Maharashtra traditionally has five of the twelve Jyotirlingas: Bhimashankar, Trimbakeshwar, Grishneshwar, Aundha Nagnath and Parli Vaijnath. Trimbakeshwar and Grishneshwar are revered nowhere else. Aundha Nagnath, Parli Vaijnath and Bhimashankar share their identity with temples in Gujarat or Uttarakhand, Jharkhand or Himachal, and Assam or Odisha — so lists that follow those traditions show Maharashtra with three.
Traditions and sources checked on 15 Sep 2026 — see the sources at the end.
Which Are the Five Jyotirlingas in Maharashtra?
The twelve Jyotirlingas are the shrines where Lord Shiva is worshipped as a column of light. The best-known list of them is a short Sanskrit hymn, the Dwadash Jyotirlinga Stotram, recited morning and evening by devotees across India. It names each shrine with a place or a landmark — and five of those lines point to Maharashtra.
| Jyotirlinga | Where | Stotram line | Also revered at |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bhimashankar | Bhimashankar, Pune district | Dakinyam Bhimashankaram — Bhimashankar in Dakini | Kamrup, Assam; Bhimpur, Odisha |
| Trimbakeshwar | Trimbak, Nashik district | Tryambakam Gautamitate — Tryambaka on the banks of the Gautami (Godavari) | None |
| Grishneshwar | Verul, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district | Ghushmesham cha Shivalaye — Ghushmesha at Shivalaya | None |
| Aundha Nagnath | Aundha, Hingoli district | Nagesham Darukavane — Nagesha in the Daruka forest | Nageshwar, Dwarka (Gujarat); Jageshwar, Almora (Uttarakhand) |
| Parli Vaijnath | Parli, Beed district | Paralyam Vaidyanatham — Vaidyanath at Parli | Baidyanath Dham, Deoghar (Jharkhand); Baijnath (Himachal Pradesh) |
What the Stotram Says
The hymn runs through the twelve in a fixed order, beginning with Somnath in Saurashtra. The fifth to eighth lines read: Paralyam Vaidyanatham cha, Dakinyam Bhimashankaram, Setubandhe tu Rameshwaram, Nagesham Darukavane — Vaidyanath at Parli, Bhimashankar in Dakini, Rameshwaram at the bridge, and Nagesha in the Daruka forest. Later come Tryambakam Gautamitate, Tryambaka on the banks of the Gautami, which is the Godavari, and finally Ghushmesham cha Shivalaye, Ghushmesha at Shivalaya.
Two of those lines are specific enough that no other place claims them: the Godavari rises at Trimbak, and Grishneshwar at Verul has no counterpart anywhere else. The other three name a region — Dakini, Darukavana — or exist in more than one reading, and that is where several traditions each find their own temple.
Why Do Some Lists Show Maharashtra with Three?
Each of the temples below is a living place of worship, with devotees who have prayed there for generations. What follows is what each tradition holds, as its own devotees and the sources listed at the end describe it. We are not in a position to settle a question of faith, and we do not try to.
| In Maharashtra | Also revered as the same Jyotirlinga at | What each tradition points to |
|---|---|---|
| Aundha Nagnath (Nageshwar) | Nageshwar near Dwarka, Gujarat · Jageshwar near Almora, Uttarakhand | Each tradition reads 'Darukavana' — the Daruka forest of the stotram — as its own region. Aundha's devotees revere it as the Jyotirlinga of Darukavana; Dwarka's link the name with the Dwarka coast; Jageshwar's point to the deodar (daru) forests around their temple. |
| Parli Vaijnath (Vaidyanath) | Baidyanath Dham, Deoghar, Jharkhand · Baijnath, Himachal Pradesh | Parli's devotees cite the stotram line 'Paralyam Vaidyanatham', which names Parli. Deoghar's devotees follow the reading 'Vaidyanatham Chitabhumau' and Deoghar's old name, Chitabhumi. Baijnath's devotees hold their temple to be Vaidyanath by their own long tradition. |
| Bhimashankar | Kamrup (Dakini hills), Assam · Bhimpur, Rayagada district, Odisha | All three read 'Dakinyam' — in Dakini — as their region. Pune's shrine stands at the source of the Bhima in the Sahyadri. Assam's government has cited the Shiva Purana for Kamrup; the Odisha temple's devotees cite a Linga Purana reference placing Dakini between the Mahendragiri hills and the Godavari. |
Aundha Nagnath. In Hingoli district, Aundha is revered as Nageshwar, the eighth Jyotirlinga, and local tradition calls it the aadya — the first — said to have been established by the Pandavas. It is also linked with the saint Namdev, and the Archaeological Survey of India protects the temple as a monument of national importance. Many all-India lists follow the Nageshwar temple near Dwarka; devotees at Jageshwar in the Kumaon hills hold their own tradition.
Parli Vaijnath. In Beed district, Parli is worshipped as Vaidyanath, Lord Shiva as the divine physician, and devotees may touch the lingam during darshan. Its devotees point to the stotram's own words, Paralyam Vaidyanatham. Devotees of Baidyanath Dham at Deoghar in Jharkhand follow the reading Chitabhumau; Baijnath in Himachal's Kangra valley is revered as Vaidyanath too.
Bhimashankar. The Sahyadri shrine in Pune district, at the source of the Bhima river, is the Bhimashankar most lists name. In February 2023, an Assam government tourism advertisement invited pilgrims to a Bhimashankar Jyotirlinga in the Dakini hills of Kamrup, citing the Shiva Purana. Leaders in Maharashtra objected, and Assam's chief minister replied that Assam was not shifting the Jyotirlinga from Maharashtra — only that a Bhimashankar also exists in Assam. A temple at Bhimpur in Odisha's Rayagada district is also revered as Bhimashankar by its devotees.
The Two Every List Agrees On
Trimbakeshwar, about 30 km from Nashik, is where the Godavari begins; its lingam is known for its three faces. The Shri Trimbakeshwar Devasthan Trust lists darshan from 5:30 AM to 9:00 PM (checked 15 Sep 2026). It is also one of the two sites of the Simhastha Kumbh, held every 12 years; the next Simhastha opens on 31 October 2026, so if you are planning a visit in the next two years, read our Nashik Kumbh and Trimbakeshwar guide first.
Grishneshwar, at Verul beside the Ellora Caves, is counted as the twelfth and last Jyotirlinga. The red-stone temple was rebuilt by Ahilyabai Holkar in the 18th century, and men enter the sanctum bare-chested. Timing guides disagree about its midday hours, so plan to arrive in the afternoon.
Visiting All Five from Pune
The five lie in a long loop: Bhimashankar to the north-west of Pune, Trimbakeshwar near Nashik, Grishneshwar near Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, then Aundha Nagnath and Parli Vaijnath across Marathwada. By road that is about 1,284 km. We have set out the full route, the km for every leg and the closures that shape it in Panch Jyotirlinga from Pune: route, km per leg and how many days.
Bhimashankar is the only one close enough for a day trip — about 110 km from Pune. It reopened on 15 June 2026 after renovation work, and its hours changed several times during 2026 (checked 15 Sep 2026), so call the trust on 02135 222 880 before you set out, or see Is Bhimashankar temple open?
Fares are fixed and include tolls, parking, fuel or charging and the driver's halts. We are a cab service, not a tour operator — hotels, darshan passes and poojas are arranged by you.
Sources
- Hindupedia — Dwadasa Jyotirlinga Stotram (text and translation)
- Wikipedia — Nageshvara Jyotirlinga (Dwarka, Aundha and Jageshwar traditions)
- Wikipedia — Aundha Nagnath Temple (eighth Jyotirlinga, Namdev, ASI protection)
- Wikipedia — Vaidyanath Jyotirlinga (Parli, Deoghar and Baijnath traditions)
- Pune to Pune — the Vaidyanath traditions (the Chitabhumi reading)
- ThePrint — Assam on Bhimashankar in Kamrup (Feb 2023)
- Deccan Herald — Maharashtra's response (Feb 2023)
- India Today NE — Assam CM's reply (Feb 2023)
- Wikipedia — Bhimashankar Jyotirlinga (Dakinyam), Bhimpur, Odisha
- Shri Trimbakeshwar Devasthan Trust (darshan timings)
- Shri Bhimashankar temple trust
Frequently Asked Questions
How many Jyotirlingas are there in Maharashtra?
Maharashtra traditionally counts five of the twelve Jyotirlingas: Bhimashankar, Trimbakeshwar, Grishneshwar, Aundha Nagnath and Parli Vaijnath. Some national lists show three, because devotees in other states revere their own temples as Nageshwar, Vaidyanath and Bhimashankar. Trimbakeshwar and Grishneshwar are counted in Maharashtra by every list.
Is Aundha Nagnath a Jyotirlinga?
For its devotees, yes. Aundha Nagnath in Hingoli district is worshipped as Nageshwar, the eighth Jyotirlinga, and local tradition calls it the aadya (first) Jyotirlinga. Devotees of Nageshwar near Dwarka in Gujarat and of Jageshwar near Almora in Uttarakhand revere their temples as the same Jyotirlinga.
Is Bhimashankar a Jyotirlinga?
Yes. Bhimashankar in Pune district is counted as the sixth Jyotirlinga, named in the Dwadash Jyotirlinga Stotram as 'Dakinyam Bhimashankaram'. A temple in Kamrup, Assam and one at Bhimpur in Odisha are also revered as Bhimashankar by their devotees, who read 'Dakini' as their own region.
Which Jyotirlingas in Maharashtra have no other claimant?
Trimbakeshwar near Nashik, on the Godavari, and Grishneshwar at Verul beside the Ellora Caves. No other state has a temple revered as either of them.
Which is the Vaidyanath Jyotirlinga — Parli or Deoghar?
Both are worshipped as Vaidyanath by their devotees, as is Baijnath in Himachal Pradesh. The common Dwadash Jyotirlinga Stotram reads 'Paralyam Vaidyanatham', naming Parli; devotees of Deoghar follow the reading 'Chitabhumau', linked to Deoghar's old name. We do not rank one tradition over another.
Which Jyotirlinga is nearest to Pune?
Bhimashankar, about 110 km from Pune — roughly three hours each way on a ghat road. It is the only one of the five you can visit comfortably in a single day from Pune.
Can I visit all five Maharashtra Jyotirlingas from Pune?
Yes. Our Panch Jyotirlinga package covers all five in four days and about 1,284 km, with halts at Nashik, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Parbhani. The fare is ₹34,999 in the Toyota Innova Hycross, fixed and inclusive of tolls, parking, fuel and the driver's halts. Hotels, meals and darshan passes are arranged by you.