Maha Shivaratri is celebrated in reverence of the God Shiva. Shivaratri is a day when Shiva married to Goddess Parvati. The Maha Shivaratri is also known as ‘Great night of Shiva’ marks the convergence of Shiva and Shakti.
As per hindu calendar, the festival is celebrated in the month Phalguna which comes between February or March every year. The festival is celebrated by offerings of bael leaves to Shiva, all-day fasting and an all-night-vigil (jagran). Maha Shivratri Mantra which called Mrityunjay Sanskrit mantras such as त्र्यम्बकं यजामहे सुगन्धिंम् पुष्टिवर्धनम् । उर्वारुकमिव बन्धनान् मृत्योर्मुक्षीय माऽमृतात् ।। is very powerful.
Today we have listed down 12 famous Jyotirlinga temples dedicated to Lord Shiva in India.
1. Somnath Temple
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Somnath temple is a popular pilgrim centre. Located in Saurashtra on the western coast of Gujarat – it is one of the 12 Jyotrilinga Shiva temples in India. Somnath temple is known as “the Shrine Eternal”. It is also believed that this place where Krishna ended his lila on the earth for his heavenly abode.
2. Mallikarjuna Temple
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Mallikarjuna also called as Srisaila. It is located on the mountain in Kurnool district in Andhra Pradesh. Sri Mallikarjuna Swamy temple is one of the 18 Maha Sakti Peetha. Mallikarjuna is an ancient temple that is architecturally and sculpturally rich. It is a place where Shakti Peetha and Jyotirlingam are together. The mythology of Daksha Yaga and Sati self immolation resulted in the emergence of Sri Parvati in the place of Sati Devi. They are holi abodes of Sakti formed due the falling of Sati Devi corpse when Shiva carried it and wandered. It is believed that Sati Devi’s Upper lip has fallen here.
3. Mahakaleshwar Temple
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Mahakaleswar Temple is located in Ujjain 60kms from Madhya Pradesh. It is also the only one facing south and also the temple to have a Shree Yantra perched upside down at the ceiling of the Garbhagriha (where the Shiv Lingam sits). It is a place where Shakti Peetha and Jyotirlingam are together. There is also the Kal Bhairav Shiva temple where offering to the deity is wine.
4. Omkareshwar Temple
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Omkareshwar is in Madhya Pradesh on the island of Narmada river. The shape of the Island is said to be like hindu OM Omkareshwar ॐ symbol. This temple is also dedicated to Shiva. There are two temples, one to Omkareshwar (whose name means “Lord of Omkaara or the Lord of the Om Sound”) and one to Amareshwar (whose name means “Immortal Lord” or “Lord of the Immortals or Devas”). But as per the Sloka on Dwadash Jyotirligam, Mamleshwar is the Jyotirling, which is on other side of Narmada river.
5. Kedarnath Temple
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Kedarnath Temple is located in Uttarakhand. Badrinath, Kedarnath, Yamunotri and Gangotri are collectively known as “Chaar Dhaam”. Kedarnath and Badrinath are said to be the holiest place of worship were Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu devotees and Gangotri and Yamunotri are origins of holi rivers. Chaar Dham lie in different corners of Grahwal region and are generally done as part of what’s termed as Chaar Dham circuit itineraries. All temples are accessible by road except Kedardham where one is required to trek 13 kms to reach the top.
6. Bhimashankar Temple
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Bhimasharkar Temple is located 65 kms from Pune in Maharashtra. The temple structure by black rock in the Nagara style of architectures dates back to the 18th century. There is Shrine of Parvati called ‘Kamalaja’ near Bhimashankar temple, which is visited alongwith. On the day of Shivaratri large number of pilgrims visit the temple.
7. Kashi Vishwanath Temple
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Kashi Vishwanth Temple is located in Uttar Pradesh. Varanasi is also considered ‘Spiritual’ capital of India. This temple is based near river Ganga. Varanasi is visited by tourists all over the world for the spiritual ganga river and Lord Shiva’s blessings. Kashi Vishwanath Temple is also considered one of the 12 Jyotirlinga temples and is very significant for Hinduism in general and Lord Shiva devotees. The devotees enjoys boat rides and Maha Aarti on the bank of river Ganga.
8, Trimbakeshwar Temple
Trimbakeshwar Temple |
Trimbakeshwar Temple is situated at 30 kms from Nashik in Maharashtra. Trimbakeshwar Jyotirlinga shrine associated with the origin of the Godavari River. There are several temples like Panchavati, Muktidham, Sundarnarayan, Gondeshwar and also have significance of Ramayana. Nashik is a well visited popular pilgrim centre. It is a prominent pilgrim centre set on the holy river Godavari. It is also believed that Nashik is a birth place of Lord Hanuman. Nashik is one of the four historic cities, where holy pilgrimage Kumbh Mela is held.
9. Ramanathaswamy Temple
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Rameshwaram is a home Ramanathaswamy Shiva Temple in Tamil Nadu and is revered as the southernmost of the twelve Jyotirlinga shrines of India. It is enshrines Rameshvara (Lord of Rama) pillar. In Rameshwaram, Dhanushkodi beach from where Lord Rama and his army believed to have build Ramsetu and crossed over to Lanka to save his wife Goddess Sita.
10. Anudha Nagnath Temple
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Anugha Nagnath Temple is situted 64 kms from Nanded and 120 kms from Renuka Temple. Renuka Temple is considered one of the Shakti Peetha. Nanded is a major Sikh pilgrimage centre of Sach Khand Huzur Sahib Gurdwara one of the five takhts of Sikhism.
11. Vaidyanath Temple
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Vaidyanath Jyotrilinga Temple also known as Baba Dham or Baidyanath Dham. It is located in Deoghar in the Santhal Parganas division of the state of Jharkhand in India. According to Hindu beliefs, the demon king Ravana worshipped Shiva at the current site of the temple to get the boons that he later used to wreak havoc in the world. Ravana offered his ten heads one after the another to Shiva as a sacrifice. Pleased with this, Shiva descended to cure Ravana who was injured. As he acted as a doctor, he is referred to as Vaidhya (“doctor”). From this aspect of Shiva, the temple derives its name.
12. Grishneshwar Temple
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Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga’s Temple in Aurangabad is well visited all around the year. A large number of devotees visit the temple on the day of Maha Shivaratri. It is believed to the last of the 12th Jyotirlinga on the earth.
