Aundha Nagnath Temple

Getting there

• By air

  Nanded Airport is 61 km away and the closest; Aurangabad Airport, 204 km away, has more flights.

• By train

  Hingoli station is 25 km away and Parbhani 50 km; take a cab or a state transport bus from either.

• By road

  State transport buses and taxis run to the temple from Hingoli, Nanded, Parbhani and Aurangabad.

Why devotees come here

Aundha Nagnath in Hingoli district is revered in Maharashtra as the eighth of the twelve Jyotirlingas. The lingam sits in a small chamber below the ground, and the Nandi faces it from behind the temple. The same Darukavana legend is also linked to Nageshwar in Gujarat.

The Shiva Purana places the eighth Jyotirlinga in Darukavana, a forest of deodar trees, where the demoness Daruka tormented a devotee named Supriya until Shiva appeared. In Maharashtra, Aundha Nagnath is revered as that Jyotirlinga of Darukavana. Local belief holds that Dharmaraj, the eldest Pandava, built the first temple here during the 14 years of exile.

The Seuna Yadava kings rebuilt it in the 13th century in the Hemadpanti style, with stones fitted together and covered in carvings. In the 18th century Ahilyabai Holkar renovated many Jyotirlinga shrines, and she is widely believed to have restored this one too. You go down a narrow flight of stairs to reach the lingam in its basement chamber.

When the poet saint Namdev was stopped from singing in front of the temple, he sang behind it, and the temple is believed to have turned to face him. That is why the Nandi pavilion stands at the back. Sixty one of his hymns are in the Guru Granth Sahib, so Sikh pilgrims honour this place too.

Festivals

• February or MarchMaha Shivratri

  The biggest day of the year, with all night bhajans and Rudrabhishek.

• July to AugustShravan month

  Devotees fast and offer water, milk and bilva leaves, especially on Mondays.

• January to FebruaryMagha Fair

  A yearly fair with processions and chanting that draws pilgrims from across the region.

• Dussehra dayVijayadashmi

  Large numbers of pilgrims come for darshan.

Tips for your visit

• The lingam is in a small basement chamber down a narrow flight of stairs, so take your time on the steps.
• Plan the trip between October and March; heavy rain from June to September can slow the roads.
• Combine the visit with Parli Vaijnath, another Jyotirlinga, about 110 km away.
• Hazur Sahib in Nanded is 61 km away if you are flying in or out of Nanded.

Questions people ask