12 Jyotirlinga Guide: Where Each Shrine Is and How to Visit

The 12 jyotirlinga shrines are Somnath, Mallikarjuna, Mahakaleshwar, Omkareshwar, Kedarnath, Bhimashankar, Kashi Vishwanath, Trimbakeshwar, Vaidyanath, Nageshwar, Rameshwaram, and Grishneshwar, spread across 8 Indian states from Gujarat to Tamil Nadu.

Maharashtra alone holds three of them, so most Bengaluru pilgrims begin there. Our route plan for the Maharashtra jyotirlingas covers that loop in depth. This guide maps all twelve and turns them into trips you can actually book.

At A Glance

•           Price: From ₹24,999 per person for the Shirdi and 3 Jyotirlinga trip

•           Duration: 2N/3D, flying Bengaluru to Pune and back

•           Covered by packages: 6 of 12 shrines across Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Varanasi

•           Kedarnath is the only shrine that closes for the whole winter

•           Two shrines, Vaidyanath and Nageshwar, have rival claimant temples

What Are The Jyotirlinga Temples Of Lord Shiva And Where Are They?

The jyotirlinga temples of Lord Shiva are twelve shrines where Shiva is worshipped as a column of light. The 12 jyotirlinga sites sit in Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, and Tamil Nadu.

The table follows the traditional order of the Dwadasha Jyotirlinga Stotram, the hymn devotees recite to name all twelve.

Two entries are debated. Many devotees in Maharashtra count Parli Vaijnath instead of Deoghar, and Aundha Nagnath instead of the Dwarka temple. If you want to cover both claims, the Maharashtra versions add roughly two days to a Marathwada trip.

Which Jyotirlinga Comes First And Does The Order Matter?

Somnath in Gujarat comes first. The Press Information Bureau notes that the Dwadasha Jyotirlinga Stotram places Somnath first among the twelve. That is a devotional order, not a travel order, so the 12 jyotirlinga route you take can follow geography instead.

The present Somnath temple was consecrated on 11 May 1951 by President Dr. Rajendra Prasad, and May 2026 marked its 75th anniversary. That history explains why many families like to finish, rather than begin, a lifetime yatra at Somnath.

What matters in practice is distance and season:

•           Shrines inside one state can be linked by road in a single trip

•           Himalayan Kedarnath only works between late spring and autumn

•           Rameshwaram and Srisailam are far from every other shrine, so each needs its own trip

•           Festival weeks such as Mahashivratri and Shravan add hours to every queue

How Can You Group The Shrines Into Practical Trips?

The easiest way to cover the 12 jyotirlinga list is in five regional circuits, each built around one airport. Three circuits fit inside a long weekend from Bengaluru, while the Himalayan and southern shrines need separate, longer plans.

The Madhya Pradesh pair is the tightest pairing in the list. Our Omkareshwar Jyotirlinga guide explains the 77 km drive from Indore, the island crossing, and how to add Mamleshwar on the same morning.

The Gujarat pair needs more road time. Somnath and Nageshwar sit on opposite ends of the Saurashtra coast, so most travellers break the drive at Dwarka and add the Dwarkadhish temple and Bet Dwarka on the way.

Which Jyotirlinga To Visit First From Bengaluru?

If you are wondering which jyotirlinga to visit first, start with Maharashtra or Ujjain. Both are a short flight from Bengaluru, both have frequent connections, and both let you see two or three shrines in under four days without long road transfers.

Maharashtra suits first-timers and older parents. Bhimashankar, Trimbakeshwar, and Grishneshwar can be linked with Shirdi, and the drives run on good highways.

Ujjain suits devotees who want one deeply memorable ritual. The dawn Bhasma Aarti at Mahakaleshwar is unlike anything at the other shrines, but it needs planning.

•           Choose Maharashtra for three shrines in one easy loop

•           Choose Ujjain for Bhasma Aarti and the Mahakal Lok corridor

•           Save Kedarnath for when you have fitness and five free days

Read our Mahakal Bhasma Aarti booking steps and dress code before you fix Ujjain dates, because passes are released in batches.

What Makes Each Jyotirlinga Different?

Each shrine carries its own legend, setting, and ritual, so no two darshans feel alike. Knowing what stands out at each temple helps you decide where to linger, which aarti to attend, and which sites deserve an extra night.

If you can spare only one extra night anywhere, give it to Varanasi or Ujjain. Both cities have evening aartis and old lanes that reward slow exploring.

When Is The Best Time For A Dwadasha Jyotirlinga Yatra?

October to March is the best window for a dwadasha jyotirlinga yatra across most of India. Days are cool, roads are dry, and every 12 jyotirlinga site except Kedarnath stays open, so you can combine circuits without weather delays.

Each shrine has its own rhythm, though:

•           Kedarnath: Open only from late April or May to around Diwali, closed in winter

•           Ujjain and Varanasi: Pleasant from November to February, very hot in May

•           Rameshwaram and Somnath: Coastal and humid, best from November to February

•           Shravan month (July to August): Sacred to Shiva but the most crowded time everywhere

•           Mahashivratri: Spiritually powerful, with waits that can stretch past four hours

If crowds worry you, pick weekdays outside festival weeks and reach each temple for the first darshan slot of the morning.

Which Shrines Need Advance Darshan Or Aarti Booking?

Mahakaleshwar, Kashi Vishwanath, and Kedarnath are the three shrines where booking ahead changes your experience. General darshan stays free nearly everywhere, but special aartis, quick darshan passes, and Himalayan registration have limited slots that fill weeks ahead.

Use only official temple portals. For Varanasi, our Kashi Vishwanath darshan booking guide compares Sugam, Sparsh, and aarti tickets and lists the fake sites to avoid.

How Do You Plan A Multi-Circuit Jyotirlinga Yatra?

Plan the 12 jyotirlinga journey as a series of short trips over one or two years, not one marathon. Each circuit gets its own flights, rest day, and darshan plan, which keeps elderly family members comfortable and every temple visit unhurried.

1.         List which shrines you have already visited and which remain.

2.         Pick the circuit with the best weather in your travel month.

3.         Check festival calendars, then lock flights and hotels together.

4.         Book any special aarti or darshan pass the day slots open.

5.         Pack temple wear: dhoti or kurta for men, saree or salwar for women.

6.         Carry original photo ID for every traveller, as several shrines check it.

7.         Keep one buffer half-day per circuit for delayed queues or flights.

Pilgrims with knee or heart concerns should check stair counts and queue lengths in advance. Bhimashankar involves a long flight of steps down to the shrine, while Ujjain and Varanasi involve long standing queues on busy days.

For the Maharashtra circuit, the Shirdi and 3 Jyotirlinga 2N/3D package bundles flights, VIP darshan at Bhimashankar and Trimbakeshwar, Grishneshwar, Ellora, and Shani Shingnapur.

Ready To Begin Your Jyotirlinga Yatra?

Start with the circuit that fits your next free week, and let us handle flights, stays, pure-veg meals, and darshan timing. Contact Astraloka Tours on +91 96067 90145 for a 12 jyotirlinga plan built around your family’s pace.

Serving India and nearby: Bangalore, Karnataka.

Sources

• https://astralokatours.in/blog/jyotirlinga-in-maharashtra
• https://astralokatours.in/blog/omkareshwar-jyotirlinga
• https://astralokatours.in/packages/shirdi-with-3-jyotirlinga-2n-3d
• https://static.pib.gov.in/WriteReadData/specificdocs/documents/2026/may/doc202658866001.pdf