Recently, I crossed off Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga temple (which mostly didn’t happen) from the list. So, here’s the Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga guide to help you plan a peaceful visit to the temple.

In the Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga guide, I have covered numerous topics:

• The legend of Grishneshwar temple
• Darshan and temple timings
• What to wear?
• Best time to visit
• My experience of Grishneshwar temple
• Places to see near Grishneshwar temple
• How to get there?
• Where to stay?
• Travel tips

I travelled to Kedarnath in 2021, and it was a life-changing experience. And that’s where my journey of visiting all twelve jyotirlingas began.

Over the last two years, I have travelled to nine jyotirlingas, only three more to go (Somnath, Nageshwar and Vaidyanath).

Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga is a sacred Hindu temple. It has references in the Shivpuran, Mahabharat and Ramayan.

LEGEND OF GRISHNESHWAR JYOTIRLINGA

According to legend, Sudharma, a Brahmin, and his wife Sudeha lived near Devgiri mountain. They were happy and loved each other dearly, but they were childless.

After several astrological assessments, they realised Sudeha couldn’t have children.

Sudeha wanted children, so she came up with an idea. She wanted her husband to marry her younger sister, Ghushma.

At first, Sudharma resisted but eventually bowed down to his wife’s wishes and married Ghushma.

Ghushma was kind, virtuous and a zealous devotee of Lord Shiva. Daily, she prepared hundred and one clay Shivalingas to submerge in the river.

Her devotion and dedication pleased Shiva and blessed her with a son. Ghushma and Sudharma’s happiness knew no bounds.

The son was born, grew up to be a young boy and was married.

Over the years, Sudeha began having evil thoughts. She was jealous that she had nothing of her own in the house. The boy nor her husband were hers.

One night, after everyone slept, Sudeha killed the boy and threw his body into the river.

Sudharma and the boy’s wife heard of the boy’s passing in the morning. They were heartbroken, but Ghushma continued with her daily prayers.

She made the hundred-and-one clay Shivalingas and immersed them in the river. After she returned, her son came out of the river and fell at her feet.

Lord Shiva learnt of Sudeha’s evil deeds. He was angry and promised to kill her. Ghushma said her son was back with her, so Lord Shiva should forgive her Sudeha.

Shiva decided to forgive Sudeha’s evil actions and granted Ghushma a wish. She asked Lord Shiva to reside there for the well-being of others. Lord Shiva then appeared as a Shivalinga.

Ghushma was a devotee of Shiva, therefore the name Ghushmeshwar Mahadev.

DARSHAN AND TEMPLE TIMINGS

Grishneshwar temple is open from Monday to Sunday from 5:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.

During Mahashivratri, the timings might differ. The temple is open from 3 a.m. to 11 a.m.

There are aartis in the morning, afternoon and evening.

If you arrive early, it takes 20-30 minutes for darshan. But as the day progresses, it takes longer.

Weekends and holidays are a nightmare. It takes 3-4 hours for darshan, and people line up from 3 a.m.

I have only two recommendations:

• Arrive early for a quick darshan.
• If visiting on weekends or holidays, don’t add Ellora Caves on the same day. It is too hectic.

WHAT TO WEAR?

Grishneshwar temple doesn’t adhere to a strict dress code, but devotees should dress appropriately.

When entering temples, women and men should cover their shoulders and knees.

Unlike most temples, men should remove their shirts before entering the ghabhargriha at the Grishneshwar temple.

Men can wear jeans, dhotis, shirts and pyjamas, and women can wear long dresses, salwar and kurta along with a dupatta.

TRAVEL TIP:- No Phones, cameras, handbags, and purses inside the temple. You can store them in the lockers provided for a fee.

BEST TIME TO VISIT

Grishneshwar temple is open all year round.

It is one of the jyotirlingas that receives fewer devotees than the other eleven temples. Therefore, anytime, except for a few occasions, is a great time to visit the Grishneshwar temple.

October to February is the best time to visit Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga when the temperature is low and the weather pleasant.

It is also the time of Diwali and Christmas holidays, which results in long queues.

However, October, January and February have smaller crowds than November and December.

March to May are the summer months, meaning high temperatures. It is also the time of summer vacations, so expect large crowds.

If that’s the only time you can travel, visit during early March, before the crowds arrive, and at the end of May when visitors have left.

During April and May, travel during the week for smaller queues.

June to September are the monsoon months. Grishneshwar temple receives moderate rainfall during these months. It is also when the crowds are thinnest.

If you don’t mind a bit of rain, you can visit during these months.

That being said, now discover when not to visit the Grishneshwar temple.

MY EXPERIENCE OF GRISHNESHWAR JYOTIRLINGA

I visited Grishneshwar temple during the Independence Day weekend and on a Monday. I was expecting a crowd, but not of this calibre.

The darshan line was 1 km long when I arrived at 10 a.m., and people had queued up from 4 a.m.

Temples have a separate VIP line. I assumed Grishneshwar temple, too, would have one, but no.

By 11:30 a.m., the line started getting shorter. I assumed it would dwindle in a couple of hours. So, I decided to explore Ellora Caves in the meantime.

I returned to the temple around 3 p.m. The line was still long. While waiting, I saw the guards letting people in through the exit.

I decided to try my luck. An hour passed, but the guards wouldn’t let me in. It was nearing 5 o’clock, and I was tired because I had arrived at Grishneshwar from Pune. So, I decided to head to the hotel.

I was sad that I could not visit Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga.

But that’s not how the story ends.

On the last day of the trip, I visited Grishneshwar for the second time. I left my hotel at 5 a.m. and reached the temple at 6 a.m.

There was a short line, and it was taking 1-2 hours for darshan. As I was heading towards the back of the line, I saw the guards letting people in through the exit.

So, I tried my luck. Again. And I was successful this time. Upon entering the temple, I realised the line was longer inside the temple complex.

It took me 15 minutes to enter the ghabhargriha, bow down to the Shivalinga and exit.

I was back in my car by 8 a.m.

I am glad I visited Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga.

PLACES TO VISIT NEAR GRISHNESHWAR

There are a few must-visit places near Grishneshwar temple.

• Ellora Caves
• Bibi ka Maqbara
• Ajanta Caves

ELLORA CAVES

If you’re travelling to Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga, don’t forget to visit the Ellora Caves, 1 km away.

The Ellora Caves are a complex of 100 caves, of which only 34 are open to the public. Ellora Caves are a medley of Buddhist, Hindu and Jain caves dating back to the 6th century.

You need at least 2-3 hours to explore the caves, so arrive early. It is exhausting to walk around in the afternoon heat.

TICKETS AND TIMINGS

The Ellora Caves are open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. from Wednesday to Monday. They are closed on Tuesday. A single ticket (for Indian, SAARC and BIMSTEC citizens) costs Rs. 40 if you pay at the counter and Rs. 35 if you book online. For foreigners, a single ticket costs Rs. 600 if you pay at the counter and Rs. 550 if you book online.

BIBI KA MAQBARA

If you’re travelling to Grishneshwar temple or Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar (Aurangabad), you must visit Bibi ka Maqbara.

Bibi ka Maqbara, or “Mini Taj Mahal“, as it is locally known. And I agree that the title is apt. It is a smaller version of the Taj Mahal in Agra.

Similar to the Taj Mahal, Bibi ka Maqbara is a tomb. Mughal emperor Azam Shah (Aurangzeb’s son) built the tomb in his mother’s memory.

Bibi ka Maqbara portrays intricate and delicate Mughal architecture and carving. You can enter the mausoleum and see the tomb a few feet below.

Massive and widespread gardens surround the mausoleum complex. You can see families with kids playing and relaxing in the garden.

TICKETS

A single ticket (for Indian, SAARC, and BIMSTEC citizens) costs Rs. 25 if you pay at the counter and Rs. 20 for online booking. For foreigners, a single ticket is Rs. 300 if you pay at the counter and Rs. 250 for online booking.

TRAVEL TIP:- Visit after 4 p.m. when the crowds are few and the sun is low on the horizon.

AJANTA CAVES

Ajanta Caves are not near Grishneshwar but about 100 km away.

The Ajanta Caves are centuries-old 31 Buddhist caves carved into a U-shaped gorge on the Waghur River. They are a medley of viharas (monasteries) and Chaitya-grihas (prayer halls).

These caves served as the monsoon retreat for Buddhist monks and provided shelter and housing to travelling merchants.

TICKETS AND TIMINGS

The Ajanta Caves are open from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. from Tuesday to Sunday. They are closed on Monday. A single ticket (for Indians, SAARC and BIMSTEC citizens) costs Rs. 40 if you pay at the counter and Rs. 35 for online booking. For students, it is Rs. 25. For foreigners, a ticket costs Rs. 600 if you pay at the counter and Rs. 550 for online booking.

If you’re planning a trip to these beautiful caves, don’t forget to read my posts.

• Ajanta Caves travel guide
• Which caves to visit at Ajanta?
• What to pack (for Ajanta Caves)?

HOW TO GET THERE?

Grishneshwar temple is in Verul, 30 km from Aurangabad (Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar).

BY ROAD

To reach the Grishneshwar temple, you pass through Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar (Aurangabad).

From Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar to Grishneshwar, there is one road. It is a two-lane road and is in good condition. However, there are two routes from Pune to Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar. One is via Ahmednagar, and the other is via Shirdi.

The road via Shirdi takes 5 hours, but the road conditions are bad. The last time I travelled that road, it was full of potholes the size of craters). Maybe the highways have improved.

The road via Ahmednagar is a two-lane state highway and is crowded.

BY TRAIN

The Aurangabad train station is the closest to Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga. It is well-connected to other Indian cities.

There are direct trains from Pune to Aurangabad. You can rent a taxi or take the bus to Grishneshwar temple from the train station.

BY FLIGHT

The Aurangabad airport is 30 km from Grishneshwar temple; hire a taxi or take the bus to Grishneshwar temple from the airport.

WHERE TO STAY?

If you’re travelling to Ajanta Caves, Grishneshwar temple and Ellora Caves, base yourself in Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar. That’s what I did. Grishneshwar temple is only 30 km from Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar (Aurangabad).

Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar is a big city and has a variety of accommodation options to choose from.

I stayed at “The Aurés“, a small boutique hotel, great for families.

The rooms are spacious and clean, and the bathrooms are compact; the rooms are equipped with various amenities to make your stay comfortable (AC, tea kettle, WiFi, TV, parking area, in-house restaurant, lift…).

“The Aurés” is on the main road, so don’t expect scenic views from your hotel rooms.

I can’t say much about their in-house restaurant as I dined out every night. I chose “The Aurés” because of its proximity to good restaurants (Yalla Yalla and Hotel Rana are best for non-veg, and Kailash Veg is best for breakfast and lunch).

Overall, I had a comfortable stay at “The Aurés”.

TRAVEL TIPS

“Travel tips” is the last section of the Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga guide. Here’s a list of tips to help make your visit to Grishneshwar temple hassle-free.

• Grishneshwar temple is open daily from 5:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.
• Mahashivratri, long weekend holidays, and other festivals are when there are hordes of people. It results in long darshan lines and takes 3-4 hours.
• There is no VIP darshan at Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga. There is only one line, the free darshan one.
• Men should enter the temple without shirts and undershirts, and women should cover their shoulders and knees.
• Women should carry a dupatta or scarf to cover their heads.
• No phones, bags, or cameras inside the temple. You can store them at the paid lockers outside the temple. The no-phone rule changes depending on the crowd. You can always ask the security guards. I visited the temple twice. One time, phones were allowed, but not the second time.
• If you’re arriving on the weekend, don’t visit Ellora Caves and Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga together. The lines for darshan are almost a km long during holidays, and it takes 3-4 hours. It’s the same for Ellora Caves. It is too crowded.

CONCLUSION OF GRISHNESHWAR JYOTIRLINGA GUIDE

That brings us to the end of the “Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga guide”.

The Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga guide covers numerous topics to help plan a trip.

• The legend of Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga
• Darshan and temple timings
• What to wear?
• Best time to visit
• My experience of Grishneshwar temple
• Places to see near Grishneshwar temple
• How to get there?
• Where to stay?
• Travel tips

I hope the Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga guide was helpful. If I missed something or you have any queries, let me know in the comments.

Visiting Grishneshwar temple was not without hurdles, but that’s what makes travelling so fun. You never know what to expect. In the end, I went to the temple and saw the Shivalinga.

Life is a tragedy when seen in close-up, but a comedy in long-shot.

Charlie Chaplin