Tourism Ministry holds webinar on Jyotirlingam temples of Maharashtra to boost sector

Under its 'Dekho Apna Desh' initiatives, the Ministry of Tourism organised a webinar on the 'Jyotirlingam Temples of Maharashtra' aiming to boost tourism. The webinar which was organised on Saturday, December 11, was presented by regional level guide, Umesh Namdev Jadhav. 

As Maharashtra continues to attract a large number of tourists for its popular and religious places, the webinar holds major prominence for the tourism sector. Meanwhile, the prominent Jyotirlingas in Maharashtra include Trimbakeshwar, Bhimashankar, Parali Vaijnath, Grishneswar, and Aundha Nagnath. They have been revered since time immemorial in India and shrines Lord Shiva in the form of a Jyotirlingam and are among the 12 Jyotirlingas across the country. 

While out of the 12 Jyotirlingas, the southernmost of these are located in Rameswaram while the northernmost is located in the Himalayas at Kedarnath. 

Notably, the 'Dekho Apna Desh' webinars have been presented in technical partnership with the National e-Governance Department of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology. 

Jyotirlingam Temples of Maharashtra

The four prominent temples rich in history and traditions include Trimbakeshwar, Bhimashankar, Grishneswar, Aundha Nagnath, and, Parali Vaijnath. 

While Trimbakeshwar temple is located in the Southwest of Nashik, it is also one of the four places where the famous Kumbh Mela is held every year. The Shivaling in the temple is situated in a deep depression on the floor and water constantly oozes out from the top of it. Similarly, the Bhimashankar temple is located in the Sahyadri mountain ranges of Maharashtra in Pune and is also one of the important pilgrim centres in the country. The temple is also the source of the river Bhima.

Apart from this, the Grishneshwar Jyotirlingam temple is located in Aurangabad and dates back to the 11th to 12th century CE. While the Aundha Nagnath is located in the Hingoli district of Maharashtra, it is said to be one of the finest Jyotirlinga. Also, it is considered to be the first or 'Adhya' linga installed by the Pandavas. 

Lastly, the Jyotirlingam Temple of Parali Vaijnath is also known as Vaidyanath was renovated by Rani Ahilyabai Holkar. The temple is built approximately at a height of 75-80 feet from ground level and its main entrance is from East and has a magnificent door that is brass plated.   

Image: Twitter/@LostTemple7