Bhimashankar Temple stands in Pune (Bhimashankar), Maharashtra, is dedicated to Lord Shiva (Jyotirlinga). It is also known as Bhimashankar Jyotirlinga.
One of the twelve Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva and among the five Jyotirlingas in Maharashtra. The surrounding Bhimashankar Wildlife Sanctuary makes it a spiritual and natural landmark. The exact date of the original construction is unclear, but scholars date the temple to the early 13th century.
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
| Session | Timing (as published) |
|---|---|
| Morning | Standard daily program (per the official trust site): temple opens 5:00 AM, Aarti 5:00-5:30 AM, Darshan and Abhishekam 5:30 AM-12:00 PM |
| Evening | Standard daily program continues (Naivedyam 12:00-12:20 PM, Darshan/Abhishekam 12:20-2:45 PM, Aarti 2:45-3:20 PM, Dev Darshan 3:20-7:30 PM, Aarti 7:30-8:00 PM, Dev Darshan 8:00-9:30 PM), temple closes 9:30 PM |
IMPORTANT CURRENT CAVEAT, confirmed on the live official Shree Kshetra Bhimashankar Trust website as of this check: due to ongoing construction on the temple's Sabhamandap (assembly hall) and stairs, the temple is CURRENTLY open for darshan only from 7:00 AM to 11:00 AM, not the full standard schedule shown above. This is corroborated by a June 16, 2026 Free Press Journal report that the temple reopened after a roughly five-month closure (shut January 9, 2026) under a strict system: mandatory online registration, entry capped at 1,000 registered devotees per day between 7 AM and 11 AM, and VIP darshan/recommendation-letter/protocol-based access completely discontinued 'with no exceptions', per the Bhimashankar Devasthan Trust's own Deputy Executive Trustee. The standard/full daily program above is still the trust's own published 'Daily Pooja/Program' template and is expected to resume once construction finishes, but it is not the schedule currently in effect. This is a genuine correction to the previous entry, which listed 5:00 AM-3:00 PM and 4:00 PM-9:30 PM with only a vague festival/renovation caveat and no mention of the current construction-driven restriction, mandatory registration, or the discontinued VIP tier.
Poojas and daily rituals
Morning and evening aartis with abhishek slots and afternoon rituals; devotees offer milk and perform abhishek on the Shiva linga
Daily aarti and pooja schedule
| Ritual | Time |
|---|---|
| Temple opens | 5:00 AM |
| Morning Aarti | 5:00 AM - 5:30 AM |
| Darshan and Abhishekam | 5:30 AM - 12:00 PM |
| Naivedyam Puja (Bhog offering) | 12:00 PM - 12:20 PM |
| Darshan and Abhishekam | 12:20 PM - 2:45 PM |
| Aarti | 2:45 PM - 3:20 PM |
| Dev Darshan | 3:20 PM - 7:30 PM |
| Aarti | 7:30 PM - 8:00 PM |
| Dev Darshan | 8:00 PM - 9:30 PM |
| Temple closes | 9:30 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 most significant annual festival, drawing large crowds who perform abhishek on the linga. |
| Kartik Purnima | October/November | Celebrated with devotion at the temple. |
| Shravan month | July/August | The holy month of Shiva, with heavy footfall especially on Mondays. |
History and architecture
Architecture
Built in the Nagara/Hemadpanti tradition, the temple sits in the Ghat region of the Sahyadri hills. Nana Phadnavis, a leading figure of the Peshwa period, is credited with building the Sabhamandap and Shikhara.
History
The exact date of the original construction is unclear, but scholars date the temple to the early 13th century. A court hall was added in 1437, and significant renovations took place in the 18th century under Maratha rule, notably by Nana Phadnavis. The temple is also the source of the Bhima river, which flows southeast to join the Krishna.
Planning your visit
How to reach
About 111 km from Pune and 124 km from Lonavala, near Karjat in the Sahyadri hills. Reached by car, cab or bus, with the last stretch on hill roads.
Bhimashankar Temple in photographs
2 freely-licensed photographs of this temple, from Wikimedia Commons. Each is credited to its photographer.
Where this information comes from
Confidence: High. A genuine official trust website (shreebhimashankar.com, Shree Kshetra Bhimashankar Trust) was found for the first time and used to both add a full, individually-timed daily ritual schedule and correct the darshan-hours and paid-darshan-tier claims, which were previously sourced only from generic travel blogs. The current construction-driven restriction and discontinued VIP tier are additionally corroborated by a dated, named-source news report, giving good confidence in both the standard schedule and the important present-day caveat.