The twelve self-manifest lingas of Shiva, across seven Indian states
Scriptural tradition
The twelve Jyotirlingas are the self-manifest lingas of Shiva named in the traditional Jyotirlinga listing recited across Shaiva tradition. Completing all twelve is one of the oldest and most demanding pilgrimages in the Hindu world.
Typical
18–30 days
Season
October to March for most sites; Kedarnath only between roughly Akshaya Tritiya and Bhai Dooj
Difficulty
Demanding — long distances, and Kedarnath involves a high-altitude trek
Sacred stops
Recommended sequence — the order in which these stops are traditionally visited.
Know before you go
Only what is recorded for these stops — anything unknown is left out.
Season
October to March for most sites; Kedarnath only between roughly Akshaya Tritiya and Bhai Dooj
Dress
Modest dress covering shoulders and knees Warm clothing; the shrine sits above 3,500 m Traditional dress is expected; men often remove upper garments for darshan
Entry and access
The Bhasma Aarti requires advance registration through the temple Reached by a long uphill trek or by helicopter; registration is required Security screening applies; bags and phones are restricted Men are traditionally asked to enter the sanctum bare-chested
Best time of day
Evening, when the temple aarti is held Pre-dawn, for the Bhasma Aarti Morning Early morning, before the day's crowds Early morning
Getting around
Usually done in regional legs by train and road rather than one continuous journey. Nageshwar pairs with Dwarka, Grishneshwar with Ellora, Trimbakeshwar with Nashik, and Bhimashankar with Pune.
Elderly pilgrims
All sites except Kedarnath are reachable by road. Kedarnath requires a long uphill trek, a pony or a helicopter; many older pilgrims complete the other eleven and take the helicopter for Kedarnath.
The twelve self-manifest lingas of Shiva, across seven Indian states
Why this route is held sacred
The twelve Jyotirlingas are the self-manifest lingas of Shiva named in the traditional Jyotirlinga listing recited across Shaiva tradition. Completing all twelve is one of the oldest and most demanding pilgrimages in the Hindu world.
Typical length: 18–30 days
Season and observance dates: October to March for most sites; Kedarnath only between roughly Akshaya Tritiya and Bhai Dooj
Difficulty: Demanding — long distances, and Kedarnath involves a high-altitude trek
Getting around: Usually done in regional legs by train and road rather than one continuous journey. Nageshwar pairs with Dwarka, Grishneshwar with Ellora, Trimbakeshwar with Nashik, and Bhimashankar with Pune.
Elderly pilgrims: All sites except Kedarnath are reachable by road. Kedarnath requires a long uphill trek, a pony or a helicopter; many older pilgrims complete the other eleven and take the helicopter for Kedarnath.
The stops below are in the order in which they are traditionally visited.
The stops
#
Stop
Region
Observance and notes
1
Somnath
Gujarat
Somnath is named first in the traditional twelve-Jyotirlinga listing recited across Shaiva tradition. Allow about 90 min.
2
Mallikarjuna
Andhra Pradesh
Srisailam is counted among the twelve Jyotirlingas and is also revered as a Shakti Peeth, so Shiva and Devi are worshipped together here. Allow about 120 min.
3
Mahakaleshwar
Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh
Mahakaleshwar is one of the twelve Jyotirlingas and is known for the pre-dawn Bhasma Aarti, a rite particular to this temple. Allow about 120 min.
4
Omkareshwar
Madhya Pradesh
Omkareshwar stands on an island in the Narmada and is counted among the twelve Jyotirlingas. Allow about 120 min.
5
Kedarnath
Uttarakhand
Kedarnath is a Jyotirlinga, the first of the Panch Kedar and one of the Chota Char Dham of Uttarakhand. Allow about 90 min.
6
Bhimashankar
Maharashtra
Bhimashankar is counted among the twelve Jyotirlingas and sits in the Western Ghats at the source of the Bhima river. Allow about 90 min.
7
Kashi Vishwanath
Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh
Kashi Vishwanath is the Jyotirlinga of Varanasi, the temple at the centre of the Kashi pilgrimage. Allow about 90 min.
8
Trimbakeshwar
Maharashtra
Trimbakeshwar is a Jyotirlinga and stands at the source of the Godavari river. Allow about 90 min.
9
Vaidyanath
Jharkhand
Baidyanath Dham at Deoghar is worshipped as a Jyotirlinga and draws very large numbers of pilgrims during Shravan. Allow about 120 min.
10
Nageshwar
Gujarat
Nageshwar near Dwarka is counted among the twelve Jyotirlingas and is commonly visited together with the Dwarkadhish temple. Allow about 60 min.
11
Rameshwar
Tamil Nadu
Ramanathaswamy at Rameswaram is both a Jyotirlinga and one of the Char Dham, and is known for its long pillared corridors and sacred water tanks. Allow about 150 min.
12
Grishneshwar
Maharashtra
Grishneshwar, near the Ellora caves, is the last named of the twelve Jyotirlingas. Allow about 60 min.