Bhimashankar Jyotirlinga Temple

Bhimashankar stands at about 1,000 m on a ridge of the Sahyadri, the Western Ghats, surrounded by dense evergreen forest. The temple is reached by a flight of steps going down from the road, and in the monsoon the whole area is wrapped in cloud and waterfalls.

In the Dvadasha Jyotirlinga Smaranam the line reads "Dakinyam Bhimashankaram", Bhimashankar in the land of Dakini. Most devotees honour the Maharashtra temple as this sixth Jyotirlinga.

Close to the temple is the source of the Bhima river, also called the Bhimarathi, which flows south-east across Maharashtra and joins the Krishna in Karnataka. Pandharpur, the great Vitthal shrine, stands on the same river.

The forest around the temple was declared the Bhimashankar Wildlife Sanctuary in 1985. It is home to the Indian giant squirrel, Maharashtra's state animal, and to many birds, so a visit here is as much a meeting with nature as a pilgrimage.

Other places also claim this Jyotirlinga. The Shiva Purana sets the story of the asura Bhima partly in Kamarupa, and a Bhimashankar temple near Guwahati in Assam is honoured by many as the true shrine. A temple at Kashipur in Uttarakhand is also named by some. The Sahyadri temple is the one most pilgrims visit, and every one of these shrines is worshipped with devotion.

The Shiva Purana tells of Bhima, the son of Kumbhakarna and a woman named Karkati. When he learned that his father had been killed by Shree Ram, an avatar of Vishnu, he swore revenge on the devas and performed fierce tapasya to win a boon of great strength from Brahma.

With this power Bhima conquered the three worlds and stopped all worship. He imprisoned Sudakshina, the devout king of Kamarupa, who continued to worship a parthiv linga in his prison cell with his queen.

When Bhima learned of this he rushed in with his sword raised to strike the linga. At that moment Shiva burst out of the linga and destroyed Bhima and his army. The devas and rishis begged Shiva to stay there, and he remained as the Jyotirlinga Bhimashankar.

Another tradition, linked with the Maharashtra temple, tells of the asura Tripurasura, and says that after the long battle the sweat that poured from Shiva's body formed the Bhimarathi river. That is why the river is so sacred to pilgrims here.

Inscriptions suggest that a temple stood here by about the 13th century. Over the centuries it was cared for by local devotees and rulers, and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is remembered for making grants to support its worship.

In the 18th century Nana Phadnavis, the famous minister of the Peshwas, built the sabhamandap (assembly hall) and the shikhara in their present form. Raghunathrao Peshwa is credited with a well in the complex.

In front of the temple hangs a large bell of European make, presented by Chimaji Appa, the brother of Peshwa Bajirao I, after the Maratha victory over the Portuguese at Vasai in 1739. Similar bells from that campaign were offered to several temples in Maharashtra.

The temple is built of dark stone in the Nagara style, with Hemadpanti influences seen in its close-fitting stonework. Its walls and pillars are carved with images of deities, dancers and scenes from the epics.

The Jyotirlinga sits in a sanctum below the level of the hall, and water constantly seeps around it. A stone Nandi faces the sanctum, and the Chimaji Appa bell hangs near the entrance.

Around the temple are small shrines and the Mokshakund tirtha, a stepped tank linked with the source of the Bhima. The temple's setting, in a hollow among forested hills, gives it a quiet, enclosed feeling.

Walking down the steps through the mist to the temple, with the sound of birds and dripping water all around, feels like entering a hidden world. Inside, the small sanctum is cool and quiet, and the chant of "Om Namah Shivaya" seems to blend with the forest.

Many pilgrims spend an hour or two afterwards walking to Gupt Bhimashankar or Hanuman Lake, finding Shiva as much in the forest as in the temple.

Abhishek, Rudrabhishek and other pujas can be arranged through the Devasthan Trust office and the temple priests. Confirm the charges before the puja.

Common offerings are water, milk, bel leaves and flowers. Simple prasad is available at the stalls on the steps leading to the temple.

Maha Shivaratri, the biggest festival, with a large fair and worship through the night.

The Mondays of Shravan, when the temple is at its busiest and the forest is lush with the monsoon.

Kartik Purnima (Tripuri Purnima), remembering Shiva's victory over Tripurasura, with lamps lit at the temple.

The day begins with the Kakad Aarti before dawn. Abhishek and Rudrabhishek are performed through the morning, and the Madhyan Aarti is held in the afternoon, followed by the shringar darshan and the evening aarti.

On Mondays and in Shravan the temple is very crowded, and special arrangements are made for queues and parking.

By air: Pune airport is about 110 km away, a drive of about three hours. Mumbai airport is about 220 km away.

By train: Pune Junction is about 110 km away. Karjat and Neral stations on the Mumbai side are used by trekkers who climb up through the forest.

By road: MSRTC buses run from Pune (Shivajinagar) to Bhimashankar via Rajgurunagar, Manchar and Ghodegaon. The last part is a winding ghat road. Private vehicles park above the temple, and the temple is reached by steps.

Bhimashankar is a small village. The temple, the source of the Bhima and the main viewpoints are reached on foot. There is no regular local transport, so plan your return bus or taxi in advance.

Bhimashankar has a few lodges, homestays and stays run by MTDC near the temple. Many pilgrims stay in Manchar, Ghodegaon or Pune and make a day trip.

Accommodation is limited on Shivaratri and Shravan Mondays, so book early or plan to return the same day.