Trimbakeshwar Shiva Temple - One of The Twelve Jyotirlingas Ancient Hindu Temple.

 

Trimbakeshwar Shiva Temple is an ancient Hindu temple in the town of Trimbak, in the Nashik District of Maharashtra, 28 km from the city of Nashik and 40 km from Nashik road. It is dedicated to Hindu god Shiva and is one of the twelve jyotirlingas where the Hindu genealogy registers at Trimbakeshwar, Maharashtra are kept. Trimbak is the origin of the sacred Godavari river, the second longest river in peninsular India. Sacred Kusavarta kunda in the temple premises, built by Shrimant Sardar Raosaheb Parnerkar who was the Fadnavis of Indore State, is the source of the Godavari River. A bust of Sardar Fadnavis and his wife can be seen on the edge of the kunda. The current Shiva temple was built by Prime Minister of the Maratha Empire, Peshwa Balaji Baji Rao, also known as Nana Saheb, in the mid-18th century after it was destroyed by invaders.

 

The temple is located between three hills namely Brahmagiri, Nilagiri and Kalagiri. The temple has three lingas (an iconic form of Shiv) representing Shiv, Vishnu and Brahma. The temple has a well called Amritavarshini. It also has a Kushavarta or sacred pond, which is believed to be the source of the Godavari. There are three other bodies of water, namely, Bilvatheertha, Viswananthirtha and Mukundathirtha. There are images of various deities, namely, Gangadevi, Jaleswara, Rameswara, Gautameswara, Kedarnatha, Rama, Krishna, Parasurama and Lakshmi Narayana. The temple has also several monasteries and samadhis of saints.

 

 

Trimbakeshwar Jyotirlinga is only one of the 12 jyotirlingas in India that does not only honor Lord Shiva but the other two gods in the Holy Trinity - Lord Vishnu and Lord Brahma as well. Jyotirlinga means ‘column or pillar of light’. The extraordinary feature of the Jyotirlinga located here is its three faces embodying Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu, and Lord Rudra. All other Jyotirlingas have Shiva as the main deity. The Lingas are covered by a jeweled crown that is believed to date to the era of the Pandavas. Crown consists of diamonds, emeralds, and many precious stones. The crown is displayed every Monday from 4-5 pm. The entire black stone temple is known for its appealing architecture and sculpture and is at the foothills of a mountain called Brahmagiri. Three sources of the Godavari originate from the Brahmagiri mountain.

 

Trimbakeshwar town has a large number of Brahmin households and is also a centre for Vedic Gurukuls. It also has ashrams and Muths devoted to Ashtanga Yoga, the Hindu art of living. This place is famous for its many religious rituals. Narayan Nagbali, Kalsarpa Shanti, Tripindi Vidhi are done here. Narayan Nagbali puja is performed at Trimbakeshwar only. This puja is performed in three days. This puja is performed on special dates. This puja is performed for many reasons like to cure an illness, going through bad times, killing a Cobra, childless couples, financial crisis or you want to perform some religious puja to have everything.

 

 

You can visit this spiritual spot at any time in the year. During the winter months - between October and March this is the perfect time to visit Trimbakeshwar because the weather is pleasant and the temperature is between 7 and 32 degrees Celsius. If you visit on a Monday, you will be able to see the weekly exhibition of the jewelled crown of the jyotirlinga. Visiting this ancient and divine destination during Mahashivratri would be the ultimate treat for any devotee! The famous pilgrimage festival, Kumbh Mela, occurs here once every 12 years.

 

Trimbakeshwar Shiva Temple is located in Trimbak, which is about 30 kilometers by road from Nashik, and 157 kilometers from Thane. The best way to reach the temple is by road. The closest railway station is the Nashik Road Railway Station that is 39 kilometers by road. Interested people can easily avail the buses operated by Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) after reaching Nasik. Private buses, taxis, and cars for reaching Tryambakeshwar Temple from the city are also available.