The mystical magic of Shiva temples pulls visitors to their fold throughout the year, but Mahashivratri is a unique and festive occasion for devotees of Shiva. Here are some of the incredible Shiva temples to visit during Mahashivratri. Wherever you are in India, there is bound to be a Shiva temple within easy distance for you to visit on Shivratri, but if you want to make it really special, try visiting one of these Shiva temples during Mahashivratri.
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Shiva Temples To Visit During Mahashivratri
Mahashivratri or, “The Night of Shiva,” is a sacred Hindu festival that is dedicated to the Hindu God Shiva. Shivratri occurs every month, however, Mahashivratri falls once a year. It commemorates the occasion when Shiva performed the Tandava Nritya which is regarded as the primordial dance of creation, preservation, and destruction.
Mahashivratri is marked by solemn prayers, fasting, and worship of Shiva in the form of the Shivalinga. Devotees visit temples and many also embark on a pilgrimage to the sacred Jyotirlinga temples during Mahashivratri. Here are some of the best Shiva temples to visit during Mahashivratri. Of course, these are also must-visit temples of Lord Shiva during Maha Shivaratri and even otherwise.
Click Here to read all about the 12 Jyotirlinga Temples.
1. Somnath Jyotirlinga Temple – Temples To Visit During Mahashivratri
The Somnath temple is not only a famous Shiva Temple in Gujarat but also an icon of the resilience of Indian culture and the Hindu religion. Somnath Jyotirlinga is believed to be the first of the 12 Jyotirlingas, and it is considered to be one of the most sacred Shiva temples to visit during Mahashivratri. The Somnath temple is one of the Oldest Shiva Temples in India.
Click Here to read about the legend of Somnath.
Click Here to read about the places to visit and things to do in Somnath,
Location – Somnath, Gujarat.
Nearest Airport – Diu.
2. Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga Temple – Temples To Visit During Mahashivratri
The Mahalakeshwar Jyotirlinga temple is one of the ancient and famous Lord Shiva temples in India. It is a Jyotirlinga temple that is located in the city of Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh.
Location – Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh.
Nearest Airport – Indore.
3. Omkareshwar Jyotirlinga Temple – Temples To Visit During Mahashivratri
This is another of the Jyotirlinga Shiva Temples in India and is located on an island that is believed to be in the shape of an ॐ. The Omkareshwar temple is located on the banks of the river Narmada in Madhya Pradesh.
Location – Khandwa, Madhya Pradesh.
Nearest Airport – Indore.
4. Nageshwar Jyotirlinga Temple – Temples To Visit During Mahashivratri
Dwarka in Gujarat is known for the famous Krishna temple, however, it is also home to one of the famous Lord Shiva temples in India. The Nageshwar Jyotirlinga Temple is located about 17 kilometres from the Shree Dwarkadhish temple. One of the four Mathas established by Adi Shankaracharya is also located in Dwarka.
Click Here to read about the Nageshwar Jyotirlinga temple.
Click Here to read about 20 places to visit in Dwarka.
Location – Dwarka, Gujarat.
Nearest Airport – Jamnagar.
5. Trimbakeshwar Jyotirlinga Temple – Temples To Visit During Mahashivratri
Trimbakeshwar is another of the sacred Jyotirlinga temples. Located near the river Godavari the temple has a three-faced Shiv Ling as the principal deity in the sanctum. The Trimbakeshwar Jyotirling temple is located about 30 kilometres from the city of Nashik in Maharashtra.
Location – Trimbak, Maharashtra.
Nearest Airport – Nashik.
6. Bhimashankar Jyotirlinga Temple – Temples To Visit During Mahashivratri
Bhimashankar is a Jyotirlinga temple that nestles amidst the picturesque Sahyadri ranges near the city of Pune in Maharashtra. This sacred temple is located close to the source of the Bhima river and hence the deity is named as Bhimashankar.
Location – Bhorgiri, Maharashtra.
Nearest Airport – Pune.
7. Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga Temple – Temples To Visit During Mahashivratri
The Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga Temple is located not far from the historic site of the Ellora Caves. The smallest of the 12 Jyotirlinga temples, Grishneshwar is also referred to as Ghushmeshwar. The temple is close to the city of Aurangabad in the state of Maharashtra.
Location – Verul, Maharashtra.
Nearest Airport – Aurangabad.
8. Deoghar Jyotirlinga Temple – Temples To Visit During Mahashivratri
The state of Jharkhand is one of India’s most underrated states in terms of tourism. In reality, Jharkhand has everything going when it comes to tourist attractions. It has a rich tribal culture, immense natural beauty, and many Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain religious sites.
The Baidyanath Jyotirlinga is the crest jewel of its spiritual crown and is located in Deoghar, in the Santhal Parganas Division. Adjacent to the Shiva Jyotirlinga temple is a temple to Parvati, and the two temples are tied together by red-coloured threads, signifying the union of Shiva and Shakti.
Location – Deoghar, Jharkhand.
Nearest Airport – Deoghar.
9. Kedarnath Jyotirlinga Temple – Temples To Visit During Mahashivratri
The Mahadev temple in Kedarnath in the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand is very well known and thousands embark on a pilgrimage to this sacred Jyotirlinga temple every year. The sacred Kedarnath Shiva temple is believed to have been originally built by Adi Shankaracharya, at the site of a still older temple which according to legend was built by the Pandavas.
Kedarnath temple stands at a height of 11,755 feet near the banks of the river Mandakini. A statue of Adi Shankaracharya can be seen near the temple. It is believed that Adi Shankaracharya left the mortal world at Kedarnath. Kedarnath is also part of the Chhota Char Dham or Uttarakhand Char Dham Yatra.
Click Here to read more about the Uttarakhand Char Dham Yatra.
Location – Kedarnath, Uttarakhand.
Nearest Airport – Dehradun.
10. Srisailam Jyotirlinga Temple – Temples To Visit During Mahashivratri
The Srisailam Jyotirlinga temple is one of the most famous Shiva temples in Andhra Pradesh. Srisailam is also a Maha Shakti Peetha. In Srisailam, Shiva is worshipped as Mallikarjuna and Parvati is worshipped as Brahmarambha. The famous devotional hymn, “Shivanandalahari,” was composed by the great Adi Shankaracharya in Srisailam.
Location – Srisailam, Andhra Pradesh.
Nearest Airport – Hyderabad.
11. Rameshwaram Jyotirlinga Temple – Temples To Visit During Mahashivratri
Rameshwaram island is a sacred place of pilgrimage. It is one of the Char Dham places of pilgrimage designated by Adi Shankaracharya, along with Puri, Badrinath, and Dwarka. Rameshwaram is the home of the sacred Jyotirlinga temple which is believed to have been established by Shri Ram himself. The Rameshwaram temple is renowned for its architecture, particularly its long corridor, believed to be the longest in any Hindu temple in the world.
Click Here for a 3-day Rameswaram itinerary.
Location – Rameshwaram, Tamil Nadu.
Nearest Airport – Madurai.
12. Kashi Vishwanath Jyotirlinga Temple – Temples To Visit During Mahashivratri
Varanasi or Kashi is an ancient and sacred city of India located in the state of Uttar Pradesh. The city is believed to be one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. The temple city of Kashi is home to one of the sacred Jyotirlinga temples, the Kashi Vishwanath Jyotirlinga temple.
Location – Kashi, Uttar Pradesh.
Nearest Airport – Kashi.
Shiva Temples To Visit During Mahashivratri – Other Than Jyotirlingas
The sanctity and power of the Jyotirlinga temples have been extolled in the ancient Shiva Purana itself, and Adi Shankaracharya later reiterated their importance in his Dwadasha Jyotirlinga Stotram. While a visit to a Jyotirlinga temple during Mahashivratri is much desired, it may not be logistically possible always.
However, there are many famous Shiva temples in India that are as sacred as the Jyotirlinga temples. Here are some more Shiva Temples In India to visit during Mahashivratri.
13. Azhimala Shiva Temple – Shiva Temples To Visit During Mahashivratri
The Azhimala Shiva temple is an impressive Shiva temple In Kerala. Though the origins of the temple date back to the 16th century, what draws visitors to the temple, is the magnificent statue of Shiva set against the backdrop of hills and the vast expanse of the Arabian Sea. The 58 feet statue of Shiva is one of the biggest statues of Lord Shiva in India. It is definitely the highest Shiva statue in Kerala.
Click Here to read more about the Azhimala Shiva Temple.
Click Here to see the amazing images of Azhimala Shiva Temple.
Location – Vizhinjam, Kerala.
Nearest Airport – Thiruvananthapuram.
14. Gokarna Shiva Temple – Shiva Temples To Visit During Mahashivratri
The Mahabaleshwar Shiva temple in Gokarna is the most famous of the Shiva Temples In Karnataka. Located in the beach town of Gokarna on the coast of Karnataka, the temple is associated with the legend of Ravana and Ganesha.
It is believed that the Shiv Ling in the temple is the Atmalinga of Shiva which Ravana was carrying to Lanka. He was stopped by Ganesha and the Gods engineered circumstances that forced him to leave the Shiv Linga on the beach near the Arabian Sea in Gokarna.
Click Here for a complete guide to visiting the Gokarna Mahabaleshwar Shiva Temple.
Click Here for a 2-Day Gokarna Itinerary.
Click Here to read about the ancient Shiva Temples in Bangalore.
Location – Gokarna, Karnataka.
Nearest Airport – Goa.
15. Baijnath Shiva Temple (Uttarakhand) – Shiva Temples To Visit During Mahashivratri | Shiv Mandir In India
The Baijnath Mahadev temple in Uttarakhand is a 12th-century temple primarily dedicated to Lord Shiva who is worshipped as Vaidyanath. The temple is a complex which consists of the main Shiva temple and 17 smaller shrines. Though the temple is in ruins, worship of the deity inside the sanctum continues. The temple is located near the banks of the river Gomati in Uttarakhand.
Click Here to read more about the Baijnath Shiva temple in Uttarakhand.
Location – Baijnath, Uttarakhand.
Nearest Airport – Pantnagar.
16. Patal Bhuvaneshwar Shiva Temple – Famous Shiv Mandir
One of the most mysterious Shiva Temples in India has to be the Patal Bhuvaneshwar Cave temple in Uttarakhand. The temple lies about 90 feet below the ground and is reached by crawling through a narrow passage. An inscription outside the temple, says that the temple is as old as the earth itself. The temple finds mention in the Skanda Purana.
According to legend Lord Shiva was worshipped at Patal Bhuvaneshwar by 330 million Gods and Goddesses. In fact, it is believed that on every 13th day of the Lunar Month, i.e. Shivratri, the Gods and Goddesses descend on Patal Bhuvaneshwar to worship Shiva.
Click Here to read more about the mysterious Shiva temple of Patal Bhuvaneshwar.
Location – Patal Bhuvaneshwar, Uttarakhand.
Nearest Airport – Pantnagar.
17. Baijnath Shiva Temple (Himachal Pradesh) – Famous Shiv Mandir
The beautiful state of Himachal Pradesh is home to many spiritual destinations where the spirit of Indian religion and spirituality resonate. The Baijnath Dham Mandir is a sacred Shiva Mandir located in the picturesque state of Himachal Pradesh and dates back to 1204 CE. However, inscriptions at the temple indicate that the Shiva Linga in the temple which is known as Vaidyanatha predated the construction of the temple. The temple is located in the Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh.
Click Here to read about the history and legends of the Baijnath Shiv Mandir in Himachal Pradesh.
Location – Baijnath, Himachal Pradesh.
Nearest Airport – Pathankot.
18. Bhojeshwar Shiva Temple – Best Places to Celebrate Maha Shivratri Festival in India
Madhya Pradesh is a state which is home to two Jyotirlinga temples. The state is a treasure trove of history and heritage. A unique Shiva temple that you must visit in Madhya Pradesh is the Bhojeshwar Shiva Temple in Bhojpur near Bhopal. The temple is incomplete, however, worship of the massive Shiv Ling continues.
The Shiv Ling is of massive height and towers over 26 feet and is one of the biggest Shivalingas in India. Maha Shivratri at Bhojpur is a grand affair and coincides with the Bhojpur Utsav that is organized by the State Government.
Click Here to read more about the magnificent Bhojpur Shiva temple.
Location – Bhojpur, Madhya Pradesh.
Nearest Airport – Bhopal.
19. Meenakshi Sundareshwar Temple – Best Places to Celebrate Maha Shivratri Festival in India
The Meenakshi Temple in Madurai is well-known across the world for its grandeur. Though the temple is synonymous with Meenakshi or Parvati, the temple of Sundareshwarar or Shiva inside the Madurai Meenakshi temple complex is equally important and venerated. It is one of the famous Shiva Temples in Tamilnadu.
Shiva is worshipped as Sundareshwara at the Madurai Meenakshi temple. According to legend the marriage of Sundareshwara and Meenakshi took place here and this is commemorated with a festival at the temple.
Click Here for a complete guide to visiting the Madurai Meenakshi temple.
Click Here for a 2-Day Madurai Itinerary.
Location – Madurai, Tamil Nadu.
Nearest Airport – Madurai.
20. Brihadeeshwarar Shiva Temple – Best Places to Celebrate Maha Shivratri Festival in India
Thanjavur or Tanjore in Tamil Nadu is ornamented with an array of exquisite temples that stand as an enduring testimony to India’s rich heritage and culture. The most shining of them all is the famous Brihadishwara temple also known as the “Big Temple.” It is one of the temples that are part of the UNESCO World Heritage site labelled as the “Living Chola Temples.”
The Brihadeeswarar temple is also known as Periya Kovil, RajaRajeswara temple, and Rajarajesvara, This grand Shiva temple is more than 1000 years old and was built by the Chola king, Raja Raja I. In the sanctum of the temple a Shivling called, Karuvarai,” is worshipped. The ritual worship which is done follows the 1000 year old temple traditions.
Click Here to read about the exquisite temples of Thanjavur.
Location – Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu.
Nearest Airport – Tiruchirapalli.
We hope that you are virtually blown away by, Shivanandalahari,” i.e. waves of the bliss of Shiva, on reading about these incredible Shiva temples to visit during Mahashivratri. Let the protective shade of Shiva be always with you.
ॐ नमः शिवाय
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