12 Jyotirlingas: Names and Places in a Simple List
A simple list of the 12 Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva with their names and locations in India, plus short notes, the traditions that differ for two of them, and what the Jyotirlingas mean to devotees.
The twelve Jyotirlingas are among the most honoured shrines of Lord Shiva in India. The word jyotirlinga is usually explained as the "lingam of light", a form in which devotees see the infinite radiance of Shiva. Many people want a clear and simple list of their names and places, whether for learning, for planning a pilgrimage in the future, or just out of devotion. Here it is.
This post gives the traditional list in plain words, with a short note on each.
The 12 Jyotirlingas and where they are
- Somnath, in Gujarat. Usually named first in the traditional list. It stands on the western coast, near Veraval in the Saurashtra region.
- Mallikarjuna, at Srisailam in Andhra Pradesh. It is on the Shri Shailam hill, near the Krishna river.
- Mahakaleshwar, at Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh. Ujjain is one of the seven ancient sacred cities of India, and it lies on the banks of the Shipra river.
- Omkareshwar, in Madhya Pradesh. It is on an island shaped like the sacred symbol Om, in the Narmada river.
- Kedarnath, in Uttarakhand. It is in the Himalayas, near the source of the Mandakini river.
- Bhimashankar, in Maharashtra. It is in the Sahyadri hills, near the source of the Bhima river.
- Kashi Vishwanath, at Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh. Varanasi, also called Kashi, stands on the Ganga and is considered one of the oldest living cities.
- Trimbakeshwar, near Nashik in Maharashtra. It is close to the origin of the Godavari river.
- Vaidyanath, at Deoghar in Jharkhand. Some traditions place this Jyotirlinga at Parli in Maharashtra instead, so you may see both names in books.
- Nageshwar, in the Dwarka area of Gujarat. Some traditions differ here and name other places for Nageshwar, so devotees often mention more than one site.
- Rameshwaram, in Tamil Nadu. It is on an island, and tradition connects it with Shri Rama worshipping Shiva before the journey to Lanka.
- Grishneshwar, near Ellora in Maharashtra. It is considered the last of the twelve in the traditional order.
An easy way to remember
Many people learn the list by region:
- West (Gujarat and Maharashtra): Somnath, Nageshwar, Bhimashankar, Trimbakeshwar, Grishneshwar
- Central (Madhya Pradesh): Mahakaleshwar, Omkareshwar
- North (Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh): Kedarnath, Kashi Vishwanath
- East (Jharkhand): Vaidyanath
- South (Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu): Mallikarjuna, Rameshwaram
What a Jyotirlinga means to devotees
Shiva is worshipped in many forms. The lingam is the simple, formless symbol of the divine, with no face and no ornament. The Jyotirlingas are those places where, by tradition, Shiva appeared as a column of light. Devotees visit them to pray, to meditate and to feel a sense of peace. The pilgrimage itself, going from the snow of the Himalayas to the sea at Rameshwaram, also joins the whole country in a shared faith.
Details such as the stories linked to each shrine differ in different Puranas and regional traditions, so it is good to read them in a reliable source rather than rely on a forwarded message.
Common misunderstandings
- "There is only one correct list with no differences." The twelve names are well agreed, but for Vaidyanath and Nageshwar, different traditions point to different places. Both views are respected.
- "You must visit all twelve for devotion to be complete." Devotion is not measured by travel. Many people pray with equal sincerity at a small temple near home.
- "A Jyotirlinga is the same as any Shiva temple." There are countless Shiva temples. The Jyotirlingas are the twelve that hold a special place in the tradition.
How to use this list in daily life
- For learning: say the twelve names slowly once a day, with the state beside each. Children pick it up quickly.
- For reflection: choose one Jyotirlinga each week, read about its story from a trusted book and spend a few quiet minutes thinking about it.
- For travel in the future: use this list as a starting point, and check the current details of any place from official sources before you plan a visit.
Read more in simple English
If you would like to read more about Shiva and the sacred places of India in simple language, the Satvik Setu English bundle has 14 books plus 2 bonus items, written in plain English, with Sanskrit shlokas and their English meanings. The bonus items include a book called "12 Jyotirlinga Darshan". You can also read a free sample first: Gita Chapter 12 free sample (PDF). The Hindi bundle includes the same bonus book too.
In short
The 12 Jyotirlingas are Somnath, Mallikarjuna, Mahakaleshwar, Omkareshwar, Kedarnath, Bhimashankar, Kashi Vishwanath, Trimbakeshwar, Vaidyanath, Nageshwar, Rameshwaram and Grishneshwar, spread from Gujarat to Tamil Nadu and from the Himalayas to the coast. For two of them, traditions name different places, and that is worth remembering when you read.