Shaiva Yatra

The Shaiva tradition

A journey through the principal Shiva kshetras: Jyotirlinga shrines, the Himalayan kedaras and the great temple towns of the south.

Temple tradition

Shaiva tradition holds these places as abodes of Shiva; several are named in the Jyotirlinga tradition and in the Tevaram hymns.

Typical

7–21 days

Season

October to March, except the Himalayan shrines which open between Akshaya Tritiya and Bhai Dooj.

Difficulty

moderate

Sacred stops

No single fixed order — several traditional routes exist, so the sequence below is a common one.

Only what is recorded for these stops — anything unknown is left out.

Season
October to March, except the Himalayan shrines which open between 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
Entry to the main temple courtyard is restricted to Hindus; the surrounding complex is open to all Security screening applies; bags and phones are restricted Reached by a long uphill trek or by helicopter; registration is required The Bhasma Aarti requires advance registration through the temple
Best time of day
Early morning, or evening for the Bagmati aarti Early morning, before the day's crowds Morning Pre-dawn, for the Bhasma Aarti Evening, when the temple aarti is held Early morning

GamaYeah · Recognized pilgrimage route

The Shaiva tradition

A journey through the principal Shiva kshetras: Jyotirlinga shrines, the Himalayan kedaras and the great temple towns of the south.

Shaiva tradition holds these places as abodes of Shiva; several are named in the Jyotirlinga tradition and in the Tevaram hymns.

Typical length: 7–21 days

Season and observance dates: October to March, except the Himalayan shrines which open between Akshaya Tritiya and Bhai Dooj.

Difficulty: moderate

No single fixed order is recorded for this route; the order below is a common one.

#	Stop	Region	Observance and notes
1	Pashupatinath, Kathmandu	Bagmati	Pashupatinath is Nepal's principal Shiva temple, the seat of Pashupati, and the centre of the Kathmandu Valley pilgrimage. Maha Shivaratri is the principal observance. Allow about 90 min.
2	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.
3	Kedarnath	Uttarakhand	Kedarnath is a Jyotirlinga, the first of the Panch Kedar and one of the Chota Char Dham of Uttarakhand. Opens around Akshaya Tritiya, closes after Bhai Dooj. Allow about 90 min.
4	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. Bhasma aarti before dawn. Allow about 120 min.
5	Somnath	Gujarat	Somnath is named first in the traditional twelve-Jyotirlinga listing recited across Shaiva tradition. Allow about 90 min.
6	Trimbakeshwar	Maharashtra	Trimbakeshwar is a Jyotirlinga and stands at the source of the Godavari river. Allow about 90 min.
7	Tiruvannamalai	Tamil Nadu	Karthigai Deepam is the principal observance.
8	Chidambaram	Tamil Nadu	No observance recorded for this stop.
9	Ramanathaswamy, Rameswaram	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.