Set in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (Verul/Ellora), Maharashtra, Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga Temple honours Lord Shiva (the twelfth / last Jyotirlinga). It is also known as Ghrushneshwar, Ghushmeshwar, Dhushmeshwar.
The twelfth and final of the twelve Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva. Unusually, devotees are permitted to touch the Shivalinga during darshan. The temple is tied to the legend of Ghushma, whose devotion brought her son back to life. Grishneshwar is widely believed to predate the 13th century and endured repeated destruction during the 13th-14th centuries.
Maharashtra carries a distinct temple identity of its own: From Mumbai's beloved Siddhivinayak and Shirdi's Sai Baba to five of the twelve Jyotirlingas and the Varkari heart of Pandharpur, Maharashtra weaves together Shaiva, Vaishnava and Shakta devotion.
Darshan hours and daily worship
Published sources do not give a single clean daily window for this temple; see the notes below for what is documented.
Re-verified directly on the live official site (grishneshwarjyotirling.org), which presents Aarti Timings, Puja Timings and Darshan Timings as three separate tables. Aarti times (Morning 5:00 AM, Bhog 12:00 PM, Evening 8:00 PM) and Darshan Timings (opens 5:30 AM, midday break 12:00-1:00 PM, closes 9:00 PM) match what was already recorded exactly. New: the site separately publishes a Puja Timings window - 6:00 AM to 11:30 AM and 2:00 PM to 7:00 PM - for booking Abhishekam/Panchamrut Pujan/Rudra Abhishek and similar rituals, which is more specific than the previous general mention of these poojas. During Shravan the temple opens extended hours (about 3:00 AM to 11:00 PM), as previously noted; that could not be independently re-confirmed on the official site this pass but is left in place as an existing, plausible claim. No special/VIP darshan price or separate paid tier was found anywhere on the official site, including its online donation page, so no darshanTiers were added.
Poojas and daily rituals
Morning Aarti 5:00 AM, Bhog Aarti 12:00 PM, Evening Aarti 8:00 PM; Abhishekam, Panchamrut Pujan, Rudra Abhishek, Laghu Rudra and Maharudra offered
Daily aarti and pooja schedule
| Ritual | Time |
|---|---|
| Morning Aarti | 5:00 AM |
| Darshan opens | 5:30 AM |
| Puja/Abhishek booking window (morning) | 6:00 AM - 11:30 AM |
| Bhog Aarti | 12:00 PM |
| Midday break (darshan closed) | 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM |
| Puja/Abhishek booking window (afternoon) | 2:00 PM - 7:00 PM |
| Evening Aarti | 8:00 PM |
| Darshan closes for the night | 9:00 PM |
Festivals and special-day timings
Regular darshan hours are usually extended, or set aside entirely, on these dates.
| Festival | Period | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Mahashivratri | February/March | The temple's most important festival, with abhishekam, hymns and all-night vigils. |
| Shravan month | July/August | Highly auspicious for Shiva, drawing large numbers of worshippers, especially on Mondays. |
| Kartik Purnima (Tripuri Pournima) | October/November | Celebrated with special aartis and gatherings. |
History and architecture
Architecture
A compact shrine built of red volcanic/basalt stone with a five-tiered shikhara, a golden kalasha, and a 24-pillared court hall carved with legends of Shiva and the ten avatars of Vishnu. It blends Hemadpanti and South Indian styles. The east-facing Shivalinga sits in the garbhagriha with a Nandi in the passage.
History
Grishneshwar is widely believed to predate the 13th century and endured repeated destruction during the 13th-14th centuries. It was rebuilt in the 16th century by Maloji Bhosale, and the present temple was constructed in the 18th century by Ahilyabai Holkar, the Maratha queen of Indore. It is listed as a national heritage site by the Archaeological Survey of India.
Planning your visit
How to reach
In Verul village, about 1-2 km from the Ellora Caves and roughly 30 km from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (Aurangabad). Nearest airport and railway station are at Aurangabad (about 30 km).
Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga Temple in photographs
5 freely-licensed photographs of this temple, from Wikimedia Commons. Each is credited to its photographer.
Where this information comes from
Confidence: High. Aarti and darshan timings re-confirmed directly on the live official temple website, and a previously-unrecorded Puja Timings window was found and added, giving a more complete, individually-sourced ritual picture than before.