Trimbakeshwar Temple

The Trimbakeshwar temple is one of the most highly venerated and sacred pilgrimage sites in India. It is also said to be the cradle of the River Godavari as there are many legends associated with the existence of this watercourse. One of the main reasons that this shrine is declared to be holy is due to the fact that the Trimbakeshwar temples is one out of the twelve 'jyotirlingas' dedicated to Lord Shiva. It typically consists of a main sanctum of three 'lingas' that is believed to be a form of Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshwara. The premises of the temple contain a separate deity for the Goddess Trimbakeshwari. Apart from the religious stance, this temple boasts its architecture that belongs to the latter half of the 18th century and holding the structural influence of the Peshwas Empire. A visit to the Trimbakeshwar temple is a must in order to complete your religious rendezvous around the country. Read the following to know more about this holy shrine.

History
The Trimbakeshwar Temple was initially built by Raju Balaji Baji Rao, one of the first rulers of the Maratha dynasty to establish the shrine. In the following years, it was further improved by other Maratha kings.

The ancient chronicle of the Trimbakeshwar temple is closely associated to the origin of the River Godavari. According to the legend, a sage named Gautama had committed a sin by killing a cow. Then he prayed to Lord Shiva to be pardoned. Pleased by his devotion, the God had appeared in front of the sage and told him that his sins would be washed away if he bathed in this watercourse. He then released the Ganges on top of the Bramhagiri Mountain. Now, the Ganga considered herself sacred and refused to be used as a component to get rid of erudite sins.

But the sage continued to pray to her and then Lord Shiva performed a 'Tandav Nrutya', commonly known as a cosmic dance on top of the mountains. Frightened by these actions she began to flow. Gautama placed grass on the sides of the river that stopped the flow of the water. This region is now called the Kushavarta. Thereafter, the other Gods and Goddesses pleased with Shiva and Ganga requested them to institute themselves for eternity in the same area. It has been said that the 'lingas' formed naturally and the river still continues to flow over the main deity inside the temple. Today however, the river is popularly referred to as River Godavari by the locals.

Major Attractions
The highlights of this temple are the deities in the main sanctum consisting of the three 'lingas'. These are said to be stone formations of the three Gods, Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. The eyes of the lingas are said to be representations of the Sun, Moon and Fire that face different directions. Owing to the powerful presence of these Gods, it is said that anyone who offers prayers in this place worships all the three gods at once and is sure to obtain salvation from worldly sufferings. The Trimbakeshwar temple was built around the Brahmagiri region on the banks of River Godavari. The shrine is said to be carved in black stone with inscriptions belonging to reign of the Maratha kingdom. The Trimbakeshwar temple is said to be one of the most important temples in India and is frequently visited by Hindu pilgrims. The best time to be visit this place is during the festival of Mahashivaratri.

How to Get There
The famous Trimbakeshwar temple is located in Nashik of the state of Maharashtra. The city has a thriving economy and good transportation facilities.

By Air:
The Ozar Airport operates flights from Nashik to Mumbai, Pune, Hyderbad and Chennai. The airport authorities plan to extend these services by increasing the regularity of flights to various cities. Once you reach Nashik, taxi services are available that commute to Trimbakeshwar.

By Road:
The Nashik district is geographically located in a position that can connect to different cities within Maharashtra. The NH-3 highway runs through Mumbai-Agra and passes through Nashik. If you are travelling from Pune then the NH-50 is preferable. The state highway also connects other cities such as Surat, Aurangabad, Mumbai, Pune, Ahmednagar and Dhule.

By Train:
The nearest railway station in Nashik is located 11km away from city center. The Panchavati Express and the Godavari Express make stopovers at Mumbai and once you arrive here, any sort of transportation is available.

Trimbakeshwar temple is the only shrine that embodies the three powerful Gods of the Hindu mythology. A visit to this temple promises to wash away the sins and elevate a person from worldly sufferings. The Trimbakeshwar temple pledges to give its devotees inner peace and bliss too.