Bhimashankar Temple

The Bhimashankar Jyotirlinga stands in the Sahyadri hills of Maharashtra, source region of the Bhima river — one of the twelve Jyotirlingas of Shiva and the seat of the legend of the demon Tripurasura’s slaying.

Significance

The temple is associated in local tradition with Kamalaja, the Shiva-Parvati form who aided the fight. Its forest is the habitat of the Indian giant squirrel (Ratufa indica), the shekru of Maharashtra’s state animal designation — a rare case of a jyotirlinga inside a protected wildlife sanctuary.

History

The present temple, in the nagara style with a shikhara of the Hemadpant kind, reflects 18th-century Maratha patronage over an older core (the shikhara is traditionally credited to Nana Phadnavis); the murti of Nandi and the sabha-mandap pillars carry Maratha-period inscriptions.

Modern status

A major pilgrimage within the Bhimashankar Wildlife Sanctuary; monsoon trekking routes (through the sacred grove) are popular from Pune.

Verification notes

• The site’s identification as the jyotirlinga (verses alternate claims in other states) is the Maharashtra tradition’s, recognized in the standard lists.
• Audited against Wikipedia (September 2026).