Aurangabad Sri Grishneshwar (Jyotirlinga)Temple- Maharashtra

Address

Aurangabad Sri Grishneshwar (Jyotirlinga)Temple- Maharashtra- Aurangabad, Maharashtra

Deity

Shri Grishneshwar (Shiva)

Introduction

• Name: The Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga Temple, sometimes called Ghrneshwar or Ghushmeshwar, is one of the twelve Jyotirlingas dedicated to Lord Shiva. The name “Ghrneshwara” means “Lord of Compassion.”
• Location: Situated in Ellora, near the Ellora Caves (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), Maharashtra, India. It is approximately 30 kilometers northwest of Aurangabad and around 300 kilometers east-northeast of Mumbai.

Puranic Significance:

• Historical Destruction: The temple was destroyed by the Delhi Sultanate in the 13th and 14th centuries and went through several reconstructions followed by further destruction during the Mughal-Maratha conflicts.
• Reconstruction: The present structure of the temple was rebuilt in the 18th century under the patronage of Queen Ahilyabai Holkar of Indore, after the fall of the Mughal Empire. Queen Ahilyabai Holkar is renowned for rebuilding several important Hindu temples, including Kashi Vishvanath Temple in Varanasi and the Somnath Temple.
• Pilgrimage Site: Today, the Grishneshwar Temple is an important and active pilgrimage site, attracting a large number of devotees daily. Visitors can enter the temple premises and inner chambers, though local tradition requires men to go bare-chested to enter the sanctum sanctorum (garbha-griya).

Special Features:

• Architectural Style: The temple reflects Maratha architectural style, constructed with red rocks and consisting of a five-tier shikara (spire).
• Size: The temple measures 240 ft x 185 ft, making it the smallest Jyotirlinga temple in India.
• Dashavataras Carvings: On the halfway point of the temple, carvings of the Dashavataras (ten incarnations) of Lord Vishnu are depicted in red stone.
• Court Hall: The temple features a court hall supported by 24 pillars, each adorned with carvings summarizing various legends and mythologies of Shiva.
• Garbhagriha: The Garbhagriha (sanctum sanctorum) is 17 ft x 17 ft in size, and the Shiva Lingam faces eastward.
• Nandi Bull: A Nandi bull, the mount of Lord Shiva, is placed in the court hall.

Festivals

Mahashivratri

Century/Period/Age

1000 years old

Managed By

Temples department of Maharashtra

Nearest Bus Station

Aurangabad

Nearest Railway Station

Aurangabad

Nearest Airport

Aurangabad

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