12 Jyotirlinga

Jyotirlinga yatra at a glance

The 12 Jyotirlingas are the shrines where Shiva is worshipped as a column of light. They lie in eight states: Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand and Tamil Nadu. Most families cover them in clusters over several yatras: a single Jyotirlinga takes 3 days, a regional circuit 5 to 7 days, and five Jyotirlingas in one go about 11 days. Only Kedarnath involves a mountain trek; the others are town temples reachable by car. Our Dehradun team plans each yatra and stays in touch throughout.

Which Jyotirlinga yatra is right for you?

If this is your first Jyotirlinga, start with one temple town and two nights there. If you want to complete a set, pick a regional circuit: Ujjain and Omkareshwar together, Somnath with Dwarka, or the three Maharashtra Jyotirlingas. The table lists every Jyotirlinga yatra we run, simplest first.

Where are the 12 Jyotirlingas? List with states and nearest gateway

The order below follows the well-known Dwadasha Jyotirlinga Stotram. Two shrines have rival claims: Vaidyanath is also identified with Parli Vaijnath in Maharashtra, and Nageshwar with Aundha Nagnath in Maharashtra. Our yatras go to Deoghar and to Dwarka, the sites most yatris visit.

For the full story of each shrine and a suggested order, read our guide to the 12 Jyotirlinga list and yatra plan.

How to plan all 12 Jyotirlingas: circuits that work

No single yatra sensibly covers all twelve; the distances are too great and elderly yatris tire quickly. Families who complete the set usually do it in five or six yatras over a few years, grouped like this:

• Madhya Pradesh: Mahakaleshwar and Omkareshwar, 3 days from Indore. About 140 km apart.
• Maharashtra: Trimbakeshwar, Grishneshwar and Bhimashankar. Add Mahakaleshwar and Omkareshwar and you have the Panch Jyotirlinga Yatra, 11 days from Indore to Pune.
• Gujarat: Somnath and Nageshwar, with Dwarkadhish, in about 5 days from Rajkot. Somnath to Dwarka is about 230 km along the coast.
• South India: Mallikarjuna from Hyderabad, and Rameswaram from Madurai. These are far apart, so most yatris do them separately.
• East: Kashi Vishwanath and Baidyanath. Many yatris pair Kashi with Ayodhya or Gaya instead.
• Himalaya: Kedarnath, open only in the summer season, often combined with Badrinath.

Best time for a Jyotirlinga yatra, and dates for 2026–27

October to March is the most comfortable season for the plains and southern Jyotirlingas. April to June is very hot in Malwa, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu, and the monsoon slows hill roads at Bhimashankar and Srisailam.

• Kedarnath is the exception. It opened on 22 April 2026 and is expected to close for winter on Bhai Dooj, 11 November 2026; please confirm the final date before travel. The 2027 opening date has not been announced yet; it is traditionally declared on Mahashivratri at Ukhimath.
• Mahashivratri 2027 falls on 6 March 2027. Every Jyotirlinga sees its biggest crowds that day, with long queues and changed timings.
• Shravan (July–August) Mondays are very crowded, especially at Baidyanath, where the month-long Shravani Mela brings kanwariyas in lakhs, and at Kashi and Ujjain.

If you are travelling with parents above 70, a weekday in November, December or February usually gives the easiest darshan.

Darshan rules, passes and dress codes to know

• Mahakal Bhasma Aarti: permission is only online, on the temple committee's website or the Shri Mahakal app. Slots open about 30 days ahead at 8 am, with a small quota the day before; the fee was ₹200 per person at the time of writing. Men wear a dhoti or sola, women a saree, and you must carry the photo ID used to register. Seats go within minutes and no agent can guarantee one. See our Bhasma Aarti booking guide.
• Kashi Vishwanath: phones, cameras, bags and leather are not allowed inside. Paid Sugam Darshan is booked only on the temple trust's site, shrikashivishwanath.org, and is stopped on peak days. Our Kashi Vishwanath darshan guide explains the queues.
• Trimbakeshwar: only male devotees in traditional dress enter the sanctum, at fixed hours and for a fee; others take darshan from the hall.
• Grishneshwar: men remove their shirts before entering the sanctum.
• Mallikarjuna: general darshan is free; Sparsha Darshan, where you may touch the linga, is a paid ticket and is sometimes suspended on heavy days.
• Rameswaram: the 22 theertham bath is done before darshan; carry a change of clothes, because wet clothes are not allowed into the inner sanctum.
• Kedarnath: yatra registration with the Uttarakhand government is compulsory, and phones and photography are banned inside the temple.

Jyotirlinga yatra for senior citizens

Eleven of the twelve Jyotirlingas can be reached by car to within a short walk of the temple, so age alone is rarely a barrier. The real strain comes from pre-dawn starts, long queues on festival days and long road days. We plan two nights at each temple town so darshan can be taken early in the morning, keep most drives to 2 to 4 hours, and tell you in advance about the long days, such as Ujjain to Nashik on the Panch Jyotirlinga route.

At Kedarnath, elders can use a pony, palki or the helicopter service from the Guptkashi, Phata or Sersi helipads. Helicopter seats are booked only through IRCTC HeliYatra and are not part of our road package.

What we arrange on a Jyotirlinga yatra

Hotels close to the temple, a private vehicle with one driver for the whole yatra, pure-vegetarian breakfast and dinner on most yatras, pickup and drop at the nearest airport or station, and help with registration or passes where the temple allows it. We tell you honestly what we cannot book on your behalf, such as Bhasma Aarti seats. Tickets for paid darshan, puja and donations are paid at the temple.

Frequently asked questions

Which are the 12 Jyotirlingas?

Somnath and Nageshwar in Gujarat; Mallikarjuna at Srisailam, Andhra Pradesh; Mahakaleshwar and Omkareshwar in Madhya Pradesh; Kedarnath in Uttarakhand; Bhimashankar, Trimbakeshwar and Grishneshwar in Maharashtra; Kashi Vishwanath in Varanasi; Vaidyanath at Deoghar, Jharkhand; and Ramanathaswamy at Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu. Parli Vaijnath and Aundha Nagnath in Maharashtra are also worshipped by many as Vaidyanath and Nageshwar.

How many days does it take to visit all 12 Jyotirlingas?

Travelling continuously, it would take about four weeks, with several long flights and train journeys. Most families split it into five or six yatras of 3 to 11 days each, grouped by region: Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, South India, the East and Kedarnath. This keeps the pace gentle and lets you choose the best season for each.

Which Jyotirlinga should I visit first?

Tradition does not fix an order, though Somnath is called the first in the stotram. In practice, start with the one closest to you or the one your family feels drawn to. Kashi Vishwanath and Mahakaleshwar are easy first yatras because both towns have good air and rail links and darshan needs no trekking.

Can senior citizens do the Jyotirlinga yatra?

Yes. Except Kedarnath, all the Jyotirlingas are reached by road with a short walk to the temple. Choose a yatra with two nights per town, avoid Mahashivratri and Shravan Mondays, and carry a folding stool for queues. At Kedarnath, pony, palki and helicopter options help those who cannot walk 16 km.

Is it necessary to book Bhasma Aarti in advance?

Yes. Bhasma Aarti entry at Mahakaleshwar needs a permission booked online on the temple committee's website or app, in your own name with a photo ID. Slots open about 30 days ahead and sell out within minutes. General darshan at Mahakaleshwar needs no booking; you can still see the aarti on screens outside.

Is Kedarnath open in winter?

No. Kedarnath closes on Bhai Dooj in November (expected on 11 November in 2026) and reopens around late April or May. During winter, Kedarnath's worship continues at Omkareshwar temple in Ukhimath. The 2027 opening date will be announced on Mahashivratri, 6 March 2027.

What should I wear for Jyotirlinga darshan?

Modest Indian clothing works everywhere. Some temples are strict: Bhasma Aarti needs a dhoti or sola for men and a saree for women, Trimbakeshwar sanctum entry needs traditional dress, and Grishneshwar asks men to remove their shirts. Shorts and sleeveless tops are turned away at Rameswaram and many other temples.

Tell us which Jyotirlinga you want to visit, your city and your dates, and we will suggest the right yatra and send a written plan. Use the enquiry form on this page or call/WhatsApp us; our numbers are on the Contact page.