Baidyanath Jyotirlinga Temple

About Baidyanath Jyotirlinga Temple

The Baidyanath Jyotirlinga Temple which is also called as Baba Baidyanath Dham is one of the twelve revered Jyotirlinga shrines dedicated to Lord Shiva, located in Deoghar, Jharkhand. The Baidyanath Jyotirlinga is believed to be a powerful form of Lord Shiva.

Also Read About 12 Jyotirlingas In India

History

According to mythology, the temple has an ancient history and is associated with the story of Ravana, the demon king of Lanka. It is believed that Ravana, after performing intense penance, obtained the Shiva Lingam from Lord Shiva and brought it back to Lanka. However, on his way, he encountered Lord Vishnu, who tricked him, leading to the Shiva Lingam being placed in Deoghar. Another popular legend states that Lord Shiva appeared to cure the illness of the sage Bhairav (or Baidyanath) in this region, thus the name Baidyanath (meaning ‘Lord of the Physician’)

Architecture

North Indian style of architecture, with a towering Shikhara (spire) above the sanctum where the Jyotirlinga is enshrined. The temple’s construction is ancient, with many renovations over the centuries, preserving its sanctity and beauty. The temple’s sanctum is located inside a large courtyard, and there are also smaller shrines dedicated to other gods and goddesses like Parvathi Devi, Durga Devi, Ganesh, Tara, Baglamukhi, Narayan, Bhairav, Kaali surrounding the main temple.