Journey to Maharashtra's Jyotirlingas

 

 Peace at Bhimashankar 

The journey through the Jyotirlingas of Maharashtra began after a night of rain in Pune. Our first stop was Bhimashankar, where we arrived at the parking spot in good time. The final mile was controlled by locals, requiring us to take an Ecco Van (₹50 single way). We were dropped off where the numerous steps to the temple began. The queue started mid-way, with the steps lined with stalls selling pooja items and sweets.

Bhimashankar temple is from the 13th century and nestled in the Sahyadri Hills of the Western ghats in an area now declared wildlife sanctuary. Built in the Nagara style, Bhimashankar Temple is a stunning testament to ancient Indian craftsmanship. The temple’s garbagrha a Swayambhu Jyotirlinga with exquisite carvings on the temple walls, depicting deities, celestial beings, and stories, reflecting our rich heritage and artistry of the era.

Upon reaching the temple complex, we spent about 20 minutes validating our pre-purchased online pass. Around 11 am, we were fortunate to get a peaceful Darshan. We even got a few seconds to sit in the atrium, which felt like an eternity. We emerged feeling blessed and grateful for the serene Darshan of Lord Shiva. Walking up the stairs, we ate some local savouries such as sprouted channa and boiled corn before we reached the place to catch our Ecco van. 

Trimbakeshwar: A Lesson in Time

We then continued towards Nashik for the Darshan of Trimbakeshwar the following morning. The evening at Nashik we went to pay our salutations at Panchavati which consist of several notable temples, including the Kalaram Mandir, Panchmukhi Hanuman Temple, as well as Sita Gufa (Sita's Cave) which was closed that evening for renovations. One could take an auto-rickshaw to go around Nashik which includes the beautiful statue of Lord Ram. Next morning, unfortunately, a bit of unwanted laziness cost us the momentum of an early start—a crucial per-requisite for peaceful temple visits. We reached the temple complex to find a serpentine queue that seemed long enough to last most of the day.

We paid for our carelessness, enduring an excruciatingly slow five hours in the line. Time flew once we finally entered the temple for the much-needed Darshan. We were fortunate that the rains started only after we were under the queue shelter. It was exhausting but ultimately fulfilling, even if the Darshan was not peaceful initially. A touch of humility and starting your day early truly goes a long way.

After the visit, we traced our footsteps back and headed to the mountains in an auto-rickshaw, which took us to the steps leading to the birthplace of River Godavari. We climbed upwards for about 250 steep steps to see the source of the river. It was getting dark, but the roads improved as we hit the Mumbai-Nagpur highway, en route to Sambhajinagar (Aurangabad), where we halted for the night.

Grishneshwar and the Grandeur of Ellora

After a short four-hour rest, we left at dawn for our third Jyotirlinga, Grishneshwar. This shrine operates a queue system with no paid tickets, though accessibility for darshan is offered for senior citizens. We had the opportunity to perform Rudram Abhisheka, having learned about the Seva that morning, and sat near the Jyotirlinga. Spending those minutes inside the garbagrha (sanctum sanctorum) performing the seva moved us to a different realm in our minds.

The temple's exterior and structure looked beautiful in the morning light. We stood outside to admire the legacy of Rani Ahilyabai Holkar in the temple's restoration work. Still recovering from the overwhelming energy of the Darshan, the sky brightened, and the rains had finally stopped.

We couldn't believe as we left the temple area, that it was still eight in the morning reaching the grandeur called the Ellora Caves after the ethereal experience in the temple. On this pleasant day, we strolled around with a guide, exploring 12 caves, culminating in the Kailasa Temple, a structure resembling a large chariot. To truly grasp its size and magnitude, one must see the temple from the top first and then explore it from the front. It is breathtaking and and your cant wrap around the sheer building prowess which went into this magnificent structure. The prayer hall featuring the Buddha is particularly beautiful, and remember to take off your footwear outside, before offering prayers. 

This journey to three Jyotirlingas on three consecutive mornings in Maharashtra was quite the adventure and felt grateful that we could stick to our broad plan. We made it back to Pune, navigating the post-Deepavali long weekend traffic which almost took twice the normal time. We chose this route as we had also planned a visit to Shani Shingnapur and to forewarn yourself that be intentional with your visit. For others, one could easily start this trip from Pune and fly out of Sambhajinagar instead of driving back to Pune.

PS: The strangest things do happen! We stayed in four different hotels during this journey, and in an unbelievable coincidence, our room numbers were sequential: 301 and 302 the first night, 303 the next, and 304 on the third night. Post the trip, we reached our fourth hotel but not the sequence. Still.