The twelve Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva in the order of the Dwadash Jyotirlinga Stotram, with each temple's location, how to reach it, and how to group them into practical yatras.
By Teerthayan • October 2026
The 12 Jyotirlingas are the shrines where Lord Shiva is worshipped as a pillar of light. Visiting all twelve, the Dwadash Jyotirlinga Yatra, is one of the most complete pilgrimages a Shiva devotee can make. Below is the full 12 Jyotirlinga list in the order of the Dwadash Jyotirlinga Stotram, with where each temple is and how to reach it, followed by the practical way to group them into yatras.
12 Jyotirlinga names with place and state
- Somnath: Prabhas Patan, Gujarat
- Mallikarjuna: Srisailam, Andhra Pradesh
- Mahakaleshwar: Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh
- Omkareshwar: Khandwa district, Madhya Pradesh
- Vaidyanath (Baidyanath): Deoghar, Jharkhand
- Bhimashankar: Pune district, Maharashtra
- Ramanathaswamy: Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu
- Nageshwar: near Dwarka, Gujarat
- Kashi Vishwanath: Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh
- Trimbakeshwar: near Nashik, Maharashtra
- Kedarnath: Rudraprayag district, Uttarakhand
- Grishneshwar: near Ellora, Maharashtra
Three are in Maharashtra, two each in Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh, and one each in Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
12 Jyotirlinga list at a glance
| # | Jyotirlinga | Place | State | Nearest airport |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Somnath | Prabhas Patan, Veraval | Gujarat | Diu (about 85 km) |
| 2 | Mallikarjuna | Srisailam | Andhra Pradesh | Hyderabad (about 215 km) |
| 3 | Mahakaleshwar | Ujjain | Madhya Pradesh | Indore (about 55 km) |
| 4 | Omkareshwar | Mandhata island, Khandwa district | Madhya Pradesh | Indore (about 80 km) |
| 5 | Vaidyanath (Baidyanath) | Deoghar | Jharkhand | Deoghar |
| 6 | Bhimashankar | Sahyadri hills, Pune district | Maharashtra | Pune (about 110 km) |
| 7 | Ramanathaswamy | Rameswaram | Tamil Nadu | Madurai (about 175 km) |
| 8 | Nageshwar | Near Dwarka | Gujarat | Jamnagar (about 135 km) |
| 9 | Kashi Vishwanath | Varanasi | Uttar Pradesh | Varanasi |
| 10 | Trimbakeshwar | Near Nashik | Maharashtra | Nashik (Ozar) or Mumbai |
| 11 | Kedarnath | Rudraprayag district | Uttarakhand | Dehradun (Jolly Grant) |
| 12 | Grishneshwar | Verul, near Ellora | Maharashtra | Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (Aurangabad, about 30 km) |
The twelve Jyotirlingas, one by one
1. Somnath, Gujarat
On the Arabian Sea shore at Prabhas Patan, Somnath is named first in the stotram. The temple has been destroyed and rebuilt many times; the present temple was consecrated in 1951. Attend the evening aarti and the light and sound show on the temple's history. Veraval railway station is 7 km away.
2. Mallikarjuna, Srisailam
Set in the Nallamala hills above the Krishna river, Srisailam is both a Jyotirlinga and a Shakti Peeth, with Goddess Bhramaramba beside Lord Mallikarjuna. The approach is a forest ghat road, so plan a full day from Hyderabad.
3. Mahakaleshwar, Ujjain
The only south-facing Jyotirlinga, famous for the Bhasma Aarti before dawn. Bhasma Aarti tickets are booked in advance on the temple's official website. The Mahakal Lok corridor around the temple opened in 2022.
4. Omkareshwar, Madhya Pradesh
On Mandhata island in the Narmada, shaped like the sacred syllable Om. Most pilgrims combine it with Mahakaleshwar: Ujjain to Omkareshwar is about 140 km. Cross by the footbridge or by boat, and see Mamleshwar on the south bank too.
5. Vaidyanath, Deoghar
Baba Baidyanath Dham in Jharkhand draws millions during Shravan, when kanwariyas walk about 105 km from Sultanganj carrying Ganga water. The stotram's words "Paralyam Vaidyanatham" are why some traditions place this Jyotirlinga at Parli in Maharashtra instead. Jasidih railway station is about 7 km away.
6. Bhimashankar, Maharashtra
Deep in the Sahyadri forest, at the source of the Bhima river, Bhimashankar sits inside a wildlife sanctuary. The last stretch is a ghat road, and the temple is reached down a flight of steps. Some traditions identify the Bhimashankar of the stotram with a temple near Guwahati in Assam.
7. Ramanathaswamy, Rameswaram
Where Lord Rama worshipped Shiva before crossing to Lanka, Rameswaram is also the southern seat of the Char Dham. Bathe at the 22 theerthams inside the temple and attend the dawn Spatika Lingam darshan. See our South India temple tour guide for a route that includes it.
8. Nageshwar, near Dwarka
About 17 km from Dwarka on the Gujarat coast, usually visited together with Dwarkadhish and Bet Dwarka. Aundha Nagnath in Maharashtra and Jageshwar in Uttarakhand are also worshipped as Nageshwar by some traditions.
9. Kashi Vishwanath, Varanasi
In the oldest living city on the Ganga, Kashi Vishwanath is the Jyotirlinga most pilgrims visit first. The Kashi Vishwanath Dham corridor now links the temple directly to the ghats. Stay for the Ganga Aarti at Dashashwamedh Ghat.
10. Trimbakeshwar, Nashik
At the source of the Godavari, about 28 km from Nashik, the lingam here has three faces representing Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. It is also a centre for Narayan Nagbali and Kaal Sarp puja.
11. Kedarnath, Uttarakhand
The highest Jyotirlinga, at about 3,583 m, reached by a 16 km trek from Gaurikund or by helicopter from Phata, Sersi or Guptkashi. Kedarnath opens in late April or May and closes on Bhai Dooj in October or November. It is part of the Char Dham Yatra, so registration with Uttarakhand Tourism is required.
12. Grishneshwar, near Ellora
The last Jyotirlinga of the stotram, beside the Ellora caves. It is one of the few temples where men are asked to remove their shirts before entering the sanctum. Plan half a day for the caves as well.
How to visit all 12 Jyotirlingas
The twelve are spread across nine states, so the practical way is to group them by region. Each group below is a comfortable trip of its own:
- Madhya Pradesh (3–4 days): Mahakaleshwar and Omkareshwar from Indore. See Mahakaal Darshanam.
- Gujarat (5–8 days): Somnath and Nageshwar with Dwarka. See the Saurashtra Shiva Circuit or the Somnath Jyotirlinga Yatra.
- Maharashtra (7–8 days): Trimbakeshwar, Bhimashankar and Grishneshwar, plus Aundha Nagnath and Parli Vaijnath. See the Maharashtra Jyotirlinga Circuit.
- North India: Kashi Vishwanath with Mahakaleshwar on the Kashi Mahakaal Yatra, and Kedarnath on the Char Dham Yatra from Haridwar.
- South India: Rameswaram and Mallikarjuna, often with Tirupati.
To cover all twelve in one journey, the Dwadash Jyotirlinga Yatra links them by flight and train in about 17 days. A shorter option is the Panch Jyotirlinga Yatra, which covers five.
Tips for a Jyotirlinga yatra
- Season: October to March suits every Jyotirlinga except Kedarnath, which is only open from about May to October.
- Book special darshan early: Bhasma Aarti at Ujjain and VIP darshan at Somnath and Kashi Vishwanath sell out on festival days.
- Crowds: Maha Shivaratri and the month of Shravan (July–August) are the most auspicious and the most crowded.
- Dress: traditional clothes everywhere; some sanctums require men to remove their shirts.
FAQs
What are the 12 Jyotirlingas?+
Somnath, Mallikarjuna (Srisailam), Mahakaleshwar (Ujjain), Omkareshwar, Vaidyanath (Deoghar), Bhimashankar, Ramanathaswamy (Rameswaram), Nageshwar (Dwarka), Kashi Vishwanath (Varanasi), Trimbakeshwar (Nashik), Kedarnath and Grishneshwar (near Ellora).
Which Jyotirlinga is the first?+
Somnath in Gujarat is named first in the Dwadash Jyotirlinga Stotram and is traditionally regarded as the first Jyotirlinga.
How many days does it take to visit all 12 Jyotirlingas?+
Covering all twelve in one organised yatra takes about 15 to 18 days using flights and trains between regions. Most families split them into three or four shorter trips by region instead.
Can all 12 Jyotirlingas be visited in winter?+
Eleven are open all year. Kedarnath closes for winter, usually from Bhai Dooj in October or November until late April or May, so a complete yatra has to fall between May and October.
Which Jyotirlingas are in Maharashtra?+
Trimbakeshwar near Nashik, Bhimashankar near Pune and Grishneshwar near Ellora. Some traditions also place Vaidyanath at Parli and Nageshwar at Aundha in Maharashtra.
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