The number of temples that you can visit in India is truly huge. Also maybe it would not be possible for a single human being to explore it all within a single lifetime. The variety and the diversity of the country is what makes it so unique and exciting at the same time. So whenever you are visiting a particular location or you are staying at a particular location you can try to visit the major temples there. And for Shiva devotees the Jyotirlingas are the major sites of pilgrimage. However if you are in Maharashtra then you will find a good number of these temples to explore. There are a total of 5 Jyotirlingas in Maharashtra and one of the significant temples there is the Trimbakeshwar Temple. This temple is one of the 12 Jyotirlingas and therefore a huge number of devotees visit here on a regular basis.
From the history to the myths and legends associated with the temple, a lot is there to explore for a visitor here. This is furthermore one of the major temples in the state of Maharashtra as well that attracts a huge number of visitors. And during special occasions the number of visitors increases even more. The deity here also holds a lot of significance as well. So whenever you are visiting Maharashtra you must plan a visit to this temple there. A visit to this temple will be peaceful and serene at the same time. And you will further get to refresh your mind as well. Keep on reading this article as here I will mention everything that you need to know about this temple in Maharashtra. This will be a helpful article for you if you are planning a trip to the Trimbakeshwar Temple.
Trimbakeshwar Temple
Where is Trimbakeshwar Temple located?
Trimbak, Maharashtra
Timings: The Trimbakeshwar Temple timings are from 5:30 am to 9 pm
Rudrabhishek Timings 7 am to 8:30 am
Special Pooja Timings 7 am, 1 pm and 4:30 pm
Afternoon Pooja 1 pm to 3 pm
Shiva Golden Crown 4:30 pm to 5 pm
Entry fee: There is no entry fee for General Darshan but for VIP Darshan the fee is Rs. 250 per person
How to reach
By air
If you are traveling by air then the nearest airport to reach the Trimbakeshwar Temple is the Nashik International Airport. The airport is located at a distance of 58 km and it would take you around 1 hour and 15 minutes to reach the temple from the airport. You can easily take buses from the airport to reach the temple. Or else you can also take a car or hire a cab as well to reach the location from the airport.
By train
In case you are travelling by train then the nearest railway station is the Nashik Railway Station. From the Nashik station the temple is located at a distance of 39 km. It would approximately take you around 1 hour and 10 minutes to reach the temple from the railway station. You can opt for the MSRTC buses from Nashik to reach the temple easily. Or else you can surely take a cab or hire a car as well to reach there.
By road
This is by far the best option to travel to the Trimbakeshwar Temple via roadways from different locations. You will get buses from nearby cities and towns like Mumbai, Pune, Nashik, Nagpur, Aurangabad etc. From Nashik the temple is about 30 km away by road. And from Thane it is 157 km away by road. Other than buses you can also take a cab or hire a car as well to reach the location of this temple easily.
Overview of Trimbakeshwar Temple
Located in Nashik Maharashtra the Trimbakeshwar Temple is one of the 12 Jyotirlinga Temples of Lord Shiva and therefore holds a lot of importance. According to beliefs the deity here is self manifested or Swayambhu and therefore is very powerful. What further makes this temple significant is the fact that this temple is also the source of holy River Godavari as well. The location as well as the history and legend associated with this temple makes it one of the significant temples here.
According to Skanda Purana, Dharma Sindhu and the Padma Purana this is the only temple where one can perform the unique ceremony of Narayan Nagbali that is a pooja to remove Pitru Dosh. Furthermore the famous saint Sri Nivruttinath also attained Samadhi at this temple. According to one legend Lord Vishnu had once visited Nasik and it is one of the places where he dropped four drops of Amrit that he was carrying in his pot. Therefore it is believed that taking a dip here is spiritual and sacred. A dip at the Kushavarta pond is also one popular activity here. According to beliefs, taking a dip in this pond can wipe off all the sins of a human’s life.
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Trimbakeshwar Temple History
The history of this temple is also related to a legend regarding Rishi Gautam. According to a legend this location was once a Tapobhoomi during the Satya Yuga. Many Munis and Rishis used to reside here including Rishi Gautam who lived in Trimbak with his wife Ahilya. At one point there was a massive drought and the whole world was suffering due to lack of water. It was then that Rishi Gautam offered his prayers to God of Water, Lord Varuna. Lord Varuna accepted his prayer and therefore gave him a tank with a never ending supply of water. Rishi Gautam therefore used this water to grow some agricultural crops like wheat, rice, vegetables etc. He also fed the other rishis who were residing there.
After a point of time the other Rishis became jealous of Rishi Gautam and they wanted to interrupt him. So together they prayed to Lord Ganesha and they asked for a cow to send to Rishi Gautam’s field which would die later. Lord Ganesha however warned the other rishis and told them it would not be good for them. But still he sent a cow to the field as the rishis wanted. When Rishi Gautam saw the cow in the field he threw the Darbha grass towards the cow to scare him. But instead the cow died in the field.
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What’s more?
After this incident Rishi Gautam along with his wife Ahilya performed penance to Lord Shiva. Lord Shiva was happy with their devotion and so he ordered Devi Ganga to come down to earth. River Ganga therefore flowed down to Earth. It flowed from the Brahagiri Hills and Rishi Gautam trapped it in a holy kund or pond known as the Kushavarta. He also took a bath for his purification in the water. The river was basically the Dakshin Ganga and currently this is popular as the River Godavari. Then Gautam Rishi and all the other rishis requested Lord Shiva to stay here. So Lord Shiva chose to stay here and turned into a linga.
There is yet another legend associated with the Trimbakeshwar Temple. According to this legend once Lord Brahma lied to Lord Shiva and therefore Lord Shiva cursed him that devotees will not worship Lord Brahma. This in turn made Lord Brahma angry and he too cursed Lord Shiva and pushed him to the ground. As a result of that the linga of Lord Shiva in the Trimbakeshwar Temple is under the ground level.
Furthermore, according to history ruler Nana Saheb Peshwa constructed this temple during the 18th century. Later in the days Shreemant Rao Saheb extended this temple around the holy Kushavarta Kund and also renovated the area.
Architecture of Trimbakeshwar Temple
The Trimbakeshwar Temple is a black stone temple that looks magnificent. And Trimbakeshwar Temple inside has the presiding deity that is the Shiva Lingam. The linga here is called the Trimbaka as there are three small thumb sized lingas that represent Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu and Lord Mahesh. People also believe that this is because of the fact that Lord Shiva has three eyes. The lingam of this temple has three heads that are covered in silver. It is further the only Jyotirlinga out of the other 12 where the actual lingam is present in a cavity or depression.
Devotees further also believe that these three lingas represent the Sun, Moon and Fire. Each of them faces different directions as well. According to belief one who worships this linga worships all the three deities and therefore attains salvation. These three lingas usually have a silver crown that depicts their face. But on special festivals and occasions like Mahashivratri, Dussehra or Karthik Poornima a different golden crown studded with rubies and diamonds is kept over the three lingas. According to beliefs the Peshwas had donated the crown and it actually belongs to the Pandavas.
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Dress Code of Trimbakeshwar Temple
For a General Darshan there is no strict dress code but still try to dress modestly. But for special poojas there is a strict dress code that every devotee has to follow. Male devotees who wish to perform special pooja the dress code is dhoti and a towel and no shirt. The pundits here also provide dress if it’s required. For women the dress code is a saree or a churidar.
Wrapping Up!
That was all about the Trimbakeshwar Temple and now you can plan a trip to this temple as soon as you can. This is one of the most significant temples that you can visit in Maharashtra and you should not miss out on visiting this temple. Furthermore the temple holds a lot of importance for the Shiva devotees as well and is one of the major Jyotirlinga Temples as well. So when are you planning a trip to this temple in Maharashtra? And let me know if this article on the Trimbakeshwar Temple is helpful for you in planning a trip to this temple.
