5 Jyotirlingas in Maharashtra
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Do you know which Indian state has the highest number of Jyotirlinga temples? Yes, it is none other than Maharashtra. There are 12 Jyotirlingas in India. Five of them - Trimbakeshwar, Bhimashankar, Grishneshwar, Aundha Nagnath, and Parli Vaijnath - are located in Maharashtra. These five Jyotirlingas in Maharashtra are also known as the Pancha Jyotirlingas.
If you are a devotee of Lord Shiva then you must visit these temples. The experience of worshipping in these temples is a divine one. Each of these temples has a mythological story or a folk legend connected to it. These stories will also make you interested in visiting these temples. The people of Maharashtra have a tremendous faith in these temples.
You can plan your trip to these five Jyotirlingas in Maharashtra from a reputed tour agency.
1.) TRIMBAKESHWAR JYOTIRLNGA, NASHIK
The most famous Jyotirlingas in Maharashtra is in Nashik and it is called Trimbakeshwar Jyotirlinga. The remarkable thing about Trimbakeshwar Jyotirlinga Temple is that the deity has three heads. These are the pinds or lingas of Brahma, Vishnu, and Mahesh, the three main gods of Hindu mythology. The sacred pond called Kusavarta Kund near the temple originates from the Godavari River. There are many other water bodies or kunds near the temple which are just as holy as the temple.
2.) BHIMASHANKAR JYOTIRLINGA, PUNE
In this list of the Jyotirlingas in Maharashtra is the holy Bhimashankar Jyotirlinga Temple. This temple is located near the banks of the Bhima River. The temple is situated in a hilly and forested region of Maharashtra. Bhimashankar Temple has ancient Indian architecture. Great saints of Maharashtra like Namdev and Sant Gyaneshwar meditated in the temple. Apart from being a religious pilgrimage place, Bhimashankar is also a trekking destination in Maharashtra.
3.) GRISHNESHWAR JYOTIRLINGA, AURANGABAD
One of the 12 Jyotirlinga temples in Maharashtra is the Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga Temple. The temple is located near Ellora Caves. The temple is mentioned in many ancient Hindu scriptures like Shiv Purana, Ramayana, Mahabharata, Skanda Purana, etc. Grishneshwar temple was destroyed many times but every time it was rebuilt. Legends about Grishneshwar Temple are famous across Maharashtra. The ancient black stone architecture is eye-catching.
4.) AUNDHA NAGNATH JYOTIRLINGA, MAHARASHTRA
The temple known as Nagnath Temple in Maharashtra is also a Jyotirlinga Temple of Lord Shiva. This temple is very old and was originally built in the 13th century. However historical records have mentioned that the temple existed in the Mahabharata times. The people of Maharashtra have tremendous devotion to this temple. The temple deity is situated below the ground. There are many smaller temples and shrines and all of these are dedicated to Lord Shiva.
5.) PARLI VAIJNATH JYOTIRLINGA, MAHARASHTRA
The famous Jyotirlingas in Maharashtra include the temple of Parli Vaijnath. The temple is dedicated to a form of Lord Shiva known as ‘Vaidyanath’. He is a god who helps the healing process and has divine powers which can cure diseases. The temple is located in Parli and is therefore called as Parli Vaijnath Temple.
5 JYOTIRLINGA IN MAHARASHTRA ROUTE MAP:
LIST OF OTHER JYOTIRLINGAS IN INDIA:
- Somnath Jyotirlinga, situated near Veraval, Kathiawad district, Gujarat.
- Nageshwar Jyotirlinga also known as Nagnath Temple located at Gujarat.
- Mallikarjuna Jyotirlinga, situated on the banks of the Krishna River, Andhra Pradesh.
- Mahakaleshwar Temple, located on the banks of the Kshipra River, Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh.
- Omkareshwar Jyotirlinga, located on the Mandhata or the Shivapuri island, Madhya Pradesh.
- Vaidyanath Jyotirlinga, located at Deogarh, Jharkhand.
- Rameshwaram Jyotirlinga, located on the island of Rameshwaram, Tamil Nadu.
- Kedarnath Jyotirlinga located on the Rudra Himalayan Range, Uttarakhand.
- Kashi Vishwanath located at Kashi or Banaras or Varanasi.
