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 (Paadal Petra Sthalam) - Abode of Lord Shiva


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

-- Amaranath (Shakti Peetha) - Where 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 (Jyotirlinga) - Where the Shiva Lingam given by Lord Shiva to Ravana got fixed

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


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

-- Haridwar (Maya Kshetra) (Moksha Puri) (Place of Kumbha Mela) - Daksheshwar Mahadev - Where Lord Shiva destroyed the Daksha Yagna

-- Haridwar (Maya Kshetra) (Moksha Puri) (Place of Kumbha Mela) - Bilvakeshwar Mahadev - A famous temple of Lord Shiva

-- Rishikesh (Kubjamraka Kshetra) - Neelkanth Mahadev - A famous temple of Lord Shiva near Rishikesh

-- Rudra Prayag (Alakananda - Mandakini Sangam) - Rudranath - A famous temple of Lord Shiva

-- Rudra Prayag (Alakananda - Mandakini Sangam) - Koteshwar Mahadev - A famous temple of Lord Shiva

-- Kedarnath - Kedarnath Jyotirlinga (Uttarakhand Char Dham) (Jyotirlinga) (Paadal Petra Sthalam) - Where Lord Shiva granted boon to devotees Nara and Narayana

-- Uttarkashi - Kashi Vishwanath - A famous pilgrimage of Lord Shiva

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


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

-- Kathmandu - Pashupatinath - A famous pilgrimage of Lord Shiva


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

-- Kamrup - Umananda (Shakti Peetha) extension - A famous temple of Lord Shiva Who is the Bhairava of Devi Kamrup Kamakhya

-- Kamrup - Manikarneshwar - A famous temple of Lord Shiva located on Manishaila Hill near the Umananda Hill

-- Kamrup - Shukreshwar - A famous temple of Lord Shiva where Sri Shukracharya is said to have founded this Shiva Lingam

-- Kamrup - Baneshwar - A famous temple of Lord Shiva


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

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

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

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

-- Mathura (Moksha Puri) (Divya Desam) (Vraja Bhoomi) - Bhuteshwar Mahadev - A famous temple of Lord Shiva

-- Vindhyachala - Rameshwar - A famous temple of Lord Shiva

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

-- Kalinjar - Neelkanth Mahadev - A famous temple of Lord Shiva


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

-- Gaya (Ashta Dasha Shakti Peetha) - Dharmaranya Dharmeshwara - A famous temple of Lord Shiva


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

-- Udaipur - Eklingji - A famous temple of Lord Shiva with four-faced Shiva Linga


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

-- Prabhasa Kshetra (Jyotirlinga) (Shakti Peetha) - Somanatha Jyotirlinga - Where Lord Shiva relieved Chandra deva from the curse of Daksha

-- Dwarka (Moksha Puri) (Divya Desam) (Jyotirlinga) (All India Char Dham) - Nageshwara Jyotirlinga - Where Lord Shiva protected devotee Supriya from demon Daruka

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

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


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

-- Avanti (Moksha Puri) (Jyotirlinga) (Shakti Peetha) (Ashta Dasha Shakti Peetha) (Place of Kumbha Mela) - Mahakaleshwara Jyotirlinga - Ancient Mahakala Vana; Where Lord Shiva protected devotee brahmin Veda Priya from demon Dushana

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

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


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

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


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

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

-- Nashik (Jyotirlinga) (Shakti Peetha) (Place of Kumbha Mela) - Tryambakeshwara Jyotirlinga - Where Lord Shiva relieved devotee sage Gautama from false accusation of brahmanas and released river Gautami Ganga

-- Parli Vaijnath (Jyotirlinga) - Vaidyanatha Jyotirlinga - Where the Shiva Lingam given by Lord Shiva to Ravana got fixed while Ravana was carrying it back to Lanka

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

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

-- Jejuri - Khandoba - Where 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 built 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 - A famous pilgrimage of Lord Shiva


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

-- Gokarna - Mahabaleshwara (Mukti Sthala of Karnataka) (Paadal Petra Sthalam) - A famous pilgrimage of Lord Shiva

-- Kundapura - Koteshwara (Mukti Sthala of Karnataka) - Mukti Sthala of Karnataka

-- Kundapura - Shankaranarayana - A famous pilgrimage of Lord Shiva

-- Dharmasthala - Manjunatha Swamy - A famous pilgrimage of Lord Shiva associated with the legend of Pergade family who got instruction from Dharma daivas to build shrines for them and propagate dharma

-- Nanjangud - Srikantheshwara - A famous pilgrimage of Lord Shiva associated with the 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 (Jyotirlinga) (Paadal Petra Sthalam) (Shakti Peetha) (Ashta Dasha Shakti Peetha) - Mallikarjuna Jyotirlinga - Where Shiva and Parvati came to see their son Kumara and abided as Jyoti

-- Srikalahasti (Pancha Bhoota Sthalam) (Vayu) - Srikalahasteeshwarar - A famous pilgrimage of Lord Shiva where Vayu deva, Spider Sri, Serpent Kala and Elephant Hasti worshipped Lord Shiva


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

-- Ettumanoor Mahadeva - A famous temple of Lord Shiva whose Lingam was originally installed by Khara

-- Vaikom Mahadeva - A famous temple of Lord Shiva whose Lingam was originally installed by Khara

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


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

-- Rameshwaram (Jyotirlinga) (Paadal Petra Sthalam) (All India Char Dham) - Rameshwara Jyotirlinga - Where Sri Rama worshipped Lord Shiva

-- Chidambaram (Thillai Vana) (Pancha Bhoota Sthalam) (Paadal Petra Sthlam) (Akasha) - Natarajar - Where Lord Nataraja danced the Ananda Tandava

-- Thiruvannamalai (Arunachala) (Pancha Bhoota Sthalam) (Paadal Petra Sthlam) (Agni) - Arunachaleshwarar - Where Lord Shiva manifested as infinite Taijasa Lingam

-- Thiruvanaikaval (Pancha Bhoota Sthalam) (Paadal Petra Sthlam) (Jala) - Jambukeshwarar - Where Devi Parvati performed penance and got upadesha from Lord Shiva

-- Kanchipuram (Moksha Puri) (Shakti Peetha) (Ashta Dasha Shakti Peetha) (Pancha Bhoota Sthalam) (Paadal Petra Sthalam) (Prithivi) - Ekambareshwarar - Where Devi Kamakshi performed penance under a Mango tree

-- Madurai (Paadal Petra Sthalam) - Sundareshwarar - Lord Sundareshwarar married Devi Meenakshi