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In Sanatan Dharma, the month of Sawan is considered dedicated to Lord Shiva and during this time Shiva devotees remain engrossed in his worship. It is believed that in the holy month of Sawan, by worshiping Lord Mahadev with true heart and seeing him, all the sins of a person are destroyed and happiness and prosperity remain in life. Throughout this month, Shiva devotees from every corner of the country take out Kanwar Yatra and perform Jalabhishek in major Shiva temples. According to Hindu mythology, there are twelve extremely holy and miraculous places of Lord Shiva in India which are worshiped as ‘Jyotirlingas’. These twelve Jyotirlingas have their own mythological history and religious significance, which, being located in different parts of the country, unite the whole of India culturally and spiritually. On this auspicious occasion of Sawan, if you are also planning to visit these twelve Dhams of Lord Shiva, then it is very important for you to know in detail about the names of these holy places and their exact geographical location so that your spiritual journey can be completely successful and auspicious.
First Jyotirlinga: Somnath Temple, Gujarat
The first name in the list of twelve Jyotirlingas comes from Somnath Temple located in Veraval, Gujarat. This ancient temple situated on the seashore is famous all over the world for its unique grandeur and history. According to mythology, Moon (Soma) performed rigorous penance of Lord Shiva here to get freedom from his curse, after which Mahadev was pleased and blessed him in the form of manifestation here and this place was named Somnath. In the month of Sawan, lakhs of devotees come here from far and wide for darshan and perform Jalabhishek of this divine Shivalinga situated on the sea shore. Visiting Somnath Temple during a trip to Gujarat is a big dream of every Shiva devotee’s life, after reaching there one feels immense peace and supernatural energy.
Second Jyotirlinga: Mallikarjuna Jyotirlinga, Andhra Pradesh
Mallikarjuna Jyotirlinga, situated on the hills of Srisailam on the banks of River Krishna in Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh, is the sacred abode of the combined form of Lord Shiva and Mother Parvati. This major pilgrimage site of South India is also called Kailash of the South. Here, in the same complex, Lord Shiva is present in the form of Mallikarjuna and Mother Parvati is present in the form of Bhramaramba. During the monsoon season, the natural beauty of this hill temple and the cloud covered valleys fascinate the tourists and devotees. Despite the difficult climb and inaccessible path here, the faith of the devotees does not diminish, and they stand in long queues and wait for their turn to have the darshan of Lord Shiva.
Third Jyotirlinga: Mahakaleshwar Temple, Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh
Mahakaleshwar Temple, located on the banks of Kshipra River in the holy city of Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh, is the only south facing Jyotirling among the twelve Jyotirlingas whose glory is unique. Here Lord Shiva is worshiped as the ‘Lord of Time’ i.e. Mahakaal. In the month of Sawan, the city of Ujjain becomes completely filled with Shiva and every Monday a grand procession of Baba Mahakal is taken out here, in which crores of devotees from India and abroad come to participate. The world famous Bhasma Aarti held in the temple is the biggest attraction of this Jyotirlinga, to attend which devotees have to book months in advance. Just by seeing Mahakaal, the fear of untimely death ends and the devotees attain salvation.
Fourth Jyotirlinga: Omkareshwar Jyotirlinga, Madhya Pradesh
Omkareshwar Jyotirlinga, located on Mandhata or Shivpuri island in the middle of Narmada river in Khandwa district of Madhya Pradesh, is a wonderful confluence of natural beauty and spirituality. The geographical shape of this island looks like the sacred symbol of Hindu religion ‘Om’, due to which it was named Omkareshwar. Being surrounded by the holy waters of Narmada, taking bath here and worshiping Lord Shiva is considered very auspicious. In the month of Sawan, there is a rush of devotees on the ghats of river Narmada and the calm and charming atmosphere here mesmerizes everyone. Here Lord Mahadev in both the forms of Omkar and Amareshwar blesses his devotees.
Fifth Jyotirlinga: Vaidyanath Jyotirlinga, Deoghar, Jharkhand
Vaidyanath Dham or the temple of Baba Baidyanath located in Deoghar, Jharkhand is counted among the most important Shaktipeeths and Jyotirlingas of the country. According to mythological beliefs, Ravana, the king of Lanka, pleased Lord Shiva with his harsh penance and asked for a boon to take one of his lingas to Lanka, but due to the cunning of the gods, that linga got installed here in Devghar. During the entire month of Sawan, Kanwariyas reach here after filling Ganga water from Sultanganj, travel hundreds of kilometers on foot and offer water to Baba Baidyanath. Every year lakhs of devotees from every corner of the country reach Jharkhand to participate in this historical and religious fair.
Sixth Jyotirlinga: Bhimashankar Jyotirlinga, Maharashtra
Bhimashankar Jyotirlinga, situated amidst the forests of Sahyadri mountain range in Pune district of Maharashtra, is a very special pilgrimage site for nature lovers and Shiva devotees. Bhima river also originates from this place, due to which the geographical and religious importance of this holy area increases a lot. Built in ancient architectural style, this temple is a fine example of Nagara style. The weather here becomes very pleasant during the monsoon season, because greenery all around, high mountains and waterfalls make this journey even more exciting. By visiting here one gets relief from all kinds of troubles and gets peace of mind.
Seventh Jyotirlinga: Rameshwaram Jyotirlinga, Tamil Nadu
Rameshwaram Jyotirlinga, located in the Ramanathapuram district of Tamil Nadu at the southernmost tip of India, has a religious and mythological history linked to Lord Rama. It is believed that after killing Ravana, in order to be free from the sin of Brahmahatya, Lord Ram himself made a Shivlinga of sand on the beach here with his own hands and worshiped it. This holy place is also included in the Char Dham Yatra and the confluence of the Indian Ocean and the Bay of Bengal can be seen here. It is considered to have special significance to visit this holy temple of South India in the month of Sawan. The huge corridors and pillars of the ancient temple here are famous all over the world for their grand architecture.
Eighth Jyotirlinga: Nageshwar Jyotirlinga, Gujarat
Nageshwar Jyotirlinga, located near the sea coast in Dwarka region of Gujarat, symbolizes the form of Lord Shiva worshiped as the serpent god. According to mythology, to protect his devotee Supriya, who was held hostage by a demon Daruka, Lord Shiva appeared here and killed the demon and was established forever as Nagesh i.e. the Lord of serpents. A huge and grand statue of Lord Shiva is installed in this temple, which attracts the attention of tourists from a distance. On the auspicious occasion of Sawan, visiting Dwarkadhish along with Nageshwar Jyotirlinga is considered a very sacred and auspicious experience for the devotees.
Ninth Jyotirlinga: Kashi Vishwanath Jyotirlinga, Uttar Pradesh
Kashi Vishwanath Temple, located on the banks of river Ganga in the ancient and holy city of Varanasi i.e. Kashi of Uttar Pradesh, holds the most prominent and special place among the twelve Jyotirlingas. It is believed that this entire city rests on the trident of Lord Shiva and Kashi does not get destroyed even during the flood. Since the construction of Kashi Vishwanath Corridor, there has been a huge increase in the number of devotees coming here, and in the month of Sawan there is no space even to set foot here. To perform Jalabhishek in the court of Baba Vishwanath, Shiva devotees not only from the country but also from abroad reach Varanasi and after taking bath in the Ganga, they make the entire Kashi resonate with the chants of Har Har Mahadev.
Tenth Jyotirlinga: Trimbakeshwar Jyotirlinga, Maharashtra
Trimbakeshwar Jyotirlinga, located near the origin of Godavari River near a mountain named Brahmagiri in Nashik district of Maharashtra, is known for its unique feature. Generally, the shapes of all Shivlingas are round or tall, but the Jyotirlinga located in Trimbakeshwar is in the form of a small pit, inside which there are three small lingas considered to be the symbols of the three gods Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh. During the holy month of Sawan, a huge crowd gathers at this temple and people take the blessings of Lord Trimbak by taking bath on the banks of river Godavari. One experiences spiritual peace by coming to this historical land of Nashik.
Eleventh Jyotirlinga: Kedarnath Jyotirlinga, Uttarakhand
Kedarnath Jyotirlinga, situated on the banks of Mandakini River in the snowy valleys of Uttarakhand and in the lap of Himalayas, is the highest situated and most difficult pilgrimage among the twelve Jyotirlingas. Due to heavy snowfall in the winter season, this temple remains closed for six months and after opening the doors, there is an influx of devotees here during the months of Sawan. The natural beauty and spiritual energy of this holy abode of Lord Shiva attracts everyone towards itself. It is the dream of every Sanatani to visit Kedarnath, where devotees reach through difficult walking route or by helicopter and get the darshan of Baba Kedar and make their life blessed.
Twelfth Jyotirlinga: Ghrishneshwar Jyotirlinga, Maharashtra
Ghrishneshwar Jyotirlinga, located near the famous Ellora caves in Verul village near Aurangabad, Sambhajinagar, Maharashtra, is the last and twelfth Dham of this sacred chain of twelve Jyotirlingas. Rebuilt by Ahilyabai Holkar, this ancient temple presents a unique fusion of South Indian and North Indian architecture. According to mythology, pleased with the devotion of a devotee woman Ghrishma to Shiva, Lord Shiva appeared here and after him this Jyotirlinga was named Ghrishneshwar. During the last days of Sawan and the entire month, devotees from local and far-off places come here in large numbers to seek the blessings of Mahadev and complete their journey.