Shri Bhimashankar Jyotirlinga Temple
Bhimashankar, Khed taluka, Pune district (Sahyadri ranges, inside Bhimashankar Wildlife Sanctuary) · Lord Shiva as Bhimashankar; the linga is shared with Shakti (Kamalaja/Parvati)
A forest Jyotirlinga high in the Sahyadris at the source of the Bhima river, where Shiva rested after slaying Tripurasura.
Bhimashankar sits at about 1,000 m in the Western Ghats, roughly 110 km from Pune, inside a wildlife sanctuary famous for the Indian giant squirrel (shekru). The Jyotirlinga stands in a hollow below the village, reached by a long flight of steps. The temple mixes Nagara and Hemadpanti (Deccan dry-stone) work, with an 18th-century sabhamandap and shikhara by Nana Phadnavis and a bell brought from the Portuguese fort at Vasai in 1739. In 2026 it was closed from 9 January to 15 June while a new sabhamandap, entrance and stairway were built ahead of the 2027 Nashik Kumbh. It reopened with 7–11 AM darshan and compulsory online passes (1,000 a day); for Shravan (August 2026) hours went back to 5 AM – 9:30 PM. In October 2026 the temple website still showed the 7–11 AM construction notice, so check shreebhimashankar.com before travelling.
Timings
- Website notice (Oct 2026): Darshan 7:00 – 11:00 AM only, due to construction of the sabhamandap and steps – confirm before going
- Regular schedule (temple website): 5:00 AM – 9:30 PM
- Morning aarti: 5:00 – 5:30 AM
- Darshan and abhishek: 5:30 AM – 12:00 noon; 12:20 – 2:45 PM
- Naivedya puja (bhog): 12:00 – 12:20 PM
- Afternoon aarti: 2:45 – 3:20 PM (no darshan)
- Darshan (no abhishek): 3:20 – 7:30 PM and 8:00 – 9:30 PM
- Evening aarti: 7:30 – 8:00 PM
- Wildlife sanctuary trails: approx. 6:00/7:00 AM – 6:00 PM (unofficial)
Darshan types and costs
- General darshan – Free
- Online darshan pass (registration) – Free registration (no fee reported)
- VIP / paid quick darshan – Not offered officially in 2026
Sevas and costs
- Abhishek (Jal / Dugdh / Panchamrit) – Check with the temple office (no official price list published online) (Abhishek windows 5:30 AM – 12:00 noon and 12:20 – 2:45 PM (regular schedule))
- Rudrabhishek – Check with the temple office (By arrangement in the morning abhishek window)
- Laghurudra – Check with the temple office (By arrangement)
- Kakad (morning) Aarti – Free (5:00 – 5:30 AM)
- Naivedya Puja – Free to witness (12:00 – 12:20 PM)
- Madhyanha (afternoon) Aarti – Free (2:45 – 3:20 PM)
- Sandhya (evening) Aarti – Free (7:30 – 8:00 PM)
- Mahashivratri Yatra – Free to attend (Mahashivratri – 6 March 2027 (approx., per panchang))
- Tripuri Purnima Mahapuja and Palkhi – Free to attend (Kartik Purnima (Tripuri Purnima) – around 24 Nov 2026 (approx.))
- Gudi Padwa and Dussehra Brahmadhwaj Puja – Free to attend (Gudi Padwa (Mar/Apr) and Dussehra (Sep/Oct))
How to book darshan
Check shreebhimashankar.com for the current darshan hours and whether the online darshan registration (introduced June 2026) is required. Abhishek and Rudrabhishek are arranged through the temple office: 02135-222880, office@shreebhimashankar.com. Donations are online.
Shri Kshetra Bhimashankar Sansthan website
Dress code
Modest, traditional clothing. Remove caps, helmets and other headgear in the temple premises (temple rule).
Best time to visit
October to February for clear views; July–September for misty monsoon forest (heavy rain, leeches, slippery steps). Avoid Shravan Mondays and Mahashivratri if you dislike crowds.
How to reach
- air: Pune airport (about 110–120 km).
- rail: Pune Junction (about 110 km); Karjat/Neral are used by trekkers from the Konkan side.
- road: MSRTC buses from Pune (Shivajinagar) via Rajgurunagar and Manchar; about 3–3.5 hours by car. Trekkers can climb from Khandas via the Shidi Ghat or Ganesh Ghat routes.
Festivals
- Mahashivratri Yatra – Feb/Mar – 6 March 2027 (approx.)
- Tripuri (Kartik) Purnima – Oct/Nov – around 24 Nov 2026 (approx.)
- Shravan Mondays – Jul/Aug (Shravan 2027 roughly August)
- Gudi Padwa and Dussehra – Mar/Apr and Sep/Oct
- Nashik–Trimbakeshwar Simhastha Kumbh – 2027