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Ghrishneshwar Temple
Jyothirlingams,Swayambhu Temples
Ghrneshwara means lord of compassion and this temple is an important pilgrimage site in the Shaiva tradition of Hinduism which considers it as the last or twelfth Jyotirlinga.It is the smallest Jyotirlinga temple in India. The walls of the temple also have colourful murals depicting Lord Vishnu's many avtaars.
Sthalam

 

Grishneshwar means "lord of compassion". The temple is an important pilgrimage site in the Shaiva tradition of Hinduism, which considers it as the last or twelfth Jyotirlinga (linga of light). This pilgrimage site is located in Ellora.The temple structure was destroyed by the Delhi Sultanate in 13th and 14th-century. The temple went through several rounds of rebuilding followed by re-destruction during the Mughal-Maratha conflict.

It was rebuilt in the current form in the 18th century under the sponsorship of queen Ahilyabai Holkar of Indore, after the fall of the Mughal Empire. It is presently an important and active pilgrimage site of the Hindus and attracts long lines of devotees daily. Anyone can enter the temple premises and its inner chambers, but to enter the sanctum sanctorum core (garbha-gruha) of the temple, the local Hindu tradition demands that men must go bare-chested.

 

 

Grishneshwar Shiva temple is next to the Ellora Caves.

 
Puranam

 

The Grishneswar temple is an illustration of maratha temple architectural style and structure. The temple, built of red rocks, is composed of a five-tier shikara. The temple was re-constructed by Maloji Bhosale of Verul, (grandfather of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj) in the 16th century and later again by queen Ahilyabai Holkar in the 18th century.

She is credited with rebuilding some of major Hindu temples such as the Kashi Vishvanath temple in Varanasi, a Vishnu temple in Gaya, and a much larger Shiva Jyotirlinga temple in Somnath Temple.This 240 ft x 185 ft temple is the smallest Jyotirlinga temple in India. Halfway up the temple, Dashavataras of Vishnu are carved in red stone. A court hall is built on 24 pillars.

On these pillars, there are carvings summarizing various legends and mythologies of Shiva. The Garbhagriha measures 17 ft x 17 ft. The Lingamurty faces eastward. There is a Nandi bull in the court hall. Ghrishneshwar Temple is a revered temple, situated in the state of Maharashtra. The temple houses carvings and sculptures of many Hindu gods and goddesses.

 
Varnam

Ghrishneshwar Jyotirlinga, Aurangabad
Highlights

 

Grishneshwar is also called Ghushmeshwar and Kusumeshwar. 

vermillion turned into a ShivaLinga and a great light appeared in it. Parvati was awe struck at this. Then Lord Shankara said: "This Linga was hidden in the Patala." And removed it with his trident. Then a bubble emerged from the earth with water (Kashikhand).

This is also one of the only Jyotirlingas in India where the devotees can touch the Shiva Linga with bare hands. The temple architecture follows a South Indian Style and it is known to be one of the holiest places to visit in Aurangabad

Men are required to go bare-chested into the temple.

This is the smallest jyotirlinga temple in India.

The Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga decorated with flowers and the holy beads of Rudraksha.

The significance of the temple is that the pilgrims believe that by paying a visit to the Grishneshwar temple, one can reap the benefits of worshiping all the 12 Jyotirlingas. It is also said that the Grishneshwar temple is a classic example of the pre-historic style of architecture and has beautiful carvings.

Devotees can see the marriage scene of the Lord and his consort in the temple murals and carving. The Grishneshwar temple also houses a well that springs holy water.

 

 
Sevas

 

Mahashivaratri: Like all important Shiva temples, the Maha Shivaratri festival is a grand event at Grishneshwar temple. It is the main festival here. Crores of devotees make a trip to this town to catch a glimpse of the Lord on this auspicious day that falls in February/March every year.

Ganesh Chaturthi: Dedicated to Lord Ganesh, this festival is celebrated in August / September

Navratri or Durga Puja: It is a famous festival, celebrated as a symbol of victory of good over evil. As per legend, Goddess Durga defeated the demon king Mahishasura to save the world and restore Dharma. Navratri is celebrated across India for nine days. Celebrations in the temple include stage decorations, recital of the legend, enacting of the story, and chanting of the scriptures of Hinduism.

 
Timings

 

Grishneshwar temple opens at 05:30 am in the morning and closes at 09:30 pm in the evening. During the month of Shravan, the temple remains open between 03:00 am to 11:00 pm. The time required for Darshan: 1 to 2 hours depending on the crowd.

The temple also performs various rituals during this time. The devotees can be a part of these rituals such as the afternoon and evening aarti.

The timings of Grishneshwar Temple are as follows:

Rituals Timings
Darshan 5:30 AM – 9:30 PM
Darshan during Shravan Maas 3:00 AM – 11:00 PM
Afternoon Pooja 1:00 PM – 1:30 PM
Evening Pooja 4:30 PM – 5:30 PM
Contact

 

Verul, Maharashtra 431102, India
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