Pilgrimages and Temples of Lord Shiva

1. Pancha Kailashas (includes Mount Kailash): 5 famous Pilgrimages of Lord Shiva (in North India) which are considered as five Kailashas.

2. Pancha Kedars (includes Kedarnath Jyotirlinga): 5 famous Temples of Lord Shiva (in Uttarakhand) connected with the legend of the Pandavas.

3. Jyotirlingas: 12 most sacred Pilgrimages where Lord Shiva manifested in response to ardent prayers of the devotees.

4. Astha Veerattha Sthalams: 8 Pilgrimages of Lord Shiva (in Tamil Nadu) associated with his battles and heroic deeds.

5. Pancha Bhoota Sthalams: 5 Temples of Lord Shiva (in Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh), each representing a prime element of Nature.

6. Paadal Petra Sthalams: 276 Temples of Lord Shiva (mostly in Tamil Nadu) glorified by the Nayanmars.

7. Pancha Puliyur Sthalams: 5 Pilgrimages of Lord Shiva (in Tamil Nadu) where sage Vyaghrapada worshipped Lord Shiva.

8. Sapta Vidanga Sthalams: 7 Temples of Lord Shiva (in Tamil Nadu) where the image of Lord Thayaraja is installed.

9. Nava Kailayams (Kailashams): 9 Temples of Lord Shiva (in Tamil Nadu) on the banks of river Thamirabarani installed by sage Uromasa and as guided by sage Agastya. They are also Navagraha temples.

10. Pancharama Kshetras: 5 ancient Temples of Lord Shiva (in Andhra Pradesh) associated with the legend of Kartikeya and Tarakasura.

11. 108 Shivalayas of Parashurama: 108 Shiva Temples (in Kerala) created by Lord Parasurama.

12. Shakti Peetha Bhairavas: Bhairavas of Shakti Peethas.

1. Pilgrimages and Temples of Lord Shiva: (Tibet)

-- Mount Kailasha - Lord Shiva (PP-13.1) - Abode of Lord Shiva


2. Pilgrimages and Temples of Lord Shiva: (Jammu and Kashmir)

-- Amaranath - Lord Shiva - Lord Shiva narrated the Amar Katha to Devi Parvati

-- Udhampur - Sudh Mahadev - Legend of devotee Sudheet


3. Pilgrimages and Temples of Lord Shiva: (Himachal Pradesh)

-- Kangra Baijnath - Vaidyanatha Jyotirlinga (JL-9) - Where the Shiva Linga given to Ravana (by Lord Shiva) got fixed

-- Manikaran - Shiva-Parvati - A famous pilgrimage of Shiva-Parvati


4. Pilgrimages and Temples of Lord Shiva: (Uttarakhand)

-- Maya Kshetra (Haridwar) - Daksheshwar Mahadev (MP-3) (KM-2) - Lord Shiva destroyed the Daksha Yagna

-- Maya Kshetra (Haridwar) - Bilvakeshwar Mahadev - Haridwar; Famous pilgrimage

-- Rishikesh - Neelkanth Mahadev - Near Rishikesh; Famous pilgrimage

-- Rudra Prayag - Rudranath - Rudra Prayag; Famous pilgrimage

-- Rudra Prayag - Koteshwar Mahadev - Rudra Prayag; Famous pilgrimage

-- Kedarnath - Kedarnath Jyotirlinga (UCD-2) (JL-5) (PP-11.2) - Uttarakhand Char Dham; Lord Shiva granted boon to devotees Nara and Narayana

-- Uttarkashi - Kashi Vishwanath - A famous pilgrimage

-- Jageshwar Dham - Nageshwara Jyotirlinga (JL-10) - Lord Shiva protected devotee Supriya from demon Daruka


5. Pilgrimages and Temples of Lord Shiva: (Nepal)

-- Kathmandu - Pashupatinath - A famous pilgrimage


6. Pilgrimages and Temples of Lord Shiva: (Assam)

-- Kamrup - Umananda - Bhairava of Devi Kamrup Kamakhya

-- Kamrup - Manikarneshwar - Located on Manishaila Hill near the Umananda Hill

-- Kamrup - Shukreshwar - Shukracharya is said to have founded this Shiva Lingam

-- Kamrup - Baneshwar - A famous temple


7. Pilgrimages and Temples of Lord Shiva: (Uttar Pradesh)

-- Kashi (Moksha Puri) (Jyotirlinga) (Shakti Peetha) - Vishwanatha Jyotirlinga - Lord Shiva created Kashi and abided as a Jyotirlinga

-- Anga - Kameshwar Dham - Lord Shiva burnt Kama deva

-- Ayodhya (Moksha Puri) (Divya Desam) - Nageshwarnath - A famous temple

-- Mathura (Moksha Puri) (Divya Desam) - Bhuteshwar Mahadev - A famous temple

-- Vindhyachala - Rameshwar - A famous temple

-- Naimisharanya (Swayam Vyakta Kshetra) (Divya Desam) - Bhuteshwarnath - A famous temple

-- Kalinjar - Neelkanth Mahadev - A famous temple


8. Pilgrimages and Temples of Lord Shiva: (Bihar)

-- Gaya - Dharmaranya Dharmeshwara - A famous temple


9. Pilgrimages and Temples of Lord Shiva: (Rajasthan)

-- Udaipur - Eklingji - A famous pilgrimage; Four-faced Linga


10. Pilgrimages and Temples of Lord Shiva: (Gujarat)

-- Prabhasa Kshetra - Somanatha Jyotirlinga (JL-1) - Lord Shiva relieved Chandra deva from the curse of Daksha

-- Dwarka - Nageshwara Jyotirlinga (JL-10) - Lord Shiva protected devotee Supriya from demon Daruka

-- Bhrigukaccha - Jwaleshwar Mahadev, Nava Natha Shiva Lingas, Nilkantheshwar Mahadev - Famous temples

-- Mahisagar Sangam - Sthambeshwar Mahadev - Kumara established Shiva Lingas after slaying demon Tarakasura


11. Pilgrimages and Temples of Lord Shiva: (Madhya Pradesh)

-- Avanti - Mahakaleshwara Jyotirlinga (MP-6) (JL-3) - Ancient Mahakala Vana; Lord Shiva protected devotee brahmin Veda Priya from demon Dushana

-- Omkareshwara - Omkareshwara Jyotirlinga (JL-4) - Lord Shiva granted boon to Vindhya mountain

-- Mahishmati (Maheshwar) - Shiva Temples - Ahilyabai Holkar; Land of Shiva Temples


12. Pilgrimages and Temples of Lord Shiva: (Jharkhand)

-- Baidyanath Dham - Vaidyanatha Jyotirlinga (JL-9) - Where the Shiva Linga given to Ravana (by Lord Shiva) got fixed


13. Pilgrimages and Temples of Lord Shiva: (Maharashtra)

-- Bhimashankara - Bhimashankara Jyotirlinga (JL-6) - Lord Shiva protected devotee Sudakshina from demon Bhima

-- Nashik - Tryambakeshwara Jyotirlinga (JL-8) - Lord Shiva relieved devotee sage Gautama from false accusation of brahmanas and released river Gautami Ganga

-- Parli Vaijnath - Vaidyanatha Jyotirlinga (JL-9) - Shiva Linga given to Ravana by Lord Shiva got fixed while Ravana was carrying it back to Lanka

-- Aundha Nagnath - Nageshwara Jyotirlinga (JL-10) - Lord Shiva protected devotee Supriya from demon Daruka

-- Grishneshwara - Grishneshwara Jyotirlinga (JL-12) - Lord Shiva revived the son of devotee Ghushma who was killed by his step-mother

-- Jejuri - Khandoba - Sri Khandoba (considered as a form of Lord Shiva) vanquished demons Mani and Malla


14. Pilgrimages and Temples of Lord Shiva: (West Bengal)

-- Tarakeshwar - Baba Taraknath - A famous Temple of Lord Shiva. Build by king Bharamalla Rao when he discovered a Shiva Lingam in the jungles


15. Pilgrimages and Temples of Lord Shiva: (Odisha)

-- Ekamra Kshetra (Bhubaneswar) - Lord Lingaraja - Land of Lord Shiva


16. Pilgrimages and Temples of Lord Shiva: (Karnataka)

-- Gokarna - Mahabaleshwara (MSK-3) (PP-9.1) - Mukti Sthala of Karnataka

-- Kundapura - Koteshwara - Mukti Sthala of Karnataka

-- Kundapura - Shankaranarayana - Mukti Sthala of Karnataka

-- Dharmasthala - Manjunatha Swamy - Legend of Pergade family who got instruction from Dharma daivas to build shrines for them and propagate dharma

-- Nanjangud - Srikantheshwara - Legend of Lord Shiva drinking the Halahala poison emerging during Samudra Manthana ("Nanju" means poison)


17. Pilgrimages and Temples of Lord Shiva: (Andhra Pradesh)

-- Shrishailam - Mallikarjuna Jyotirlinga (JL-2) (PP-10.1) - Shiva and Parvati came to see their son Kumara and abided as Jyoti

-- Srikalahasti - Srikalahasteeshwarar (Vayu) (PBS-4) - Pancha Bhoota Sthalam; Vayu deva, Spider Sri, Serpent Kala and Elephant Hasti worshipped Lord Shiva


18. Pilgrimages and Temples of Lord Shiva: (Kerala)

-- Ettumanoor Mahadeva - Khara installed this Lingam

-- Vaikom Mahadeva - Khara installed this Lingam

-- Chengannur Mahadeva - Shiva and Parvati gave vision of their divine wedding to sage Agastya


19. Pilgrimages and Temples of Lord Shiva: (Tamil Nadu)

-- Rameshwaram - Rameshwara Jyitirlinga (JL-11) (PP-6.8) - Sri Rama worshipped Lord Shiva

-- Thillai Vana (Chidambaram) - Natarajar (Akasha) (PBS-5) (PP-1.1) - Pancha Bhoota Sthalam; Lord Nataraja danced the Ananda Tandava

-- Arunachala (Thiruvannamalai) - Arunachaleshwarar (Agni) (PBS-3) (PP-4.22) - Pancha Bhoota Sthalam; Lord Shiva manifested as infinite Taijasa Lingam

-- Thiruvanaikaval - Jambukeshwarar (Jala) (PBS-2) (PP-1.60) - Pancha Bhoota Sthalam; Devi Kamakshi performed penance in this place and got upadesha from Lord Shiva

-- Kanchipuram - Ekambareshwarar (Prithivi) (MP-5) (PBS-1) (PP-3.1) - Pancha Bhoota Sthalam; Devi Kamakshi performed penance under a Mango tree

-- Madurai - Sundareshwarar (PP-6.1) - Lord Sundareshwarar married Devi Meenakshi