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Har Har Mahadev
Trimbakeshwar Jyotirlinga, Trimbak, near Nashik, Maharashtra
08 / 12 · Eighth Jyotirlinga
त्र्यम्बकेश्वर

Brahma. Vishnu. Shiva.In one lingam.

📍 Trimbakeshwar · Trimbak, near Nashik, Maharashtra

Below Brahmagiri hill, where the Godavari rises, sits the only jyotirlinga with three faces — Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva in a single stone. It is also the great temple of ancestral rites, where families come to settle debts older than themselves.

Darshan & timingsRead the legend
UniqueA three-faced lingam — Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva
Source ofThe Godavari, at Brahmagiri
Famous forNarayan Nagbali, Kaal Sarp Shanti, Tripindi Shradh
Photo: Abhideo21 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Checking…TimingsBookingBefore you goReachPhotosFAQ

A sage was tricked into sin.A river was brought down to wash it.The Godavari still runs from that hill.

08

The legend

Why Shiva is here, and not somewhere else — as the Shiva Purana and local tradition tell it.

The trick played on Gautama

The sage Gautama lived on Brahmagiri and, through a boon, had grain when the world had famine. Envious sages sent an illusory cow into his field. It died at his touch, and he was condemned for the killing of a cow — a sin with no ordinary remedy.

Bringing the river down

Gautama did penance until Shiva appeared, and asked that the Ganga be brought to the hill to wash the sin away. Shiva released a strand from his hair. The river descended and became the Godavari — the Dakshin Ganga, the Ganga of the south.

The three faces

Gautama asked that Shiva remain. He did, and the lingam here bears three small faces in a hollow — Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva — worn low by centuries of abhishek and covered each day in a silver mask. Because the sin washed away here was ancestral in weight, Trimbakeshwar became the foremost place in India for the rites of the dead.

Unique
A three-faced lingam — Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva
Source of
The Godavari, at Brahmagiri
Famous for
Narayan Nagbali, Kaal Sarp Shanti, Tripindi Shradh
Also
A Nashik Kumbh Mela site
Darshan

Timings & the daily aartis

Times shown in IST. The status above is live against the temple's published hours.

—
Now in India--:--
Daily darshan5:30 AM – 9:00 PM

Open daily with a short closure around 12:30 PM for the midday puja. Sanctum entry is restricted during abhishek hours; the general queue continues outside.

Aarti & ritual schedule

  • 5:30 AM – 7:00 AMMorning puja & abhishek
  • 7:00 AM – 8:30 AMRudrabhishekSponsored abhishek in the sanctum
  • 1:00 PM – 1:30 PMMadhyanh Puja
  • 4:30 PM – 5:00 PMSandhya Puja
  • 7:30 PM – 8:15 PMSandhya Aarti
  • 8:45 PM – 9:00 PMShayan Aarti
ⓘTimings change on festival days, during Shravan and at short notice. Verified 13 August 2026 — confirm against the official temple portal before you travel.
Booking

Darshan, aarti & registration

What can be booked, what is free, and where the official channel actually is.

Darshan

Free general darshan. A paid VIP pass is sold at the counter and shortens the wait considerably on weekends, Mondays and through Shravan.

trimbakeshwartrust.com ↗

Narayan Nagbali & Tripindi Shradh

Three-day ancestral rites performed only on astrologically permitted days, and only by authorised temple priests. Costs commonly run ₹25,000 and upward depending on the ritual. Book directly with the Trust or a registered pujari — never through a street tout.

Trust booking ↗

Kaal Sarp Shanti & Rudrabhishek

Widely performed here; requires a priest consultation and a date fixed against your horoscope. Arrange in advance rather than on arrival.

Before you go

Dress code, rules & what it costs

Dress code

Men

For sanctum entry and abhishek, a white dhoti with an upper cloth is expected. Ordinary modest clothing is fine for the general queue.

Women

Saree or salwar-kameez. Note that entry into the innermost sanctum has historically been restricted — check current practice at the temple office.

Not permitted inside

Leather itemsCameras insideMobile phones in the sanctumStitched clothing during certain sanctum rituals

What it costs

  • General darshanFree
  • VIP darshan passPaid at counter
  • RudrabhishekFrom ~₹1,500
  • Narayan Nagbali₹25,000+, three days

Practical advice

  • For the ancestral rites, confirm the permitted dates first — they are not performed every day, and travelling without checking wastes the trip.
  • Use only Trust-registered priests. The touting around Trimbak is aggressive and the rituals are expensive.
  • Climb Brahmagiri to the Godavari source if you can — around 700 steps, best done at dawn.
  • Nashik is 28 km away and makes a far more comfortable base than Trimbak town.
Getting there

How to reach Trimbakeshwar

Trimbak, near Nashik, Maharashtra — 19.9333°N, 73.53°E

✈
By air
Nashik (Ozar)
~50 km

Limited flights. Mumbai (~180 km) is the practical airport for most travellers.

🚉
By rail
Nashik Road (NK)
~40 km

On the Mumbai–Bhusawal line with frequent trains from Mumbai. Buses and taxis run to Trimbak from the station and the CBS stand.

🚌
By road
By bus or car
Direct

Nashik ~28 km with buses every half hour. Mumbai ~180 km (4 hrs), Pune ~230 km, Shirdi ~115 km. Shirdi is a very common add-on.

🗺️ Open in Google Maps ↗
When to come

Best time to visit

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November to February is most pleasant. The monsoon turns Brahmagiri green and dramatic and is beautiful, if wet. April–May is hot. Shravan Mondays and Maha Shivaratri bring the largest crowds of the year.

  • Maha ShivaratriFeb / MarAll-night darshan and a large fair in the town.
  • Shravan MondaysJul / AugEnormous footfall; the Brahmagiri parikrama fills with pilgrims.
  • Nashik Simhastha KumbhEvery 12 yearsTrimbakeshwar is one of the two main Kumbh sites, with the Kushavarta kund.
  • Tripuri PurnimaNovLamps across the temple and the kund.
Around the shrine

What else is here

Kushavarta Kund
~200 m

The sacred tank where the Godavari is considered to formally begin. Kumbh bathing happens here.

Brahmagiri hill
~700 steps

The river's true source and a full parikrama route. Dawn climb, spectacular in monsoon.

Anjaneri
~7 km

Believed to be Hanuman's birthplace; a popular short trek.

Nashik & Panchavati
~28 km

Ramkund, Kalaram temple and Sita Gufa — the Ramayana's exile country.

Questions

What pilgrims ask

What is Narayan Nagbali and do I need it?
A three-day ancestral rite performed at Trimbakeshwar for pitru dosha, nag dosha and unfulfilled ancestral desires. It is done only on astrologically permitted days and requires a priest consultation — it is not something to decide on arrival.
How much does Narayan Nagbali cost?
Commonly ₹25,000 and upward depending on the pujari and the scope of the ritual. Book through the Trust or a registered priest; the touting around the temple is heavy.
Why does the lingam have three faces?
The three faces represent Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva — the Trimurti in one stone. It is the only jyotirlinga of the twelve with this form.
Can women enter the sanctum?
Access to the innermost sanctum has historically been restricted and practice has changed over the years. Check the current position at the temple office on the day.
How far is Trimbakeshwar from Nashik?
About 28 km, roughly 45 minutes, with buses every half hour. Most visitors stay in Nashik rather than Trimbak.
Can I visit Shirdi on the same trip?
Yes — Shirdi is about 115 km from Trimbakeshwar and the two are very commonly combined into one two-day trip.

Have you had darshan here?

Light a lamp for Trimbakeshwar and it stays lit across the site — your progress towards all twelve is remembered on this device.

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07
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09
Page last updated 13 August 2026 · All twelve jyotirlingas