Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga Temple Darshan Timings, History and Travel Guide

Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga Temple in Verul is the 12th and last of the 12 Jyotirlingas of India. Shiva devotees come here to complete their Jyotirlinga yatra. Childless couples pray at the sanctum too, because of the legend of Ghushma, whose son Shiva brought back to life.

The temple is 30 km from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (Aurangabad) and 1.5 km from the Ellora Caves. Coming from Pune, Mumbai or Nashik means 3.5 to 7 hours on the road, with the last few kilometres winding down the Khuldabad ghat.

That’s where most pilgrims hit trouble. City buses get packed on Mondays, and evening taxis are hard to find in Verul. Men who don’t know the shirt rule also scramble for a place to keep their clothes.

It’d save you a lot of trouble to know the darshan and aarti timings, dress code, abhishek charges, festival dates and road distances before you leave.

For the drive, we provide outstation cabs and tempo traveller in Aurangabad for temple trips and city sightseeing. Fare starts from ₹9/km.

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Grishneshwar Temple at a Glance

Here’s what first-time visitors ask most at the gate.

Grishneshwar Temple Location in Verul Near Ellora Caves

Grishneshwar Temple is in Verul village of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district, Maharashtra. It’s 1.5 km from the Ellora Caves and 30 km north-west of the city, which locals still call Aurangabad.

The road passes Daulatabad Fort and Khuldabad before dropping into Verul. Since both are covered on the same morning, travellers know it as the Ellora Grishneshwar Temple.

Near the gate, stalls sell bel leaves, marigold garlands and peda, and the smell of camphor reaches you before the queue does.

Grishneshwar Temple Timings and Aarti Schedule

The temple is open every day of the year. Hours change in Shravan and on Mahashivratri, so we’d suggest calling the temple office a day before a festival visit.

Grishneshwar Temple Opening and Closing Timings

Grishneshwar Temple darshan timings stay the same on weekends and Mondays, but the crowd doesn’t.

Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga Morning and Evening Aarti Timings

The evening aarti is the busiest slot. Conch, drums and chants of “Har Har Mahadev” fill the sabha mandap while the darshan line pauses.

Grishneshwar Temple Darshan Guide

General darshan is free, and every devotee joins the same queue. Most people stop at the small Kokila Mata shrine near the entrance before moving to the garbhagriha in batches.

Darshan Time and Crowd Pattern

How much time the darshan takes comes down to the day you pick.

Online Darshan, VIP Entry and Special Entry Rules

There’s no official Grishneshwar Temple online darshan booking, and the temple doesn’t sell VIP passes. Websites advertising online booking are private puja services, and they can’t move you ahead in the queue.

The only paid entry is an abhishek ticket from the temple counter. It seats two people before the Jyotirlinga for 10 to 15 minutes.

Abhishek, Special Puja and Daily Rituals

Grishneshwar lets devotees touch the Jyotirlinga with their own hands, which most large Shiva temples no longer allow. Staff limit this when the queue is heavy.

• Each booking covers one couple or two people, and puja samagri is part of the charge.
• Bookings aren’t refundable.
• Men sitting for abhishek inside the sanctum wear a dhoti.

Grishneshwar Temple Dress Code and Visitor Guidelines

The shirt rule surprises most first-time visitors. Men take off their shirt, T-shirt or vest before entering the garbhagriha.

• Shorts, mini skirts and sleeveless tops aren’t allowed.
• Women can wear a saree, salwar kameez or any traditional Indian dress, and they enter the sanctum like every other devotee.
• Leather belts, wallets, large handbags and mobile phones stay outside.
• Footwear goes in your car or with the puja-item shops near the gate.

We’d suggest a kurta or buttoned shirt that comes off quickly, and the shop where you buy flowers will keep it with your phone. The basalt floor is cold under bare feet on a December morning and hot by noon in May.

Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga History and the Story of Ghushma

Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga history goes back to the Shiva Purana, and parts of the legend are still visible in Verul. In Hindi and Marathi, the name is written घृष्णेश्वर, which is why you’ll also see it spelled Ghrishneshwar or Grushneshwar.

The Story Behind Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga

A Brahmin named Sudharma lived near the Devagiri hills with his wife Sudeha. They had no children, so Sudeha asked him to marry her younger sister, Ghushma.

Ghushma made 101 clay lingas every day and immersed them in a pond after worship. When she had a son, a jealous Sudeha killed the boy and threw his body into the same pond.

Ghushma kept praying, and her son walked out of the water alive. Shiva appeared, forgave Sudeha at Ghushma’s request and stayed at the spot as Ghushmeshwar, the name that later became Grishneshwar.

Locals connect this pond with the Shivalaya Tirth Kund, a stepped tank a short walk from the temple.

Temple Restoration by Maloji Bhosale and Ahilyabai Holkar

Verul folklore says Maloji found hidden treasure near the village and spent it on the temple. Ahilyabai Holkar’s temple renovation work also covered Kashi Vishwanath in Varanasi and Somnath in Gujarat.

Religious Importance of Grishneshwar Among the 12 Jyotirlingas

Grishneshwar is the last name in the Dwadasha Jyotirlinga Stotram, which is why pilgrims plan their 12 Jyotirlingas yatra so that Verul comes at the end. The Shiva Purana sets the Ghushma story near Devagiri, today’s Daulatabad, and that link gives the temple its religious significance.

Grishneshwar Temple is famous for a few other reasons too.

• Devotees can touch the linga with bare hands during darshan.
• Couples hoping for a child pray here, following Ghushma’s story.
• At 240 x 185 ft, it’s the smallest Jyotirlinga temple in India.
• An Audumbar tree in the complex is over 300 years old, and devotees tie threads to its branches when they make a wish.

Trimbakeshwar near Nashik and Bhimashankar near Pune are the other two Jyotirlingas in Maharashtra on every list. Some traditions add Aundha Nagnath and Parli Vaijnath, bringing the state’s count to five.

Grishneshwar Temple Architecture and Red Stone Carvings

Grishneshwar Temple architecture follows the 18th-century Maratha style, built in red basalt on a 44,000 sq ft plot.

The pillars in the sabha mandap have worn glossy where devotees have touched them for generations. At sunset, the shikhara turns a deep rust colour. For Grishneshwar Temple photos, the outer courtyard is the right spot, since phones aren’t allowed in the sanctum.

Grishneshwar Temple Festivals and Mahashivratri Celebrations

Festival days bring the year’s biggest crowds.

On Mahashivratri, a palanquin carries Shiva’s idol to the Shivalaya Tirth Kund and back by 6:00 PM for night-long prayers, with dhol beats carrying over the queue. We recommend reaching Verul the evening before, since the village roads fill up with pilgrim traffic.

Best Time to Visit Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga Temple

October to March is the best time to visit Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga Temple.

Our pick is November to February, when mornings are cool enough for a long queue and Ellora is easier to walk through. Mondays are Shiva’s day and the busiest, so we’d skip them unless that’s why you’re coming. A weekday darshan between 6:00 AM and 8:00 AM has the shortest queue.

How to Reach Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga Temple

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar is the base for every route, with its airport, railway station and bus stand all within 36 km of Verul.

By Air via Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Airport

The airport (IXU) is 36 km from the temple, a 1-hour drive. IndiGo flies daily from Mumbai in 1 hour 10 minutes, and Delhi and Hyderabad have direct flights too. Our airport transfer cabs meet you at the terminal for the drive to Verul.

By Train via Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Railway Station

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Railway Station is 30 km from the temple.

By Road from Aurangabad, Pune, Mumbai and Nashik

• The 30 km drive from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar goes via Daulatabad and Khuldabad.
• MSRTC buses leave the Central Bus Stand for Ellora every 30 to 45 minutes, and tickets cost ₹60 to ₹80.
• Pune travellers take the route through Ahilyanagar (Ahmednagar).
• The Mumbai drive goes through Nashik.
• Shirdi pilgrims can add Grishneshwar easily, since it’s only 100 km away.

Our outstation cabs pick you up in Pune, Mumbai, Nashik or Shirdi and drive you straight to the temple gate. We cover this route regularly, and our drivers know the Khuldabad ghat road well.

Grishneshwar Temple Distance from Major Cities

Travel Cost and Transportation Options

A local taxi covers the temple and little else. With our cab, you can add Ellora, Khuldabad and Daulatabad Fort on the same booking, and the driver waits while you finish darshan. Larger groups can book a tempo traveller with 9 to 26 seater options as per your group size.

Places to Visit Near Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga

Most places to visit near Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga are within 30 km of the temple.

Ellora Caves

The Ellora Caves are 1.5 km away, with 34 caves cut into the basalt hillside. Kailasa Temple in Cave 16 is the one nobody skips, a full Shiva temple carved downward out of a single rock.

• The caves are open 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM and shut every Tuesday.
• Indian visitors pay ₹40, and children under 15 go free.

Khuldabad and Daulatabad Fort

Khuldabad, 5 km up the ghat, has the Bhadra Maruti Temple with its reclining Hanuman idol and Aurangzeb’s plain tomb.

Daulatabad Fort, 15 km away, was once called Devagiri, the hills where the Ghushma story begins. We’d suggest keeping 2 hours for its dark passages and steep steps.

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar City and Ajanta Caves

Bibi Ka Maqbara and Panchakki, a 17th-century water mill, are in the city 30 km away. Ajanta Caves are 100 km from Verul, closed on Mondays, and need a separate day.

Our drivers can cover all of these in one booking.

Grishneshwar Temple and Ellora Caves One-Day Itinerary

You can visit Grishneshwar Temple and Ellora Caves on the same day, as long as it isn’t a Tuesday.

For a Maharashtra Jyotirlinga pilgrimage tour, Trimbakeshwar and Bhimashankar add 3 days to the trip. We plan this route as a tour package with one cab and one driver throughout.

Grishneshwar Temple Facilities and Hotels Nearby

• Car parking is a short walk from the gate, and the charge is ₹50.
• Puja-item shops near the entrance keep your footwear, phone and bag while you’re inside.
• Drinking water and toilets are available near the complex.
• Long standing time in the queue makes weekday mornings the better choice for senior citizens.

Our drivers drop elderly passengers at the gate and wait at the same spot for their return. A new Bhakta Niwas for pilgrims is also under construction near the temple.

Hotels near Grishneshwar Temple are limited to a few lodges in Verul and Ellora. Om Siddheshwar Bhakta Niwas is 650 m from the temple, with family rooms starting at ₹800 a night. For more choice, most travellers book a hotel in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar city.

We’d suggest leaving the city by 6:00 AM, which gets you to the gate before the weekday queue builds.

Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga Temple FAQs

Where is Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga Temple located in Maharashtra?

Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga Temple is in Verul, a village in Khuldabad taluka of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (Aurangabad) district. The temple and the Ellora Caves are 1.5 km apart, and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar city is 30 km to the south-east.

Why is Grishneshwar Temple considered one of the 12 Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva?

The Shiva Purana describes Verul as the place where Shiva revived the son of his devotee Ghushma and agreed to remain there as a Jyotirlinga. Grishneshwar comes 12th in the Dwadasha Jyotirlinga Stotram, so pilgrims visit it last to complete the 12 Jyotirlingas yatra.

What are the Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga Temple darshan timings?

Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga Temple welcomes devotees every day, 5:30 AM to 9:30 PM, and these hours stay the same on Mondays. In Shravan, the gates open at 3:00 AM and shut at 11:00 PM. On Mahashivratri, darshan continues for 24 hours.

What are the daily aarti timings at Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga Temple?

The day begins with the Mangal Aarti at 4:00 AM. Priests perform Jalhari Sanghan at 8:00 AM and again at 4:00 PM, with the Mahaprasad Naivedya at noon. Evening aarti starts at 7:30 PM, or 5:40 PM during winter, and the Shayan Aarti at 10:00 PM ends the day.

Is online booking required for Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga darshan?

No. Darshan is free and open to everyone in a single queue, with no official online portal or VIP pass. Sites selling Grishneshwar Temple online booking only arrange pujas with local priests. Abhishek tickets, the one paid option, are sold at the temple counter.

What is the dress code for visiting Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga Temple?

Men remove their shirt, vest and leather belt before stepping into the garbhagriha, and abhishek calls for a dhoti. Women can choose a saree, salwar kameez or other traditional Indian clothes. Shorts, sleeveless tops and mini skirts aren’t acceptable inside the temple.

How much time is required for darshan at Grishneshwar Temple?

A weekday visit needs 30 minutes to 1 hour for darshan. Weekends need 1 to 2 hours, and regular Mondays need 2 to 3 hours. Shravan Mondays and Mahashivratri mean a 4 to 6 hour wait, so an early weekday slot saves the most time.

What is the best time of year to visit Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga Temple?

The best season is October to March, with temperatures between 12°C and 36°C. We’d pick November to February for cool mornings in the queue and an easy walk through Ellora afterwards. Summer heat touches 40°C, and Shravan in July and August brings the heaviest crowds.

How can I reach Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga Temple from Aurangabad (Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar)?

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar city is 30 km away, a 50-minute ride on the road through Daulatabad and Khuldabad. State transport (MSRTC) buses head to Ellora at intervals of 30 to 45 minutes, with a ticket price of ₹60 to ₹80. We drive this route regularly. Our drivers handle the Khuldabad ghat with ease, and fare starts from ₹9/km.

How far is Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga Temple from Ellora Caves?

The Ellora Caves are only 1.5 km away from the temple, a 5-minute drive. Most visitors pair darshan with Kailasa Temple (Cave 16) on the same morning, on any day except Tuesday, when the caves are closed.

Abhishek Singh

I’m a wanderer who loves venturing on to unknown and unseen places. I explore freely to various fun and adventurous places, whether it be spiritual temple tours, captivating landscapes, and more. I wonder around in search of hidden gems and tourist attractions, temples, and other places.