What are the 12 Jyotirlingas?
In the order of the Shiva Purana: Somnath (Gujarat), Mallikarjuna (Andhra Pradesh), Mahakaleshwar (Madhya Pradesh), Omkareshwar (Madhya Pradesh), Kedarnath (Uttarakhand), Bhimashankar (Maharashtra), Kashi Vishwanath (Uttar Pradesh), Trimbakeshwar (Maharashtra), Vaidyanath (Jharkhand/Maharashtra), Nageshwar (Gujarat), Rameshwaram (Tamil Nadu) and Grishneshwar (Maharashtra).
On this page
All twelve
| # | Jyotirlinga | Location | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Somnath | Prabhas Patan, near Veraval, Gir Somnath district | Gujarat |
| 2 | Mallikarjuna | Srisailam, Nandyal district | Andhra Pradesh |
| 3 | Mahakaleshwar | Ujjain, on the Shipra river | Madhya Pradesh |
| 4 | Omkareshwar | Mandhata island, Narmada river, Khandwa district | Madhya Pradesh |
| 5 | Kedarnath | Kedarnath, Rudraprayag district, Garhwal Himalaya | Uttarakhand |
| 6 | Bhimashankar | Bhimashankar, Sahyadri hills, Pune district | Maharashtra |
| 7 | Kashi Vishwanath | Vishwanath Gali, Varanasi | Uttar Pradesh |
| 8 | Trimbakeshwar | Trimbak, near Nashik | Maharashtra |
| 9 | Vaidyanath | Deoghar (Baidyanath Dham), Jharkhand — also claimed by Parli Vaijnath, Maharashtra | Jharkhand / Maharashtra |
| 10 | Nageshwar | Near Dwarka, Devbhumi Dwarka district — also claimed by Aundha Nagnath and Jageshwar | Gujarat (also claimed in Maharashtra and Uttarakhand) |
| 11 | Rameshwaram | Ramanathaswamy Temple, Rameswaram island, Ramanathapuram district | Tamil Nadu |
| 12 | Grishneshwar | Verul, near the Ellora Caves, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (Aurangabad) district | Maharashtra |
By region
| Region | Jyotirlingas |
|---|---|
| West (Gujarat) | Somnath, Nageshwar |
| Maharashtra | Bhimashankar, Trimbakeshwar, Grishneshwar, and Parli Vaidyanath |
| Central (Madhya Pradesh) | Mahakaleshwar, Omkareshwar |
| North | Kedarnath (Uttarakhand), Kashi Vishwanath (Uttar Pradesh) |
| East | Deoghar Vaidyanath (Jharkhand) |
| South | Mallikarjuna (Andhra Pradesh), Rameshwaram (Tamil Nadu) |
The traditional hymn
The Dvadasha Jyotirlinga Stotram names the twelve in a short verse recited by many devotees each morning. Its order differs slightly from the Shiva Purana's: it names Somnath, Mallikarjuna, Mahakala, Omkara, Vaidyanath, Bhimashankar, Rameshwaram, Nageshwar, Vishwanath, Trimbakeshwar, Kedarnath and Grishneshwar. The order in either list is not a ranking.
Disputed identifications
For three of the twelve, more than one temple is revered as the Jyotirlinga:
- Vaidyanath — Deoghar (Jharkhand) and Parli (Maharashtra)
- Nageshwar — near Dwarka (Gujarat), Aundha (Maharashtra) and Jageshwar (Uttarakhand)
- Bhimashankar — Pune district (Maharashtra), with a claim also in Assam
We describe these traditions without taking a side.
Planning a Jyotirlinga pilgrimage
Clusters make planning easier: the Maharashtra group, the Madhya Pradesh pair, the Gujarat pair. Kedarnath is seasonal. See our Jyotirlinga trip guide.
Frequently asked questions
Which state has the most Jyotirlingas?
Maharashtra, with Bhimashankar, Trimbakeshwar and Grishneshwar — and Parli Vaijnath, where Vaidyanath is identified by some traditions.
Which Jyotirlinga is in Uttar Pradesh?
Kashi Vishwanath in Varanasi.
Which Jyotirlinga is open only part of the year?
Kedarnath, in the Himalaya, which closes in winter.
In what order should I visit the Jyotirlingas?
There is no required order. Most pilgrims group them by region for practical travel.
Sources and further reading
We link to primary and authoritative sources. External links open in a new tab.
- Jyotirlinga (encyclopaedia entry with cited references) (opens in a new tab)
Wikipedia — Reference work, checked September 2026
- Banaras: City of Light — Diana L. Eck (Knopf, 1982; Columbia University Press reprint) (opens in a new tab)
Columbia University Press — Scholarly source, checked September 2026
Written and maintained by the KashiVishwanathTemple.net Editorial Team. Last updated . Found an error? Tell us — see our editorial policy.
Related guides
- What Is a Jyotirlinga?What 'Jyotirlinga' means, the Shiva Purana story of the infinite pillar of light, how Jyotirlingas differ from other Shiva lingas, and why pilgrims visit all twelve.
- Kashi VishwanathKashi Vishwanath Jyotirlinga in Varanasi: what makes it unique among the twelve, the traditions of Kashi and liberation, and how to plan darshan today.
- Jyotirlinga TripHow to plan a Jyotirlinga yatra: grouping the 12 Jyotirlingas into practical regional circuits, seasons to consider, and where Kashi Vishwanath fits.
- Jyotirlinga HistoryHow the Jyotirlinga tradition developed, what the Shiva Purana and the Jyotirlinga Stotram say about Kashi, and the tradition of the linga's survival through history.
- JyotirlingaUnderstand the Jyotirlingas: what the term means, the story behind them, all twelve shrines with locations, and where Kashi Vishwanath fits in the tradition.
- BhimashankarBhimashankar Jyotirlinga in the Sahyadri hills of Pune district: its tradition, the source of the Bhima river, the surrounding sanctuary and visiting tips.