Shri Trimbakeshwar Jyotirlinga Temple
Trimbak, Nashik district, at the foot of Brahmagiri hill (source of the Godavari) · Lord Shiva as Tryambakeshwar ('the three-eyed Lord'); the linga has three small faces for Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva
A black-basalt Peshwa temple at the source of the Godavari, where the Jyotirlinga holds Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva together – and the only place for the three-day Narayan Nagbali.
Trimbakeshwar, 28 km from Nashik, stands at the foot of Brahmagiri hill where the Godavari – the Ganga of the south (Gautami Ganga) – begins. Its Jyotirlinga is unusual: inside a hollow in the floor are three thumb-sized lingas representing Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. The present black-stone temple was built by Peshwa Balaji Bajirao (Nanasaheb) and completed in 1756. Trimbak is also the great centre for ancestral and dosha-removal rites – Narayan Nagbali, Kalsarpa Shanti and Tripindi Shraddha – performed by hereditary purohits, and it hosts the Shaiva akhadas' bath in the Nashik–Trimbak Simhastha Kumbh. Darshan is free; a ₹200 donation darshan pass is sold online and at counters.
Timings
- Temple open for darshan: 5:30 AM – 9:00 PM (trust notice)
- Morning puja (Brahma puja): 7:00 – 8:30 AM
- Midday puja (Mahadev puja): 10:45 AM – 12:30 PM
- Evening puja (Vishnu puja): approx. evening – the trust's page lists a time that appears to be a typo; check locally
- Crown (mukut) darshan: Mondays approx. 4:00 – 5:00 PM
- Donation darshan pass validity: Slots 6 AM – 8 PM; last entry 9 PM
Darshan types and costs
- General (dharma) darshan – Free
- Donation Darshan Pass (online) – ₹200 per person
- Donation Darshan Pass (counter) – ₹200 per person
Sevas and costs
- Online Rudrabhishek Puja – ₹2,100 dakshina (On the date you choose; timing fixed by the purohit)
- Online Laghurudra Puja – ₹21,000 dakshina (On chosen date)
- Narayan Nagbali – Not set by the temple trust – dakshina agreed with the purohit; approx. ₹7,000 – ₹25,000 reported depending on arrangements (gold image, food, clothes extra) (3 days, on muhurta dates fixed by the purohits (not on every day; avoided in some periods))
- Kalsarpa Shanti – Dakshina agreed with the purohit – check locally (approx. figures vary widely) (Most days on muhurta, about 2–3 hours)
- Tripindi Shraddha – Dakshina agreed with the purohit (On muhurta dates)
- Kumbh Vivah / other dosha rites – Check with purohits (On muhurta)
How to book darshan
The Shri Trimbakeshwar Devasthan Trust website sells the ₹200 donation darshan pass, online Rudrabhishek (₹2,100) and Laghurudra (₹21,000), and Shivprasad Bhakt Niwas rooms; you sign in with a Google account. Narayan Nagbali, Kalsarpa and Tripindi are arranged with the town's hereditary purohits, not through the trust portal.
Book darshan pass on trimbakeshwartrust.com
Dress code
Modest clothing for darshan. Traditional dress (dhoti/saree) is expected for rituals; men entering the inner sanctum, when permitted, wear a traditional sovale (silk/wet dhoti).
Best time to visit
October to February. The monsoon (June–September) makes Brahmagiri green and beautiful but slippery; Shravan Mondays are very crowded.
How to reach
- air: Nashik (Ozar) airport (about 50 km); Mumbai (about 180 km) for wider connections.
- rail: Nashik Road station (about 40 km).
- road: MSRTC buses from Nashik CBS every few minutes (about 45 minutes); taxis from Nashik, Mumbai and Shirdi (about 120 km).
Festivals
- Mahashivratri – Feb/Mar
- Shravan Mondays and Brahmagiri pradakshina – Jul/Aug
- Tripuri / Kartik Purnima Rathotsav – Oct/Nov
- Sant Nivruttinath Yatra – Paush Krishna Ekadashi (Dec/Jan)
- Simhastha Kumbh Mela – Next: 2027