12 Jyotirlingas Temples in India

Joytirlingas are the sacred symbols of the destroyer god, Lord Shiva. India has many temples dedicated to Lord Shiva - the revered significant one of the divine trinity. According to the mythological legends, once a debate arose between the creator god, Lord Brahma and the proprietor god, Lord Vishnu for the title of supremacy. Angered by this trifle, the destroyer god, Lord Shiva struck the universe with endless pillar of light. Unable to find the limit of this pillar the debating gods relinquished the quarrel.

In the Indian subcontinent there are twelve sacred Joytirlingas which are spiritually awakened and are sites for Hindu pilgrimage. Each of these 12 Joytirlingas signifies various essential aspects of life. These pious temples of Lord Shiva are scattered all over the country. Starting from the north we have – (1) the Kedarnath Temple in Uttarakhand, (2) the Vishwanth Temple in Kashi (Varanasi), Uttar Pradesh, (3) the Baidyanath Temple in Deoghar, Jharkhand, (4) the Omkareshwar Temple in Madhya Pradesh, (5) the Mahakaleshwar Temple in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, (6) the Somnath Temple in Veraval, Gujarat, (7) the Nageshwar Temple in Dwarka, Gujarat, (8) the Bhimashankar Temple in Maharashtra, (9) the Trimbakeshwar Temple situated in Nasik, Maharashtra, (10) the Ghrishneshwar Temple, Ellora, Maharashtra, (11) the Mallikaarjuna Temple in Srisailam, Andhra Pradesh and lastly (12) the Ramanathaswamy Temple in Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu.

Kedarnath Jyotirlinga Temple

The Kedarnath Temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. Owing to severity in weather conditions, the temple remains open and accessible from end of April to November. There is no direct communication via road for reaching the temple and hence an uphill journey of 18km needs to be covered from Gaurikund to get to the temple.

Kashi Vishwanath Jyotirlinga Temple

Kashi Vishwanath temple is one of the renowned Jyotirlingas and is situated on the banks of the holy Ganges. This temple is considered as a chief place of worship of Lord Shiva since ancient times. It has been demolished and re-built a number of times throughout history.

Vaidyanath Jyotirlinga Temple

Vaidyanath Jyotirlinga is also referred to as Baidyanath Dham or Baba Dham. It is believed to be a site of tantric culture where Shiva is idolized as the one residing in a crematorium. It is located at Deogarh, in Jharkhand.

Omkareshwar Jyotirlinga Temple

Omkareshwar is a Hindu temple along the banks of the Narmada which has a shrine of Lord Shiva. The surrounding view from the temple is extremely appealing and the temple architecture having beautiful sculptures makes it a great tourist spot.

Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga Temple

One of the 12 Jyotirlingas and dedicated to Lord Shiva, the Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga is situated in the ancient Indian city Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh. It is situated adjacent to the Rudra Sagar Lake. The shrine is highly regarded and is revered as one of the 18 Maha Shakti Peetham.

Somnath Jyotirlinga Temple

Somnath temple is one of the twelve famous Jyotirlingas located off the western coast of Gujarat. This pilgrim age site has been a confluence of the rivers Kapila, Sarasvati and Hiran. There is no precise record when this temple was constructed.

Nageshwar Jyotirlinga Temple

The Nageshwar Jyotirlinga happens to be one amongst the 12 Jyotirlinga shrines as mentioned in the Puranas. It is believed that the Nageshwar Jyotirlinga is the first of such shrines. According to legends, the Nageshwar Jyotirlinga is located in an ancient forest of India known by the name of ‘Darukavana’.

Bhimashankar Jyotirlinga Temple

Bhimashankar Jyotirlinga, situated 50km northwest of Khed near the city of Pune is one of the 12 Jyotirlingas. The Bhimashankar temple is a harmonious blend of old and new structures of the Nagara style architecture showcasing and displaying the magnificent skill level and artistry of the Vishwakarma sculptors.

Trimbakeshwar Jyotirlinga Temple

Trimbakeshwar is an old temple in Maharashtra amidst the Brahmagiri, Nilgiri and Kalagiri. There are three lingams of Lord Shiva, Lord Vishnu and Brahma. It is made entirely of black stone whereas the lingams are made up of precious stones.

Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga Aurangabad Maharashtra

Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga Temple

Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga is a UNESCO World Heritage Site which is established close to the Ellora Caves. It has a South Indian style of architecture and made of red rocks. The five tiered temple has been plundered many times during the Hindu-Muslim wars.

Mallikarjuna Jyotirlinga Srisailam Kurnool

Mallikarjuna Jyotirlinga Temple

The Mallikarjuna Jyotirlinga is a Hindu temple situated in Srisailam in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is dedicated to Lord Shiva and His consort Devi Parvati. Here Shiva, represented by the lingam is worshipped as Mallikarjuna while Parvati is depicted as Brahmaramba.

Ramanathaswamy Jyotirlinga Temple

Ramanathaswamy temple is a Hindu temple situated in the Tamil Nadu state of India on the Ramanathaswamy Island. It also happens to be amongst the 12 Jyotirlingas. It was during the reign of the Pandya Dynasty that the temple was expanded in the 12th Century. Amongst all the temples in India, this one has the longest corridor.