Temples are one of the most interesting locations that one can explore in India. The temples that you will find in the country are definitely major sites of pilgrimage. For devotees these temples hold a lot of importance as well. However other than having a religious importance these temples also serve as rich historical locations. There are some temples in the country which are ancient and therefore they reflect a rich historical relevance as well. And for a Shiva devotee the Jyotirlingas are such temples that hold a lot of importance. One such important Jyotirlinga temple of the 12 Jyotirlingas in India is the Baba Baidyanath Dham. Baba Baidyanath Dham Jyotirlinga is located in Deoghar in Jharkhand. It attracts a huge number of devotees on a regular basis who visit Baba Dham Jharkhand to get the blessings of Lord Shiva.
This temple holds so much importance for the devotees because according to beliefs Lord Shiva here is in a self manifested or Swayambhu form. A deep history along with some myths and legends are further associated with the Baba Dham. And all of these further make this one of the most important temples in Jharkhand as well as in India. Each of the Jyotirlinga of Lord Shiva is based on different mythological myths and legends. And the myths moreover make a visit to these temples even more important. So if you are interested in exploring this Jyotirlinga temple then keep on reading this article. Here I will mention everything that you need to know about the Baba Baidyanath Dham in Jharkhand. This will be a helpful article for you if you are planning a trip to Baba Dham soon.
Baba Baidyanath Dham
Location: Shivganga Muhalla, Deoghar, Jharkhand
Timings: 4 am to 9 pm on all days
Darshan starts at 4 am
Shodashopachara Puja 4 am to 3:30 pm
Temple close 2 pm
Temple reopens 6 pm
Shringar Puja 6:10 pm
Temple closes 9 pm
Entry fee: There is no entry fee. Baba Baidyanath Dham vip pass price is Rs. 500 per person
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How to reach
By air
If you are travelling by air then the nearest airport to reach the temple is the Jayaprakash Narayan International Airport in Patna. From Patna international airport Baba Dham is located around 261 km away. It will approximately take you around 6 hours to reach the temple of Baba Dham from the Patna Airport. You can take a car or else hire a cab to reach Baidyanath Dham from Patna Airport. Or else you will also get buses from Patna to reach this temple in Deoghar as well.
By train
You can however plan to travel by train as well and Baba Baidyanath Dham nearest railway station is the Baidyanathdham Railway Station. From Baidyanathdham railway station the temple is located at a distance of 1.3 km away. It will take you only 7 minutes to reach the temple from the Baidyanathdham railway station. You can easily opt for an auto rickshaw from the railway station to reach Baba Dham. Another nearby railway station is the Deoghar railway station which is 3.4 km away from the temple. From Deoghar station it will take you around 10 minutes to reach the temple.
Another nearby railway station is the Jasidih railway station. From Jasidih Station the temple is located at a distance of 7.4 km away. It will approximately take you around 25 minutes to reach the Baidyanath Temple from the Jasidih Junction. You can easily opt for the local transport available there to reach the Baba Baidyanath Dham. Or else you can also reach the temple by taking a car or a cab from the railway station easily.
By road
The Baidyanath Temple is located near the GT Road and it connects Delhi and Kolkata. The most important routes to reach this temple are from Patna, Ranchi as well as from Kolkata. You can get buses to reach the Baba Baidyanath Dham from all these locations. Other than that buses are also available from other nearby major cities and towns as well that you can take. Other than the buses you can also travel by your own vehicle as well or else you can either take a car or hire a cab as well from different locations to reach the Baidyanath Jyotirlinga.
Best time to visit
Ideally you can visit the Baba Baidyanath Dham any time of the year. But the main time when most of the devotees visit the Baidyanath Jyotirlinga is during the month of Shravan. The temple organizes a Sharavana Mela that continues for 30 days and that is the time when most of the devotees visit this temple. Other than that, even the time of Mahashivaratri is also another major time for a visit to this temple. However keep in mind that these are also the most crowded times for a visit to this temple. So if you wish to avoid the crowd a little then you can visit during other times as well.
The months from October to February can be a good time for a visit to Baba Dham. These are the months when the weather remains at check so you will find it comfortable to explore the location. Furthermore there is a queue at this temple as well before your turn comes for a visit. So always have extra time in hand when you are planning a visit to the Baba Baidyanath Dham.
Overview of Baba Baidyanath Dham
The Baba Baidyanath Dham or Baidhyanath Dham or Baba Dham or Baidyanath Jyotirlinga is one of the major temples of Lord Shiva. One of the 12 Jyotirlingas, the temple is located in the Deoghar division in the state of Jharkhand. This is a large and a beautiful temple complex where the Jyotirlinga is established along with 21 other significant temples. Every year millions of devotees visit this temple to get the blessings of Lord Shiva. Especially during the Shravan Mela every year the most number of devotees visit this temple. According to beliefs it is a ritual during that time to carry water from the river Ganges in Sultanganj to the Baidyanath Temple which is around 108 km away. The line of devotees spreads from the temple till the river for 108 km without any interruption during that time.
The Jyotirlinga at the Baba Dham is sacred and holds a lot of significance. People worship God here as a healing deity. Baidyanath literally means the Lord of Physicians. And so the devotees believe that here the deity has healing power.
The historical construction of this temple goes long back to the age of Lord Rama the king of Ayodhya. Furthermore the fact that it is one of the Jyotirlinga makes this an important temple for the devotees. So you can surely visit this temple in Deoghar Jharkhand if you are visiting there.
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Baba Baidyanath Dham History
The construction of this temple is actually related to a legend or a myth that makes it an important temple in Jharkhand. According to beliefs, once the king of Lanka, Ravana, felt that his country would always be safe from the enemies if Lord Shiva himself decides to stay there. So in order to do that, he started meditating and praying to Lord Shiva. With his constant prayer Lord Shiva was pleased and he asked him what he wanted.
Upon hearing that Lord Shiva permitted him to carry his Atmalinga along with him to Lanka. But he had some conditions that he put forward as well. He asked Ravana to not take any break in between while he would be carrying the linga. Also he cannot give it away to any other person to hold as well. And if that happens then he will be fixed at that very spot itself.
However the other Gods were not in favour of this idea as they felt if Lord Shiva reaches Lanka then the evil deeds of Ravana would affect the whole world. So they went to Varuna the God of Water for help. It was then that Lord Varuna entered Ravana’s belly and therefore he felt a heavy surge of releasing the water. So he handed over the lingam to a Brahmin who was actually Lord Ganesha dressed as a Brahmin. And according to Lord Shiva’s condition he got fixed at the location which is currently the Baidyanath Dham.
Read More: Mallikarjuna Jyotirlinga Temple | Timings | Nearest Railway Station
Architecture of Baba Baidyanath Dham
According to mythology and beliefs the original architect of this temple is Viswakarma, the God of architecture. There are three parts of this temple, the main temple, a middle section and the entrance. Overall the temple has a height of 72 feet and is in the shape of a lotus. It is an east facing temple and is one of the architectural marvels as well. On top of the temple there are three gold vessels which Raja Puran Singh the Maharaja of Gidhaur has donated. Just beside the vessels you will find a Panchshula. Panchshula literally means five knives in the shape of a trident. There is a Chandrakanta Mani here as well which is an eight petalled lotus jewel.
The main lingam here is 5 inches in diameter. And the lingam further projects around 4 inches from the centre of a huge slab. The top of the lingam is however broken. There is a story that suggests that when Ravana saw the lingam fixed here he got very angry. He even resorted to violence and damaged this lingam in the process of it when he could not move it. But he was also guilty about this. So he visited this spot daily and forever.
The courtyard of the temple has various other temples that belong to different gods and goddesses. The temple of Lord Shiva however is the most significant and powerful temple here. Along with that this site is a Shakti Peeth as well. According to myths the heart of Devi Sati fell here making it the Hridaya Peeth. The Shakti shrine here is dedicated to Goddess Jaya Durga who is another form of Devi Parvati. The presence of the Shakti Peeth at the Baidyanath Dham complex reflects the unity of Shiva and Shakti. There are other temples of Maa Parvathi, Maa Jagat Janani, Maa Kali, Laxminarayan etc.
Wrapping Up!
So that was all about the Baba Baidyanath Dham in Jharkhand. You can definitely plan a visit to Baba Dham Jharkhand as soon as you can. It is one of the most revered shrines for Lord Shiva devotees. Furthermore it is one of the locations which is one of the 12 Jyotirlingas as well as one of the 51 Shakti Peeth as well. So if you are ever visiting Jharkhand or Deoghar then you must plan a visit to this temple. And let me know if this article on Baba Baidyanath Dham Jyotiringa is helpful for you in planning a trip to this temple in Jharkhand.
