About Trimbakeshwar

Trimbakeshwar, also known as Trambakeshwar, is an ancient Shiva temple in the town of Trimbak, in the Nashik District of Maharashtra, 28 km from the city of Nashik. The temple is one of the twelve Jyotirlingas.

Trimbakeshwar Temple is located at the inception point of the Godavari River, Kusavarta kund is considered the symbolic origin of the river Godavari; the kund is revered by Hindus as a pious bathing place.

The special feature of the Trimbakeshwar Jyotirlinga is its three faces embodying Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu and Lord Rudra. Devotees use water to bathe linga that is the reason the linga has started to erode. It is believed that this erosion is nothing but the eroding nature of humans. The Lingas are decorated by a jeweled crown which is placed over the Gold Mask of Tridev (Brahma, Vishnu, Mahesh). The crown is believed to be as long as since the the ages of Pandavs and consists of diamonds, emeralds, and other precious stones. The crown is on display for public every Monday from 4-5 pm.

The religious place is famous for lots of rituals (vidhis). Narayan Nagbali, Kalsarpa Shanti, Tripindi vidhi are done here.

Legend has it that Guatam Rishi performed a rigorous ritual of prayer and penance or tapasya to Shiva on Brahmagiri Hill which rises above the present-day temple. Pleased with this devotion, Shiva is said to have blessed him and brought down to earth from heaven the sacred rivers of Ganga, Gautami and Godavari. At the Kushavarta Teertha, devotees usually dip themselves into the waters and purify themselves of all sins before entering the temple. To this day, Hindus offer shraad prayers (prayers for the souls of the departed) here. It is also believed that bathing in the waters of the Godavari will bring moksha or salvation.

Mondays are considered particularly holy and the priests carry the idol of Trimbakeshwar in a palanquin on their shoulders around the temple. The annual festival of Shivratri is also celebrated with great pomp and gaiety and attracts thousands of pilgrims from all over.