·
Bhimashankar Jyotirlinga
Bhimashankar — in the Sahyadri forests above the Bhima river. Shiva is said to have slain Tripurasura here, and rested in the form of the lingam. A wildlife sanctuary surrounds the shrine.
best time
— पुण्यक्षेत्राणि —
Twelve Jyotirlingas
— पुण्यक्षेत्राणि —
·
Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga
Grishneshwar — twelfth and final Jyotirlinga, near the Ellora caves in Aurangabad. Pair with a morning darshan of Ellora Kailasa.
best time
·
Kashi Vishwanath, Varanasi
Kashi Vishwanath — the most revered Jyotirlinga, on the ghats of the Ganga. Shiva himself is said to whisper the taraka mantra into the ear of the dying at Kashi.
best time
·
Kedarnath Jyotirlinga
Kedarnath — highest of the twelve, at 3,583 m in the Garhwal Himalayas. Open only May–October. Also the Shiva shrine of the Char Dham.
best time
·
Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga, Ujjain
Mahakaleshwar — the only south-facing Jyotirlinga, Shiva as Lord of Time. Famous for the 4 am Bhasma Aarti where the lingam is anointed with sacred ash.
best time
·
Mallikarjuna Jyotirlinga, Srisailam
Mallikarjuna — rare shrine that is both a Jyotirlinga and a Shakti Peetha (as Bhramaramba). On the forested Nallamala hills above the Krishna river.
best time
·
Nageshwar Jyotirlinga
Nageshwar — lord of serpents, in the forest of Daarukavanam near Krishna's Dwarka. Pairs naturally with a Dwarkadheesh darshan.
best time
·
Omkareshwar Jyotirlinga
Omkareshwar — on the island of Mandhata in the Narmada, shaped like the sacred syllable Om. Two lingams, Omkareshwar and Amareshwar, considered one Jyotirlinga.
best time
·
Ramanathaswamy, Rameshwaram
Ramanathaswamy — southernmost Jyotirlinga, on Pamban island. Rama worshipped Shiva here before invading Lanka. Famous for 22 theerthams (sacred wells) inside the temple.
best time
·
Somnath Jyotirlinga
Somnath — first of the twelve, on the shore of the Arabian Sea. Destroyed and rebuilt seven times; the current shrine is from 1951. The Chandra shrine — Somnath means 'Lord of the Moon'.
best time
·
Trimbakeshwar Jyotirlinga
Trimbakeshwar — source of the Godavari river, at the foot of Brahmagiri hill in Nashik. The only Jyotirlinga with three faces — Brahma, Vishnu and Rudra.
best time
·
Vaidyanath Jyotirlinga, Deoghar
Vaidyanath — Shiva as the cosmic physician, at Deoghar in Jharkhand. Centre of the Shravani Mela when millions carry Ganga water from Sultanganj.
best time
Frequently asked questions
What are the 12 Jyotirlingas?
The 12 Jyotirlingas are Somnath (Gujarat), Mallikarjuna (Andhra), Mahakaleshwar (Madhya Pradesh), Omkareshwar (Madhya Pradesh), Kedarnath (Uttarakhand), Bhimashankar (Maharashtra), Vishwanath (Varanasi), Trimbakeshwar (Maharashtra), Vaidyanath (Jharkhand), Nageshwar (Gujarat), Rameshwaram (Tamil Nadu), and Grishneshwar (Maharashtra).
How many days does the full 12-Jyotirlinga yatra take?
A complete 12-Jyotirlinga yatra typically takes 18–25 days by road or 12–15 days when combining flights with road segments. Pilgrims usually split it into 3–4 trips spread across the year.
Which Jyotirlinga should be visited first?
Tradition recommends starting with Somnath in Gujarat, the first of the 12, and concluding at Grishneshwar near Ellora. The order in the Dwadasha Jyotirlinga Stotra is also accepted as an auspicious sequence.
Are all Jyotirlingas open year-round?
Eleven are open year-round. Kedarnath shuts during winter (typically Nov to Apr) when the deity is moved to Ukhimath; check current opening dates before planning.
may this yatra walk with you.
see other circuits →