About the 12 Jyotirlinga Yatra
The twelve Jyotirlingas are the shrines where, by tradition, Shiva manifested as an infinite column of light. They are spread across India — from Somnath on the Gujarat coast and Kedarnath in the Himalayas to Rameswaram in the far south — and are listed in the Dvadasha Jyotirlinga Stotram that many devotees recite.
Very few pilgrims visit all twelve in one journey. Common groupings are by region: the Maharashtra three (Bhimashankar, Trimbakeshwar, Grishneshwar), Madhya Pradesh's Mahakaleshwar and Omkareshwar, Gujarat's Somnath and Nageshwar, and the eastern and southern shrines separately. Note that traditions differ on the location of a few Jyotirlingas.
The usual route
- West: Somnath and Nageshwar (Gujarat)
- Central: Mahakaleshwar (Ujjain) and Omkareshwar
- Maharashtra: Trimbakeshwar, Grishneshwar, Bhimashankar
- North: Kashi Vishwanath (Varanasi) and Kedarnath (in season)
- East and South: Baidyanath (Deoghar), Mallikarjuna (Srisailam), Ramanathaswamy (Rameswaram)
Routes vary by operator and starting city. Opening dates, timings and rules change — confirm with the temple or the official portal before you travel.
Temple guides for this yatra
Timings, aarti, how to reach, dress code and tips for each temple.
When to go
Most Jyotirlingas are open all year; Kedarnath is open only about May to November. Shravan (July–August) and Maha Shivaratri draw the largest crowds.
Practical tips
- Plan the yatra region by region — it is the usual and more comfortable way.
- Mahakaleshwar's early-morning Bhasma Aarti needs booking in advance through the temple.
- Shravan Mondays and Maha Shivaratri are very crowded; choose them for devotion, other days for easier darshan.
Read before you go
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