Aundha Nagnath Temple

Maharashtra, Hingoli, Mumbai

Located at Hingoli, Maharashtra, Aundha Nagnath Temple is an ancient temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. The temple is considered to be one of the 12 Jyotirlingas in India. The present temple dates back to 13th century but it is said that the original structure dates back to the time of the Mahabharata and is believed to have been constructed by Yudhishthira.

Legend

According to the legends, the original or the first temple dates back to the time of the Mahabharata. It is believed that the temple was constructed by Yudhishthira, eldest of the Pandavas, when they were expelled for 14 years from Hastinapur. Also, it has been stated that the initial temple structure was of seven storeys before it was ransacked by Aurangzeb.

This Temple is part of famous 12 Jyotirlinga Darsan Yatra.

Architecture

The temple structure is spread over 60,000 sq ft. The temple is known for its exquisite architectural beauty. It includes large corridors and court hall. Another unique feature is that the temple of Nandi is in the back of the temple instead of the front. The temple is an example of Hemadpanti architectural style, formed during the 13th century in Maharshtra. Some of the most beautiful and heart rendering statues of Shiva and Parvati could be found here.

Picture Courtesy : commons.wikimedia.org

Darsan Info

Temple Timing: 4:00 AM - 9:00 PM
While taking the darshan, one needs to enter and exit in a fully crouched position

Darsan Dresscode

Short dresses, electronic gadgets are not allowed.
The main 'garbhgriha' is inside a cave and entries and exits require you to crouch through out the way in and way out.

Famous Festival

February - Mahashivaratri (The temple also organises a fair during this time)
September - Vijayadashami

Culture

As with most of major Maharashtra temples, the culture here is a presentation of the glory of devotees. It will not be an exaggeration to see that the culture of most major Maharshtrian temples, glorify the saints as much as the gods they worshipped. Nagnath temple is also a temple dedicated to the 'bhakti' of local saints and questions some idiosyncrasies of priests of the olden times, who believed and laid barriers between sects and castes.