Jyotirlinga

Remarks

1. Kedarnath

(“Lord of Kedar”)

Himalayas

(Uttaranchal)

Supposedly the death site of the philosopher Shankaracharya

2. Vishvanath

(“Lord of the Universe”)

Benares (holy city)

(Uttar Pradesh)

Desecrated by the Moghul Emperor Aurangzeb in 1666, temple rebuilt next door.

3. Vaidyanath

(“Lord of Physicians”)

Deoghar

(Bihar)

Pilgrims make 60 mile foot journey to offer Ganges water during two annual festivals

4. Somnath

(“Lord of the Moon”)

Saurashtra coast, on the Arabian Sea

(Gujarat)

Sacked by Mahmud of Ghazni in 1024, reconsecrated in 1951.

5. Nageshvar

(“Lord of Serpents”)

Central Gujarat

(Gujarat)

Minor Site

6. Mahakaleshvar

(“Lord of Death”)

Ujjain (holy city)

(Madhya Pradesh)

Kumbha Mela site. Very old. 

7. Omkareshvar

(“Lord of the sound OM”)

Narmada River Island

(Madhya Pradesh)

8. Bhimashankar

(“Bhima’s Shiva”)

Bhima River Headwaters

(Maharashtra)

Minor site

9. Tryambakeshvar

(“Three-Eyed Lord”)

Godavari River  Headwaters

(Maharashtra)

Kumbha Mela Site 

10. Ghrneshvar

(“Lord of Compassion”)

Near Ellora Caves

(Maharashtra)

Minor site

11. Mallikarjuna

(The Lord “White as Jasmine”)

Shri Shaila (holy mountain)

(Andhra Pradesh)

One of two South Indian sites.

12. Rameshvar

(“Rama’s Lord”)

South Indian coast

(Tamil Nadu)

Said to be the place from which Rama set out to conquer Lanka.