Nageshwar Jyotirlinga Temple is one of the legendary temples mentioned in the Shiva Purana. It is located in Dwarka, Gujarat.

About Nageshwar Jyotirlinga Temple

Nageshwar Temple, located in Dwarka, is one of India’s twelve Jyotirlingas. It is located on the road between Gomati Dwarka and Bait Dwarka Island off the coast of Saurashtra, Gujarat. The major deity in Nagnath Temple is Lord Shiva, commonly known as Nageshwar Mahadev. According to the Shiva Purana, those who pray at the Nageshwar Jyotirlinga are liberated from all poisons, snake bites, and worldly desires.

Unlike in other Nageshwar temples, the statue or Linga here faces south. The huge 80-foot-tall statue of Lord Shiva is the Nageshwar Temple’s main attraction. The temple itself is distinguished by traditional Hindu architecture. The Nageshwar Shiva Linga is formed of stone called Dwarka Shila, which has little chakras on it. It has the shape of three mukhi Rudraksha.

Nageshwar Jyotirlinga is significant because it is thought to be the first of India’s twelve Jyotirlingas. The temple was designed using Vaastu Shastra principles and is based on the human body’s Sayanam (sleeping) position. On the festival of Maha Shivaratri, the Nageshwar Jyotirlinga Temple observes magnificent celebrations, attracting flocks of devotees

It is enshrined by one of the 12 swayambhu (self-existent) jyotirlingas in the world, in an underground sanctum. A 25 m tall statue of a sitting Lord Shiva and a large garden with a pond are major attractions of this rather serene place.

Close to the temple is another important spiritual spot called Gopi Talav Tirth, a lake that is connected to the legends of gopis visiting Lord Krishna and eventually offering their lives to merge with the soil here.

Nageshwar Jyotirlinga Temple History

According to the Shiva Purana, Nageshwar is located in India’s “Darukavana”, an ancient forest. The narrative began hundreds of years ago with a demon pair named Daruka and Daruki, after whom Darukavana was named.

Daruka, a demon who worships Goddess Parvati, once seized a Shiva devotee named Supriya and imprisoned him along with the others in his capital, Darukavana.

Supriya urged the convicts to recite Om Namaha Shivay, the sacred mantra for Lord Shiva. Lord Shiva came as a Jyotirlinga from the earth in response to devotion. Though he couldn’t destroy the demon sanctified by his own wife, he promised to protect Supriya and the other followers with a linga.This jyotirlinga became known as the Nageshwara form of Lord Shiva.

A lesser-known tradition connects the Nageshwar Jyotirlinga to the Pandava brothers of Mahabharata. Bhima, the strongest of the five Pandavas, discovered a river full of cream and milk, with a Swayambhu (self-manifested) lingam in the center. It is thought that the Nageshwar Temple was built on the precise location.

The Architecture of Nageshwar Temple

Built in the western style of architecture and following the principles of Vaastu Shashtra, the Nageshwar Jyotirlinga is planned on the Sayanam (sleeping) posture of the human body.

It is divided into 5 main parts/portions:

• Mahadwar (feet): the main gate to the temple, devotees enter through the feet.
• Entrance Porch (hands): it falls between the two sacred idols of Lord Hanuman and Lord Ganesh symbolising the two hands.
• Sabha Mandapa (abdomen and chest): The main prayer hall comprising of prayer seats is believed to symbolise the human abdomen and chest.
• Antarala: This is the worship place of Nandi, Lord Shiva’s vehicle.
• Garbhagriha (head): Housing the main Shiva Linga, the garbagriha is the head in the human body.

The Gomugam faces east, and the Nageshwar Temple faces south. This is connected to another historical legend. Naamdev, a devotee of Lord Shiva, was singing bhajans in front of His statue one day when other devotees urged him to step aside so that he wouldn’t obstruct the Lord’s view. He posed this question to the one direction that Lord Shiva did not exist in. He was abandoned on the south side by the furious worshipers. Surprisingly, the gomugam was facing east when the Shiva Linga abruptly shifted to the south.

Nageshwar Jyotirlinga Temple Timings

Darshan Timings: 06:00 AM – 12:30 PM and 05:00PM to 09:30 PM
Abhishekam: 06:00 AM – 12:30 PM
Morning Aarti: 05:30 AM
Afternoon Aarti: 12:00 PM
Evening Aarti: 07:00 PM
Shrinagar (Afternoon): 05:00 PM

Best Time To Visit Nageshwar Jyotirlinga Temple

The best time to visit is between November and February, and during the Shivratri.

How To Reach Nageshwar Jyotirlinga Temple

On Gujarat’s Saurashtra coast, the Nageshwar Jyotirlinga Temple is situated along the path that connects Gomati Dwarka and Bait Dwarka Island.

You must either fly or take the train to Dwarka in order to get to the temple. Flight: Jamnagar, the closest airport to Dwarka, is around 137 kilometers distant. Regular flights connect Mumbai to the Jamnagar Airport.

A cab, which typically costs about INR 2000, may transport you the distance between the airport and Dwarka. Train: Regular trains run everyday between Dwarka railway station and several locations across the nation. About 18 kilometers (a 25-minute journey) separate Dwarka from Nageshwar.

From Dwarka, autorickshaws are readily available and cost between INR 300 and 400 each way. There are also plenty of taxis available, and they cost about