| 1 |
Somnath |
Prabhas Patan, Veraval |
Gujarat |
First Jyotirlinga; Moon god Chandra prayed to Shiva to remove Daksha’s curse. Symbolises eternal resilience and beginning of Dwadash pilgrimage. |
East-facing; temple destroyed & rebuilt 16 times; famous Sound & Light Show. |
Considered the starting point of the sacred circuit; one of the oldest Shiva temples in India. |
| 2 |
Mallikarjuna |
Srisailam |
Andhra Pradesh |
Shiva & Parvati appeared here as Mallikarjuna & Bhramaramba to be near their son Kartikeya. Also a Shakti Peetha. |
Located on Krishna River in Nallamala Hills; ancient architecture; one of the few sites that is both Jyotirlinga & Shakti Peetha. |
Adi Shankaracharya composed Sivananda Lahari here; also a Padal Petra Sthalam. |
| 3 |
Mahakaleshwar |
Ujjain |
Madhya Pradesh |
Shiva as “Lord of Time & Death” (Mahakal); protected the city from demons; Swayambhu lingam appeared to save devotee Shrikhar. |
Only Jyotirlinga facing South (Dakshinamurti); famous Bhasma Aarti (performed with sacred ash); only one with Shree Yantra upside down in sanctum; prasada can be re-offered. |
One of 18 Maha Shakti Peethas (Mahakali); temple has 5 levels including underground; destroyed multiple times, rebuilt in 18th century. |
| 4 |
Omkareshwar |
Omkareshwar (Mandhata Island, Narmada River) |
Madhya Pradesh |
Shiva appeared in Omkara (Om) form; linked to the legend of the infinite pillar of light. |
Temple on an island shaped like Om; Mamleshwar temple nearby is also considered part of the Jyotirlinga. |
One of the two Jyotirlingas in Madhya Pradesh; highly revered for fulfilling wishes. |
| 5 |
Baidyanath / Vaidyanath |
Deoghar |
Jharkhand |
Ravana carried the lingam from Himalayas; Vishnu (as shepherd Baiju) made him place it here permanently. Known as Kamna Linga (wish-fulfilling). |
Complex has 22 temples; lingam partially damaged by Ravana’s thumb; Shravani Mela attracts millions (offer Ganges water from Sultanganj). |
Also called Arogya Baidyanath (healing Shiva); one of the most visited during Shravan month. |
| 6 |
Bhimashankar |
Bhimashankar (near Pune) |
Maharashtra |
Shiva killed demon Bhima here; origin point of Bhima River. |
Located in dense forest (Dakini Vana); source of Bhima River. |
One of three Jyotirlingas in Maharashtra; scenic hill-station location. |
| 7 |
Ramanathaswamy / Rameshwaram |
Rameswaram |
Tamil Nadu |
Lord Rama installed the lingam before crossing to Lanka; worshipped by Rama to atone for killing Ravana. |
Southernmost Jyotirlinga; longest temple corridor in India (1212 pillars); 22 holy theerthams (tanks) inside temple. |
Part of Char Dham pilgrimage; Vishwalingam (brought by Hanuman) worshipped first; one of 276 Paadal Petra Sthalams. |
| 8 |
Nageshwar |
Dwarka |
Gujarat |
Shiva protected devotee Supriya from demon Daruka; also known as protector from poisons & evil. |
Lingam faces south; massive 80-ft statue of Shiva outside. |
Located in Daruka Vana; some controversies on exact site but Dwarka accepted as primary. |
| 9 |
Kashi Vishwanath |
Varanasi (Kashi) |
Uttar Pradesh |
Shiva as Vishwanath (Lord of the Universe); Kashi is the holiest city; believed to grant moksha. |
Gold-plated spire; located on Ganges bank; most visited Shiva temple in India. |
Also a Shakti Peetha; ancient city with 3500+ years history; one of the 12 most sacred Hindu sites. |
| 10 |
Trimbakeshwar |
Trimbak (near Nashik) |
Maharashtra |
Origin of Godavari River; associated with sage Gautama. |
Three-faced (Trimbak) lingam; source of sacred Godavari River. |
Genealogy records maintained here; Kumbh Mela site (every 12 years). |
| 11 |
Kedarnath |
Kedarnath (Garhwal Himalayas) |
Uttarakhand |
One of Panch Kedar; Shiva appeared as wild boar; part of ancient shrine near Mount Kailash. |
Northernmost Jyotirlinga; open only 6 months (May–Nov); pure ghee applied to lingam (symbolising boar injury). |
Part of Char Dham & smaller Char Dham; temple at ~3,583 m altitude; destroyed & rebuilt multiple times. |
| 12 |
Grishneshwar |
Verul (near Ellora Caves) |
Maharashtra |
Shiva appeared to save devotee Ghushma from her wicked in-laws. |
Built in Hemadpanthi style; very close to Ellora Caves (UNESCO site). |
Last of the 12 in traditional order; one of three in Maharashtra. |
