Nageshwar Temple Guide – Timings, Poojas, and History

Nageshwar Temple, also known as the Nageshvara Temple, lies on the coast of Saurashtra in Gujarat. It is dedicated to Lord Shiva and is one of the 12 Jyotirlinga Shrines mentioned in Shiva Purana. The Jyotirlinga is in an underground sanctum. The major attraction of this temple is a 25-meters tall statue of Lord Shiva in a large garden with a pond surrounding the statue.

Nageshwar Temple – Facts

What are the timings of Nageshwar Temple?

The temple opens at 6 AM and closes at 9 PM. The temple also performs various rituals during this time. The devotees can be a part of these rituals, such as the morning and evening aarti.

The timings of Nageshwar Temple are as follows:

What are the sevas and poojas performed at Nageshwar Jyotirlinga?

The following poojas take place at Nageshwar Temple:

• Rudrabhishek: This abhishek is performed with Panchamrit (Milk, Ghee, Honey, Curd, and Sugar) amongst the recital of several mantras and shlokas. The pooja is said to be conducted when Shiva is in his Rudra Avatar (angry form). The Shiva Linga is washed with water which continuously keeps pouring over it through a vessel (Dudhabhishek).
• Laghurudra Pooja: This abhishek is done to resolve issues related to health and wealth. It also removes the bad effects of planets in the horoscope.

What is the significance of Nageshwar Temple?

The significance of the Nageshwar temple is that this powerful Jyotirlinga protects the devotees from all kinds of poison. Devotees also believe that the one who prays to the lord becomes free of poison i.e.negativities. The lingam at Nageshwar is unique as it consists of a stone popularly known as the Dwarka Stone.

Nageshwar Mahadev Sivalingam is facing South while the Gomugam is facing east. There is a story behind this position. There once was a devotee named, Naamdev. He was a mere saint who used to dedicate songs to Lord Shiva.

One day when he was singing bhajans in front of the Lord, the other devotees asked him to stand aside and not hide the Lord. To this, Naamdev asked them to suggest one direction in which the Lord does not exist, so that he can then stand there. The enraged devotees carried him and left him on the south. To their astonishment, they found that the Linga was now facing South with the Gomugam facing east.

What is the history of Nageshwar Temple?

According to the history of the Nageshvara temple, there are two stories behind this Jyotirlinga. The two legends relate to the existence of this numinous temple. The first story dates back to a hundred years in the Shiva Purana, about a demon couple named Daruka and Daruki.

Now known as Dwarka, the city was earlier named after the Asura couple and called, “Darukavana”. Daruka’s wife Daruki was a devotee of Goddess Parvati. But, Daruka was a cruel demon who found joy in troubling people around him.

One day, he imprisoned an ardent devotee of Lord Shiva named, Supriya, with several others. Daruka misused the blessings granted to him and continued to torment the local folks by one means or another. While in captivity, Supriya advised all the people to loudly chant the mantra of “Om Namaha Shivaye”.

Supriya told the villagers that this mantra is powerful enough to protect them all. When Daruka came to know about this, he was furious and he went to kill her. This is when Lord Shiva appeared in the form of a Linga on earth. Shiva couldn’t kill the demon because of the boon granted to him by his wife, Parvati. Hence, he assured Supriya and all others that he would protect them all in the form of the Jyotirlinga.

The Jyotirlinga of Darukavana

According to another legend, a group of dwarf sages known as “Balakhilyas” worshipped Lord Shiva in Darukavana for a long time. To test their persistence as well devotion, Lord Shiva went to them as nude wearing only nagas, i.e., serpents on his body.

All the wives of the sages got attracted to him and went after him, leaving their husbands behind. This action made all the sages angry and they cursed Shiva to lose his linga. Hence, the Shiva Linga fell on earth and the whole earth trembled.

Then, Lord Vishnu and Lord Brahma appeared and requested Shiva to save the planet from getting destroyed and to take back his linga. After consoling the sages, Lord Shiva then took back his linga and promised his divine presence in the form of Jyotirlinga in Darukavana forever.

What are the Festivals Celebrated at Nageshwar Temple?

Some of the festivals celebrated at Nageshwar Temple are:

• Mahashivaratri: This festival occurs in late February or early March. It is believed that Lord Shiva married Goddess Parvati on this day. The day is famous for rigorous poojas, bhajans, and abhishekams. The devotees decorate the lingam with flowers and conduct the abhishek with milk. Thousands of people visit the temple during this glorious festival.
• Shravan month: Shravan Maas falls on the fifth month of the Hindu calendar, starting late July and ending by the third week of August. During the Shravan Maas, the chanting of the Rudra Mantra echoes in the temple.

How to Reach Nageshwar Temple?

Here’s how to reach Nageshwar Temple:

• Air: The nearest airport is Jamnagar Airport, which is 137 km from the temple.
• Rail: Some trains even connect the way down to the south through Vadodara, Surat, Mumbai, Goa, Karnataka, and Kerala.
• Road: There are direct buses available from Jamnagar and Ahmedabad.

How far is the Nageshwar Temple from the Somnath Temple?

The Somnath Temple is another one the 12 holy Jyotirlingas dedicated to Lord Shiva. The temple is located at Prabhas Patan, near Veraval port in Saurashtra, Gujarat. It takes around 4 to 5 hours by road to reach Somnath Jyotirlinga from Nageshwar temple.

Where to stay nearby?

There are various places to accommodate yourself comfortably, within a reasonable budget. The hotels also offer express check-in and check-out, high-speed Internet, Wi-Fi, airport & railway pickup. The names of a few of them are:

• Hotel Guruprerna
• Hotel Meera
• Hotel Damji
• Hotel Dwarka Residency
• Hotel Gomti

Where to eat nearby?

The best places nearby to feast on the local food would be the Charmi Restaurant and Hotel Prasad.

Where are some temples nearby?

Some of the temples near Nageshwar Temple are:

• Shree Dwarkadish Temple: Also known as the Jagat Mandir this temple is dedicated to Lord Krishna also known as the “King of Dwarka”. It consists of 5 storied building, 72 pillars and this temple is about 2,200 years old. It is a Pushtimarg temple, therefore it follows the guidelines and rituals of Shree Vallabhacharya and Shree Vitheleshnathji.
• Gomti Ghat Temples: The Gomati Ghat in Gujarat has plentiful of temples that are devoted to Lord Krishna, Lord Rama, Lord Shiva, and Sudama, who was Lord Krishna’s closest friend. The temples around this ghat present an amazing view of River Gomati. The Ghat Temples are just at the entrance of the Dwarkadhish temple.
• Rukshmani Mandir: Rukshamanee/ Rukshmani Mandir is an important place of pilgrimage and is dedicated to the most adored consort of Krishna, Devi Rukmini. A masterpiece in artistic terms, this temple has embellished walls and carvings which are a treat for one’s eyes. This temple is located in the main city of Dwarka.
• Bhadkeshwar Mahadev Temple: Located at a distance of 18.2 km from Nageshwar Jyotirlinga, the temple is dedicated to Lord Chandra Mouliswar Shiva. The temple is on the hillock on the sea. During high tide, water surrounds the temple and a fair takes place here every year on the day of Mahashivratri.

Frequently Asked Questions about Nageshwar Temple