5 Jyotirlingas in Maharashtra: A pilgrim’s road trip

A Jyotirlinga is the manifestation of Shiva as a luminous column of light, without a beginning and an end. A powerful centre of spiritual energy, a Jyotirlinga temple has a transformative impact on visiting pilgrims. The state of Maharashtra is a blessed land that is home to five Jyotirlinga shrines, three among those are counted in the list of the 12 preeminent Jyotirlingas that have been drawing pilgrims since centuries. A road trip of more than 1500 kms across the hinterlands of Maharashtra, crisscrossing towns and villages, was both a sublime and exhilarating experience as I visited all the 5 Jyotirlingas. From Bhimashankar to Parli Vaidyanath to Aundha Nagnath to Grishneshwar to Trimbakeshwar – I did not just have unique experiences at each Jyotirling, but also profound learnings that has changed my life-perspective. The seven-day trip was truly life transforming and spiritually enriching.

Bhimashankar

Bhimashankar, which is at a distance of approximately 222 kms from Mumbai, takes about 5 hours to reach. The ancient temple is nestled amidst hills and picturesque forests. It is believed that surrounding hills and forests are home to many supernatural/ celestial beings. The 240 steps to the temple might be a challenge for the elderly, so palquins are available for Rs 1500 (inclusive of VIP darshan fee). You can also opt for motorcycle rides for less amount. The lines here can be serpentine and it might take 3-4 hours of wait, so VIP darshan is advisable for those who don’t want to wait in the queue, but are comfortable taking the steps. You would need to negotiate the rate of course.

I opted to walk after paying the VIP fee, the steps were not too stressful, as they were large and one had to descend to approach the temple. Colourful stalls of sweets, and pooja materials lined both the sides of the steps. The temple came into view, rising majestically across the surrounding areas. The entrance was not too crowded and I was swiftly ushered towards the sanctum sanctorum. I was astonished to see the beautiful and simple panchmukhi linga (five faced linga) of Shiva, as I was able to touch and seek blessings, the simplicity touched my heart. Even today, months after I have returned from Bhimashankar, whenever I reminiscence the temple, what I feel that is no matter how grand a temple might be, the true essence of God is simplicity, and (as my Guru always says), that is the only way we can reach Him – with a simple heart. For me, this was the great learning that I experienced at Bhimashankar.

Parli Vaidyanath

The town of Ambajogai is known for being the home of the presiding deity Yogeshwari Devi. The Shaktipeeth draws pilgrims from far and near, and those visiting always go to pray at Parli Vaidyanath Jyotirlinga also, which is a short distance away in Beed district. Surrounded by high walls, there are different entrances and the striking feature was a mammoth Shivling atop the temple. The vast inner courtyard and temple complex was unusually crowd-free when we reached there early in the evening. The doors to the sanctum sanctorum had still not opened, and as I sat there waiting, along with my fellow pilgrims, I was grateful for the blessed opportunity to meditate for sometime. The experience was surreal for me and tears flowed from my eyes in gratitude.

The story goes that in the course of Samudra Manthan (churning of the cosmic ocean), the demons wanted to get hold of Amrit kalash (nectar) and Dhanvantri (God of medicines) who had emerged from the churning. So Lord Vishnu hid both the Amrit and Dhanvantri in the Shivlinga. Consequently, it is believed that the Shivlinga here has the powers to give healings, hence the name Vaidyanath. People from all walks of life, irrespective of caste or status, come here to touch the Shivlinga and seek blessings.

Aundha Nagnath

From Ambajogai, enroute to Aurangabad, is the Aundha Nagnath Jyotirlinga in Hingoli district of Maharashtra. It is believed that Yudhistir, the eldest of the Pandavas had got the temple constructed, and despite the efforts made by Mughal emperor Aurangzeb to destroy it, Aundha Nagnath Jyotirlinga continues to enthrall all visitors with its beautiful carvings and sculptures.

The ancient temple complex was crowded with village folks, and it took more than an hour to reach from the entrance to the sanctum sanctorum. The interesting fact is that the sanctum sanctorum is subterranean and everyone has to go down a narrow entrance to enter. There are people helping all pilgrims go down and climb up through the precarious few steps. A priest kindly explained that snakes live below the ground hence the Shivlinga is subterranean. I remembered my earlier visit to Nageshwar Jyotirlinga in Dwarka, where Shiva is worshipped as the Lord of snakes.

It was a surreal experience offering pooja in close proximity to the Jyotirlinga, touching it with our hands as we made the offerings of milk, ghee, water, sandalwood. There are priests giving personalised attention and completing the pooja, for a minimal amount.

Grishneshwar

About 284 kms away, at a short distance from the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Ellora is the ancient Jyotirlinga of Grishneshwar. Walking through narrow lanes lined with shops selling pooja items, flowers and sweets one reaches the gates … on any given day, the throng of crowd seems unending, but there are excellent arrangements made by the temple authorities for doing abhishek within the sanctum sanctorum for individual families and groups. There is a dress code for male devotees, they have to enter the temple bare chested. It has been an age-old tradition that is still strictly followed.

Our group of pilgrims felt fortunate to have been assigned a panditji who patiently and with much care helped us in completing the abhishek. It was a blessed experience to sit in the sanctum sanctorum for almost 20 minutes doing the rituals and chanting mantras. The whole environment of the sanctum sanctorum and the rituals made me feel connected to the core of my being, and the world around me. I felt pure, light, with a deep sense of belonging to the Universe.

Nearby, the Kailasa Temple is a must visit in Ellora. The beautiful temple is not just a magnificent architectural legacy of our rich heritage, but also stands as a testament to the eternal resilience of our civilisation.

Trimbakeshwar

It was a long drive of about 217 kms from Aurangabad to Shri Trimbakeshwar Jyotirlinga. I had been here almost a decade ago and had darshan during evening hours when the temple was almost empty. But this time it was different. There was a long queue of devotees, waiting to catch a glimpse of the unique three-faced linga here, depicting the Trinity – Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. There are many mystical legends associated with Trimbakeshwar, including the well known one that the waters of the underground stream below the temple, flows over the linga and merges with river Godavari. It is believed that the river waters are sanctified by Trimbakeshwar. Located close to Nasik, where Kumbh Mela has been held down the ages, millions of devotees take bath in the waters of the river, which they believe to be sacred.

Located at the foothills of the Brahmagiri mountains, the black stone temple has a striking architecture, and one can palpably feel the strong energetic vibrations of the place. While one is not allowed to do any rituals within the sanctum sanctorum or touch the Shivalinga, those interested could perform sacred rituals within the vicinity. Pandits are available to help out with the process. Here too, it is recommended to opt for VIP pass, if one wants to reduce the waiting times of the serpentine queues.

Most people who come to Trimbakeshwar, also visit Sai Baba’s shrine in Shirdi, which is just two and a half hours drive away.

It is believed that people who have a higher state of spiritual consciousness are able to actually see the pillar of light at each Jyotirlinga site, while I am still far away from that stage of spiritual evolution, the energy of each place has left a lasting impression on me. After the trip, I feel cleaner, more centered and strongly connected to the Universal energy. This one-ness of being has been the most profound experience for me.

How to reach

By road: Mumbai – Bhimashankar (193 kms); Bhimashankar – Ahmednagar (164 kms); Ahmednagar – Parli Vaidyanath (224 kms); Parli Vaidyanath to Ambajogai (25 kms); Ambajogai – Aundh Nagnath (142 kms); Aundha Nagnath – Aurangabad (295 kms); Aurangabad – Grishneshwar (42 kms); Aurangabad – Trimbakeshwar (217 kms); Trimbakeshwar – Mumbai (178 kms)

Accommodation

Iris Premiere (Ahmednagar); Hotel Piyush Inn (Ambajogai); Spree Hotel (Aurangabad); Hotel Temple Tree (Shirdi)

(Sudipta is an energy healer and mystical storyteller. Her collection of short stories ‘Invoking Our Inner Goddess’,’ Mystical Tales Of Sacred Earth’, ‘The Blue God’s Love’ and ‘Enchanted Waters: The Magical Flow Of Life’ are available worldwide on Amazon Kindle.)