Shiva, the revered Hindu deity, is venerated by Shaivaites in India as the destroyer of ignorance pervading throughout the cosmos. As one of the trinity of principal gods in Hinduism, temples dedicated to his worship are erected in India and abroad, most notably, the Jyotirlinga temples. Within Shaivism, Shiva has deemed the divine being of all beings, worshipped by both Devas (gods) such as Brahma, Vishnu, and Indra, Asuras (demons) like Banasura and Ravana, humans like Adi Shankara and Nayanars, and an assortment of creatures, ranging from Jatayu, an eagle, to Vali, an ape. Deities, rishis (sages), and Grahas (planets) have adored Shiva and constructed Shivalingas in numerous locations.
Certainly. The temples dedicated to Lord Shiva in India hold great importance and significance in Hinduism. Among the most notable ones are the 12 Jyotirlinga temples that are considered sacred by Shaivaites. These temples are spread across different states in India and are believed to be the abodes of Lord Shiva’s divine light. In addition to the Jyotirlinga temples, there are also the Pancha Bootha Sthalas, or Five Elemental Manifestations, which represent the five elements of nature.
Another set of temples revered by Shaivaites is the Pancharama Kshetras, also known as the Pancharamas Temples. These temples are considered the five most important pilgrimage sites dedicated to Lord Shiva in Andhra Pradesh. Additionally, there are the Sani Parihara Temples, which are believed to provide relief from the malefic effects of the planet Saturn.
Table of Content
12 Jyotirlinga Temples
Pancha Bootha Sthalas / Five Elemental Manifestations
Pancharama Temples
Sabha Temples / Pancha Sabhai Sthalangal
Shani Parihara Temples
Ashta Veeratta Temples
Famous Shiva Temples State Wise
12 Jyotirlinga Temples:
12 Jyotirlinga temples, as mentioned in the Shiva Purana, are considered to be the most sacred places of worship for Shaivites in India. These temples are dedicated to Lord Shiva and are believed to be the sites where his divine light manifested. The 12 Jyotirlinga temples are located in different parts of India as mentioned in the Shiva Purana are
- Somnath, Prabhas Patan, Veraval, Gujarat
- Mallikarjuna Swamy, Srisailam, Andhra Pradesh
- Mahakaleshwar, Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh
- Omkareshwar, Khandwa district, near Indore, Madhya Pradesh
- Kedarnath, Uttarakhand
- Bhimashankar, Pune, Maharashtra
- Kashi Vishwanath, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh
- Trimbakeshwar Shiva Temple, Trimbak, near Nashik, Maharashtra
- Baidyanath, Dham Deoghar, Jharkhand
- Nageshwar, Dwarka, Gujarat
- Ramanathaswamy, Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu
- Grishneshwar, Ellora, Maharashtra
Pancha Bootha Sthalas / Five Elemental Manifestations:
In South India, there are five temples dedicated to Lord Shiva, which are collectively known as the Pancha Bootha Sthalas, or the Five Elemental Manifestations. These temples are believed to be particularly significant as they represent Lord Shiva’s manifestation in the five fundamental elements of nature, namely earth, water, fire, air, and space. Each of these temples is associated with one of the five elements, and they are located in different parts of South India. The five temples are
| Deity | Manifestation | Place | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jambukeshwara Swamy | Water | Thiruvanaikavalu | Tamil Nadu |
| Arunachaleswara Swamy | Fire | Tiruvannamalai | Tamil Nadu |
| Kalahastheeswara Swamy | Air | Srikalahasti | Andhra Pradesh |
| Ekambareswara Swamy | Earth | Kanchipuram | Tamil Nadu |
| Nataraja | Sky | Chidambaram | Tamil Nadu |
Pancharama Temples:
The Pancharama Kshetras or Pancharamas are a group of five ancient Shiva temples situated in the state of Andhra Pradesh. These temples are home to Sivalingas made from a single large Sivalinga, which according to legend, once belonged to the demon king Tarakasura. Due to the immense power of this Sivalinga, Tarakasura was unbeatable. However, Lord Subramanya Swamy managed to break the Sivalinga into five pieces and defeat Tarakasura. These five pieces of the Sivalinga then fell in different places in Andhra Pradesh, where the Pancharama Kshetras were later established. They are
| Pancharama Name | Lords Name | Consort Name | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amararama | Amaralingeswara Swamy | Bala Chamundika Ammavaru | Amaravathi |
| Draksharama | Bhimesvara Swamy | Manikyamba Ammavaru | Draksharama |
| Somarama | Someswara Swamy | Sri Rajarajeswari Ammavaru | Bhimavaram |
| Ksheerarama | Ksheera Ramalingeswara Swamy | Parvati Ammavaru | Palakollu |
| Bhimarama | Kumara Bhimeswara Swamy | Bala Tripurasundari Ammavaru | Samalkota |
Sabha Temples / Pancha Sabhai Sthalangal:
These are the five temples situated in Tamil Nadu where it is said that Lord Shiva performs the classical dance form of Bharatanatyam:
| Sabha | Temple Name | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Pon (Gold) Sabha | Natarajar Temple | Chidambaram |
| Velli (Silver) Sabha | Meenakshi Temple | Madurai |
| Thamira (Copper) Sabha | Nellaiappar Temple | Tirunelveli |
| Rathna (Gem) Sabha | Sri Vadaranyeswarar Temple | Thiruvalangadu |
| Chitira (Picture) Sabha | Kutraleeswar Temple | Kutralam |
Shani Parihara Temples:
The temples that are believed to have the power to ward off the negative effects of planet Saturn, also known as Shani, are commonly referred to as Shani Parihara Temples.
| Sabha | Temple Name | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Sani Parihara Sthalam | Sri Dharbaranyeswara Swamy Temple | Thirunallaru, Tamil Nadu |
| Sani Parihara Sthalam | Sri Darbarneeswarar Temple | Devasthanam |
| Shani Parihara Sthalam | Chenchadainathar Shiva Temple | Sayalkudi, Tamil Nadu |
| Shani Parihara Sthalam | Sri Mandeswara Swamy Temple | East Godavari, Andhra Pradesh |
Ashta Veeratta Temples:
| Temple Name | Deity Name | Commemorates | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Veerateeswarar Temple, Thirukovilur | Veerateeswarar | Shiva slayed Andhakasura in the form of Andhakasuramurthy | Thirukovilur |
| Veerateeswarar Temple, Thiruvathigai | Veerateeswarar | Shiva kills Tripurasura and destroys the three cities in the form of Tripurantaka | Panruti |
| Veerateeswarar Temple, Korukkai | Veerateeswarar | Shiva burns Kamadeva with his third eye in the form of Kamari | Mayiladuthurai |
| Kandeeswarar Temple, Kandiyur | Brahmasirakandeeswarar | Shiva cut the fifth head of Brahma in the form of Bhairava | Thanjavur |
| Amritaghateswarar-Abirami Temple, Thirukkadaiyur | Amritaghateswarar | Shiva defeats Yama and blessed Markandeya to remain a youth of 16 in the form of Kalantaka | Thirukkadaiyur |
| Veerateeswarar Temple, Thirupariyalur | Veerateeswarar | Shiva beheaded Daksha and destroyed Daksha Yajna in the form of Virabhadra | Mayiladuthurai |
| Veerateeswarar Temple, Vazhuvur | Veerateeswarar | Shiva killed Gajasura in the form of Gajasurasamhara | Mayiladuthurai |
| Veerateeswarar Temple, Thiruvirkudi | Veerateeswarar | Shiva kills Jalandhara in the form of Jalandharari | Mayiladuthurai |
Famous Shiva Temples State Wise:
Shiva Temples in Andhra Pradesh:
- Kukkuteswara Temple, East Godavari District
- Chejarlain Narasaraopet Kapoteswara Swamy Temple District
- Draksharamam Temple, East Godavari District
- Gudimallam Sivalayam Temple (Oldest known lingam), Chittoor District
- Sri Trikoteswara Swamy Temple, Kotappakonda District
- Mukteswaram Temple, East Godavari District
- Puligundu Shiva Temple, Chittoor District
- Rudrakoti, Kurnool District
- Samarlakota Temple, East Godavari District
- Siva Shanmuga Sundareshwarar Temple, Chittoor District
- Sri Sangameswara Alayam, Moola Kona District
- Sri Siva Nagendra Swami Temple, Chittoor District
- Surutapalli Pallikondeswara Temple, Chittoor District
- Tripurantakam Temple, Prakasam District
- Vezzupalli Shiva Temple, Chittoor District
Famous Shiva Temples in Assam:
- Mahabhairav Temple, Tezpur
- Sivasagar Sivadol, Sivasagar
- Sukreswar Temple, Guwahati
- Umananda Temple, Guwahati
Popular Shiv Temple in Bihar:
- Sundarnath Temple, Araria, Araria District
- Burhanath Temple, Bhagalpur, Bhagalpur District
- Budhanath Temple, Bhagalpur, Bhagalpur District
- Shri Adinath Akhara, Buxar, Buxar District
- Mittheswarnath Shiv Temple, Chunabhatti, Darbhanga District
- Ugna Mahadev Temple, Bhawanipur Village, East Champaran District
- Mundeshwari Temple, Ramgarh Village, Kaimur District
- Ashokdham Temple, Lakhisarai District
- Kapileshwar Temple, Rahika Town, Madhubani District
- Parasmaninath Temple, Madhubani, Madhubani District
- Rameshwarnath Temple, Benipatti Region, Madhubani, Madhubani District
- Ugna Mahadev Mandir, Madhubani District
- Baba Garib Sthan Mandir, Muzaffarpur, Muzaffarpur District
- Nair temple, Patna, Patna District
- Khudneshwar Asthan Morwa, Morwa North Village, Samastipur District
- Chaumukhi Mahadev, Basarh, Vaishali District
- Lal Keshwar Shiv Temple, Vaishali District
- Pataleshwar Mandir, Vaishali District
Popular Shiva Temples in Chhattisgarh:
- Bhoramdeo Temple
- Mahadev Temple, Deobaloda
In Goa:
- Mahadev Temple, Tambdi Surla
- Mangueshi Temple
- Nagueshi Temple, Bandora
- Ramnathi Temple, Bandora
- Saptakoteshwar, Narve
- Vimleshwar Temple, Rivona
Famous Shiva Temples in Gujarat:
- Somnath Temple, Veraval
- Bhavnath Temple, Junagadh
- Koteshwar Temple, Lakhpat
Known Shiva Temples in Jammu and Kashmir:
Most Popular in Karnataka:
- Dharmasthala Temple, Dakshina Kannada
- Gokarna, Karnataka, Uttara Kannada
- Kadri Manjunath Temple, Dakshina Kannada
- Kotilingeshwara, Kolar
- Srikanteshwara Temple, Nanjangud
- Murdeshwar Temple, Uttara Kannada
- Mullayanagiri Shiva Temple, Chikmagalur
Famous Shiva Temples in Kerala:
- Chengannur Mahadeva Temple, Chengannur
- Elannummel Shiva temple
- Ernakulam Shiva Temple, Ernakulam
- Ettumanoor Mahadevar Temple, Ettumanoor
- Jagannath Temple, Thalassery
- Kolathukara Shiva Temple
- Kottiyoor Temple, Kottiyoor
- Pazhaya Sreekanteswaram Temple
- Poonkunnam Siva Temple, Punkunnam
- Rajarajeshwara Temple, Taliparamba
- Sree Bhavaneeswara Temple, Palluruthy
- Sreekanteswaram, Thiruvananthapuram
- Thiru Nayathode Siva Narayana Temple
- Vadakkunnathan Temple, Thrissur
- Vaikom Temple, Vaikom
- Vazhappally Maha Siva Temple
- Aliyavoor Elluvila Mahadeva Temple
- Cheruneerkara Shiva Temple, Kodumunda, Pattambi
- llikkal Sree Ardhanareeswara Temple, Kumbalangi
- Kaduthuruthy Thaliyil Mahadeva Temple
- Kalavamkodam Sree Saktheeswaram Temple
- Manappuram Sree Mahadeva Temple, Aluva
- Thiruvairoor Sree Mahadeva Temple, Chunakara
- Thiruvairanikulam Temple
Famous Shiva Temples In Madhya Pradesh:
- Brahma Temple, Khajuraho, Chhatarpur District
- Duladeo Temple, Khajuraho, Chhatarpur District
- Lalguan Mahadeva Temple, Khajuraho, Chhatarpur District
- Matangeshvara Temple, Khajuraho, Chhatarpur District
- Vishvanatha Temple, Khajuraho, Chhatarpur District
- Jatashankar Cave Temple, Pachmarhi, Hoshangabad District
- Omkareshwar Temple, Mandhata or Shivpuri, Khandwa District
- Pashupatinath Temple, Mandsaur, Mandsaur District
- Kakanmath Temple, Sihoniya, Morena District
- Sukhanand Mahadev Ji Temple, Jawad, Neemuch District
- Bhojeshwar Temple, Bhojpur, Raisen District
- Shri Kala Bhairava Nath Swami Temple, Adegaon, Seoni District
- Kal Bhairav Temple, Ujjain
- Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga Temple, Ujjain
- Mangalnath Temple, Ujjain
Shiva Temples in Maharashtra:
- Kailasa Temple, Ellora Caves, Aurangabad District
- Babulnath Temple, Malabar Hill, Mumbai City District
- Walkeshwar Temple, Walkeshwar, Mumbai City District
- Gondeshwar Temple, Sinnar, Nashik District
- Kapaleshwar Temple, Nasik, Nashik District
- Trimbakeshwar Shiva Temple, Trimbak City, Nashik District
- Shiv Mandir, Maharashtra, Vangaon, Palghar District
- Tungareshwar Temple, Vasai, Palghar District
- Hedavde Mahalaxmi Temple, Virar, Palghar District
- Swayumbhu Navgraha Mandir, Virar, Khanivade, Palghar District
- Elephanta Caves, Elephanta Island, Raigad District
- Ambreshwar Temple, Ambernath, Dist Thane
- Kaupineshwar Temple, Thane
- Kopeshwar Temple, Khidrapur, Dist Kolhapur
Siva Mandirs in Odisha:
- Akhandalamani Temple, Bhadrak
- Chandaneswar, Balasore
- Dhabaleswar, Cuttack
- Gupteswar Cave temple, Jeypore
- Kapilash Temple, Dhenkanal
- Leaning Temple of Huma, Sambalpur
- Lingaraja Temple, Bhubaneswar
- Mukteshvara Temple, Bhubaneswar
- Parashurameshvara Temple, Bhubaneswar
- Mahavinayak Temple, Jajpur
- Baba Bhusandeswar Temple, Balasore
Shiv Mandirs in Sikkim:
- Kirateshwar Mahadev Temple, Legship
Sivan Kovil in Tamil Nadu:
- Airavatesvara Temple, Darasuram
- Ardhanareeswarar Temple, Tiruchengode
- Thayumanaswami Temple, Rockfort, Tiruchirapalli
- Brihadisvara Temple, Thanjavur
- Kapaleeshwarar Temple, Chennai
- Kasi Viswanathar temple, Tenkasi
- Pariyur Kondathu Kaliamman, Pariyur
- Perur Pateeswarar Temple, Coimbatore
- Sangameswarar Temple, Bhavani
- Sankaranayinarkoil, Sankarankovil
- Virundeeswarar Temple, Coimbatore
- Chenchadainathar Karunakadakshi Temple – TM Kotai, Ramanathapuram dist
- Jalakhanteswar Temple, Vellore
- Magudeshwarar Temple – Kodumudi
- Meenakshi Temple – Madurai
Famous Shiva Temples In Telangana:
- Ramappa Temple, Warangal
- Alampuram Temple, Mahabubnagar District
- Chaya Someswara Temple in Nalgonda Telangana
- Gowthameshwara Temple, Manthani, Karimnagar District
- Mukteswara Swamy Temple, Karimnagar
- Vemulavada Rajarajeswara Temple, Karimnagar District
Uttarakhand Well-Known Shiva Temples:
- Baijnath, Uttarakhand
- Baleshwar Temple, Champawat
- Daksheswar Mahadev Temple, Kankhal
- Gopinath Mandir, Chamoli Gopeshwar
- Jageshwar, Almora
- Kalpeshwar
- Kedarnath Temple, Kedarnath
- Madhyamaheshwar
- Neelkanth Mahadev Temple, near Rishikesh
- Rudranath Temple
- Rudreshwar Mahadev Temple
- Tungnath Temple, Chamoli District
- Shivalaya, Balibagarh, Salla Bhatkot – Almora District
In Uttar Pradesh:
- Lodheshwar Mahadev Mandir, Barabanki
- Waneshwar Mahadev Temple, Kanpur
- Hajari Mahadev Temple, Etawah.
Ghushmeshwarnath Temple., Pratapgarh U.P
In West Bengal:
- Mahakal Temple, Darjeeling
- Tarakeswar
- Raj Rajeswar Temple, Nadia
Famous Shiva Temples In Rajasthan:
- Rameshwar Mahadev Temple, Bundi