Nageshwar Jyotirlinga Temple, in Dwarka in Gujarat, is a shrine to Lord Shiva as Nageshwar, the lord of serpents; the lingam faces south, unusually, with the sanctum facing east. It is also known as Nagnath Temple, Nageshwar Mahadev, Nagnath Jyotirlinga.
One of the twelve Jyotirlingas and, with Dwarkadhish and Bet Dwarka, part of the Dwarka pilgrimage circuit. The lingam is one of the few that faces south, which tradition holds gives it particular power against poison and misfortune. Nageshwar stands on the coast between Dwarka and the Bet Dwarka ferry point.
Gujarat carries a distinct temple identity of its own: Gujarat's sacred coast and hills hold the first Jyotirlinga at Somnath, Krishna's kingdom at Dwarka, a Shakti Peeth at Ambaji and the temple-crowned heights of Girnar.
Darshan hours and daily worship
| Session | Timing (as published) |
|---|---|
| Morning | 5:00 AM - 9:00 PM |
Open continuously from 5:00 AM to 9:00 PM with no midday break, unusual among Gujarat's major pilgrimage temples. A minority of listings instead give 6:00 AM - 12:30 PM and 5:00 PM - 9:30 PM. Morning Abhishek runs 5:00 - 6:00 AM and Rudrabhishek 6:00 - 8:00 AM, which must be pre-booked with a priest; evening aarti is at 7:00 PM.
Poojas and daily rituals
Morning Abhishek 5:00 - 6:00 AM, Rudrabhishek 6:00 - 8:00 AM (pre-booked with a priest), and evening aarti at 7:00 PM. Abhishekam of the lingam is performed through the day.
Festivals and special-day timings
Regular darshan hours are usually extended, or set aside entirely, on these dates.
| Festival | Period | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Maha Shivaratri | February/March | The temple's principal festival, with night-long abhishekam and very large crowds. |
| Shravan Maas | July/August | The month of Shravan brings continuous rudrabhishek and heavy pilgrim traffic. |
History and architecture
Architecture
A modest temple set below ground level, approached down a flight of steps to the sanctum, and dominated in the approach by a 25-metre seated statue of Shiva visible from a distance across the flat Saurashtra coast
History
Nageshwar stands on the coast between Dwarka and the Bet Dwarka ferry point. The Shiva Purana tells of the demon Daruka, who imprisoned a devotee named Supriya; Shiva appeared as a jyotirlinga to destroy him, and the site takes its name from that episode. It is counted among the twelve jyotirlingas, the temples where Shiva is worshipped as a pillar of light rather than an installed image.
Planning your visit
How to reach
On the Dwarka to Bet Dwarka road, about 22 km from Dwarka and roughly 17 km from the Okha ferry point. Dwarka railway station is the nearest railhead; Jamnagar Airport is about 140 km and Porbandar about 110 km. Autos from Dwarka run about ₹200 to ₹300 each way.
Where this information comes from
Confidence: Medium. No official temple site was found. The continuous 5:00 AM to 9:00 PM opening, the Rudrabhishek window and the 7:00 PM aarti are consistent across the detailed sources; a minority of listings give a midday closure instead, and that disagreement is recorded.