and Ellora. Built by Ahilyabai Holkar, Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga temple is also called Gru Someswara and Kusum Eswarar. One can find a sculpture of Vishnu’s Dashavatar here, which is carved on red rock.
Temple Timings: For darshan and Pooja, the temple is open between 5:30 am to 9:30 pm. During Shravan, it is between 3 pm to 11 pm.
How to Reach: You can take a train or flight from other parts of India. Delhi has direct trains and flights to Aurangabad, which is 30 km away from Grishneshwar. Taxis are available to the temple.
Jyotirlingas in East and Central India
Vaidyanath – Deoghar, Jharkhand
One of the 12 Jyotirlingas, Vaidyanath/Baidyanath/Vaijinath Jyotirlinga temple is also one of the 52 Shakti Peethas (temples for Goddess Sati). According to mythology, Ravana worshipped Shiva for many years and also invited him to Lanka. Shiva appeared as a Linga and told Ravana not to put him down anywhere until he reached Lanka.
But Vishnu intercepted Ravana and convinced him to put the Shivalinga down for a while. As Ravana broke his word, Shiva took up residence in Deoghar as Vaidyanath, here in Deoghar. During Shravana month, hordes of devotees arrive here as they believe that worshipping Shiva at this temple will help them to overcome all problems and attain Moksha. It is one of the most popular Jyotirlingas in India.
Temple Timings: Vaidyanath Jyotirlinga temple is open on all 7 days from 4 am to 3:30 pm and from 6 pm to 9 pm. During special occasions like Maha Shivaratri, darshan timings are longer.
How to Reach: Jasidih Junction is the nearest railway station. One can reach this station from Ranchi. The temple is 15 km away from the station. One can take an auto or cab.
Mahakaleshwar – Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh
Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga temple is surrounded by dense forests. This is one of the 12 Jyotirlingas that has great spiritual significance. The temple was supposedly established by a 5-year-old boy Srikar, who took inspiration from the devotion of King Chandrasena of Ujjain. Located on the banks of the Kshipra river, Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga is one of the 7 Mukti Sthalas in India that can bestow Moksha.
Temple Timings: 4 am to 11 pm. Darshan is from 8 am to 10 am,10:30 am to 5 pm, 6 pm to 7 pm, and 8 pm to 11 pm.
How to Reach: The nearest airport is Indore (51 km). Ujjain Junction, Chintaman, Vikram Nagar, and Pingleshwa are the 4 nearest railway stations.
Omkareshwar – Khandwa, Madhya Pradesh
Omkareshwar means ‘Lord of the Om Sound’. One of the 12 Jyotirlingas, it is a very sacred place. The temple is on an island called Shivapuri, on the Narmada river. It has great mythological significance. The belief is that once, the Devas and Danavas engaged in war, and the Devas prayed to Shiva for victory. Shiva appeared as Omkareshwar and helped them to defeat the evil forces. Among the 12 Jyotirlingas, Omkareshwar Jyotirlingas temple enjoys great popularity.
Temple Timings: Omkareshwar Jyotirlinga temple is open daily from 5 am to 10 pm. Darshan is between 5:30 am to 12:20 pm and 4 pm to 8:30 pm.
How to Reach: The nearest airports are Indore (77km) and Ujjain (133km). Buses are also available from Indore, Ujjain, and Khandwa.
Jyotirlingas in North India
Kashi Vishwanath – Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh
Kashi Vishwanath Jyotirlinga temple is also called the Golden Temple in Varanasi. It is a highly popular temple on the 12 Jyotirlingas list. Built in 1780 by Maharani Ahilyabai Holkar, a Maratha queen, this Jyotirlinga has great significance. Devotees believe that Shiva resides here and offers Moksha to all. It is one of the first Jyotirlingas in India, which revealed its power over other Gods, by breaking through Earth’s surface and rising up to heaven. It’s one of the most visited among the 12 Jyotirlingas.
Temple Timings: Kashi Vishwanath Jyotirlinga temple is open every day from 2:30 am to 11 pm.
How to Reach: Varanasi Junction is the nearest railway station.
Kedarnath – Kedarnath, Uttarakhand
Kedarnath Jyotirlinga temple lies in the Rudra Himalayan Range, at an elevation of 1200 feet. It is also one of the renowned Char Dhams. The temple is closed for 6 months during winter. It is open only from May to June. Pilgrims first visit Gangotri and Yamunotri. They take holy water and offer it to Kedarnath Shivalinga. This is one of the more famous among the 12 Jyotirlingas.
Devotees believe that by visiting the Kedarnath Jyotirlinga temple and performing Abishek for the deity, one can eliminate all sorrows, ill luck, and misfortunes. Trekking to the shrine is a little difficult. Some use walking sticks or ride on mules or dolis. The Samadhi of Adi Shankaracharya is just behind the main Kedarnath temple.
Temple Timings: 4 am to 12 Noon and 3 pm to 9 pm.
How to Reach: Jolly Grant is the nearest airport. Rishikesh is the nearest railway station. One can trek to the shrine from Gaurkund.
Jyotirlingas in South India
Rameshwaram – Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu
Rama worshipped Shiva at Rameshwaram Jyotirlinga temple after killing Ravana. The temple is surrounded by the ocean and has beautiful architecture, decorated corridors, and 36 Theerthams.
The temple is called ‘Varanasi of the south’. It is one of the most frequented temples in India. One can also visit Dhanushkodi beach from this place. It is where Rama built the Ram Setu bridge to Lanka. This is also one of the Char Dhams. This is one of the more popular among the 12 Jyotirlingas.
Temple Timings: 5 am to 1 pm and 3 pm to 9 pm. Darshan is till 8 pm.
How to Reach: Madurai (163 km) is the nearest airport. It is also well-connected by trains from several major South Indian cities like Chennai.
Mallikarjuna – Srisailam, Andhra Pradesh
Mallikarjuna Jyotirlinga temple is well-known as the ‘Kailash of the South’ among the 12 Jyotirlingas in India. It stands atop Shri Saila mountain on the banks of the Krishna river. This temple has exquisite architecture and sculptures, as well as gopurams and a Mukha mandapa hall. Shiva and Bhramaramba or Parvati are worshipped here. It is one of the 52 Shakti Peethas.
Temple Timings: The temple is open from 4:30 am to 10 pm. Darshan is between 6:30 am to 1 pm and 6:30 pm to 9 pm.
How to Reach: One can reach Mallikarjuna by road from nearby towns like Doranala, Markarpur, and Kurichedu. Markapur is the nearest railway station.
