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Gharishneshwar Temple is a very much revered temple, situated in the state of Maharashtra. It lies very near to the Buddhist caves of Ellora which is half a kilometer away, and serves as the abode of one of the 12 Jyotirlingas in India dedicated to Lord Shiva.

The Gharishneshwar Temple was built between the years 1765 and 1795. The construction of the temple was done by a great personality called Ahilyabai Holkar of Indore. The temple is built of red volcanic rock and it delivers a characteristic appearance.

The famous Ajanta Caves and Dulatabad town of Maharashtra are situated nearby. The temple, with exquisitely sculpted walls were also built under the patronage of Queen Ahilyabai Holkar, one of the rulers of the erstwhile state of Indore. The most impressing feature of Gharishneshwar Temple is the 5 tier shikara. The shikara here rises in decreasing height. The height is then increased with the help of the high wall component of the sanctum. An unerect bull at each corner and monkey behind it is the crown of the Shikara.

The temple is of great importance as the presiding deity is one of the 12 Jyotirlingas in India. Gharishneshwar Temple which is also known as Ghushmeshwar, has a very interesting legend attached to it. It is said that there was once upon a time a very much religious woman, known as Kusuma, who used to worship Lord Shiva on a daily basis. She used to immerse His Shivalingam in a tank, as a part of her everyday prayer. Her husband had a second wife, who got jealous of the devotion of Kusuma and her resultant respect in the society. In a fit of rage and resentment, she murdered Kusuma's son.

Kusuma became extremely depressed when she came to know that her son had been killed. However, she continued worshipping the Lord. It is said that when she immersed the lingam into the tank, after her the death of her son, he miraculously came back to life again. The legend further goes that at that time, Lord Shiva appeared before Kusuma as well as the villagers. It is said that on Kusuma's request, Lord Shiva manifested Himself at the very site, in the form of the Jyotirlinga Ghusmeshwar. From then onwards, the temple is highly revered by people and attracts devotees from far and wide.


This Shiva temple is rich, with beautiful carvings and is a fine example of medieval architecture. The temple is made of spotted red sandstone. Decorative friezes and sculpture depict a pantheon of Indian Gods including Brahma, Vishnu, Ganesh, the marriage of Shiva and Parvati, celestial beings, and even Maratha heroes. The beautiful and huge temple measuring 240 x 185 ft. is still as fresh as it was when built.

24 beautifully carved stone columns take the load of the main hall of the temple. Worshippers of Lord Shiva flock to the temple. The particular aspect of Gods luminous energy is manifested in only 12 temples.

Nearby tourist places to Gharishneshwar Temple Aurangabad Goa Pune Mumbai

Gharishneshwar Temple is located at a distance of 30 kilometres from the main city of Aurangabad, close to the Ellora Caves. The nearest airport as well the railway station is Aurangabad. One can take a taxi/cab from the main city to reach the temple. Accommodation can easily be chosen from the several options available in hotels.