Vaidyanath Jyothirlingam Temple is one of the most important pilgrimages for Hindus. It is a temple that is dedicated to Shiva and is located in Devgarh, Jharkhand. Devgarh is called Baidyanath Dham because of the presence of this Jyothirlingam. The Jyothirlingams are Lord Shiva’s sacred shrines, and it is said that the Lord himself came to these places. Hence, these places are among the sacred temples that his devotees wish to visit at least once. There are 12 Jyothirlingams (pillars or columns of light), and the Vaidyanath Jyothirlingam Temple is one of them. Apart from the main temple of Vaidyanath, there are 21 other temples.
Legend of Vaidyanath Jyothirlingam Temple
The Vaidyanath Jyothirlingam Temple finds mention in many texts like the Ramayana, Matsyapurana, and Shivapurana, along with many history books. The temple is in a beautiful place near the Mayurkashi River. There is a Shaktipeetham of Goddess Parvati next to the main temple. There are many legends that are prevalent about the temple’s origin, and one story is that of the Treta Yoga. King Ravana of Lanka, for the safety of his kingdom, pleaded with Shiva to stay in Lanka. Ravana was successful in impressing Shiva and allowed his Atmalignam to be taken to Lanka, but with the condition that it should not be given to another person or broken during the journey.
The Gods fearing that Ravana, the demon king, would wreak havoc on the world, played a trick and made Ravana transfer the lingam to a Brahmin (Lord Ganesh’s Avatar). He placed the lingam in Devghar, which is where the current Vaidyanath temple is. This infuriated Ravan, who later regretted his actions for damaging the lingam. He offered his 10 heads, and pleased with this, Lord Shiva cured his injuries, and thus came the name Vaidyanath (doctor).
The Architecture of Vaidyanath Jyothirlingam Temple
The Vaidhyanath temple is famous from the time of Adityasena Gupta, who was the last emperor of this dynasty (8th century AD). It appears to have retained its importance even during Muslim rule. Akbar’s relative built a Mansarovar (a pond) near the temple. The temple has a spacious and beautiful courtyard and huge white stone walls. Apart from the main temple, there are 21 temples built for different Gods and Goddesses. The main temple is said to have been designed by Vishwakarma, the architect of Gods. There are three parts to this temple; the entrance, the middle part, and the main building.
The temple has a beautiful Shikara which is 72 feet high and appears like a White lotus. The top of the temple has gold vessels in ascending order along with a lotus jewel, Chandrakanta Mani.
The Jyothirlingam is inside the santorum, is on a 4-inch slab, and is 5 inches in diameter. Goddess Parvati’s temple is next to the main temple, and both peaks are tied with sacred threads. One of the main features of this temple is that it is on a single rock, which adds to the charm of the place.
Festivals in Vaidyanath Jyothirlingam Temple
One of the main festivals in this temple, apart from Shivaratri, is the Shravan Mela in the months of July and August. It is a fair where millions of Shiva devotees come to visit this temple. Most of the devotees undertake hikes of many kilometres, taking water from the holy Ganges, which is offered to Vaidyanath.
Then there are daily poojas and rituals that the priest performs, which continue until 3 PM, after which the temple is closed. Another special ritual worth mentioning is that the volunteers climb up the Parvati and Shiva temple Shikara to tie sacred threads, which is a symbol of the unity of Parvati and Lord Shiva.
Benefits of Worshipping in Vaidyanath Jyothirlingam Temple
Devotees claim that miracles happen when they visit the temple, and that has led to the tradition of tying the sacred threads on Parvati and Shiva Shikar, which is very auspicious. Many devotees visit this temple seeking good health, as the form of Lord Shiva is that of a Vaidya (doctor). While many Shiva devotees consider this an auspicious place to visit and get blessings, there are many who come because this place is an Arogya
Vaidyanathitee. That means it is a place where Shakti helps Shiva heal illnesses. Devotees believe that they attain Moksha and also remove all adversities when they worship at this shrine.
How to reach Vaidyanath Jyothirlingam Temple
• By Air: The nearest airport to reach this temple is the Ranchi Birsa Munda Airport or Patna’s JP Narayan International Airport.
• By Rail: The nearest railway station is the Deoghar, Baidyanath Dham Railway Station
• By Road: There are regular buses from and to Deoghar city. They are well-connected by roadways with day and night buses from cities like Ranchi, Patna, etc. There are also many cabs and shared taxis on this route.
Temple Timings of Vaidyanath Jyothirlingam Temple
The temple is open from morning 4 AM to 3:30 PM and evening 6 P to 9 PM. The darshan timings change during festivals and other important occasions.
