TempleFree entry

Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga Temple

#5of 7 places to visit in AurangabadAurangabad, Maharashtra

Also known as Ghrishneshwar Temple · Ghushmeshwar Temple

Quick answer

Opening hours: 05:30–21:30. Entry is free. Allow 45 min. Best time: 06:00 – 08:00.

Updated 18 September 2026 · Compiled by Traveliac, AI-assisted · 4 min read

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Photo: Amitabha Gupta / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0

Opening hours: 05:30–21:30; 05:30 – 21:30 daily, with darshan continuing through the day
Entry fee: Free
Time needed: 45 min
Best time of day: 06:00 – 08:00
Best months: Oct – Mar
Address: Verul, Khuldabad taluka, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district, Maharashtra 431102

About Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga Temple

Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga Temple ranks as one of the twelve Jyotirlinga shrines of Shiva recognised across India, and sits roughly 2 km from Ellora Caves in the village of Verul. The current structure is built from red volcanic basalt in the Hemadpanti style — a construction method that fits stone blocks together with minimal or no mortar, relying on precise interlocking joints instead. A five-tiered shikhara (temple tower) rises over the sanctum, carved with rows of relief figures that have weathered unevenly against the softer basalt, giving the upper tiers a visibly rougher texture than the base. The sanctum itself houses a black stone lingam set into a silver-plated altar, and the temple's compact courtyard — modest compared to Ellora's scale next door — reflects its function as an active place of worship rather than a monument built for visitor circulation.

Best time of day: 06:00 – 08:00. Before the temple fills with visitors arriving from Ellora Caves 2 km away and while the queue for the inner sanctum stays short.

Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga Temple timings

Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga Temple opens at 05:30 and closes at 21:30. The weekend is no different: Saturday and Sunday follow the same times.

Opening hours: 05:30–21:30; Mon–Sun 05:30–21:30; 05:30 – 21:30 daily, with darshan continuing through the day
Closed on: Open every day

Mon–Sun	05:30–21:30

Good to know: Extended hours and additional queue lanes operate during Shravan month (typically July–August) and on Maha Shivratri, when overnight darshan is common.

Opening hours compiled from maharashtratourism.gov.in and public records, last updated 18 September 2026. They change without notice — confirm before you travel. How we write these guides

Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga Temple ticket price

Entry fees for Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga Temple
Ticket	Price
Indian visitors	Free
Foreign visitors	Free
Children	Free
Camera	Free

General darshan is free for all visitors. Special/VIP darshan tickets, typically ₹200–500, are sold at a counter inside the complex for a faster queue. As of 2026, verify at the counter.

Prices compiled from maharashtratourism.gov.in and public records, last updated 18 September 2026. They change without notice — confirm before you travel. How we write these guides

Best time to visit Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga Temple

Quiet
Moderate
Busy

05:30 – 08:00
Early DarshanBest time to go
Local devotees dominate this window. The sanctum queue moves quickly, typically under 10 minutes.
Quiet
08:00 – 12:00
Pilgrim and Tourist Overlap
Visitors arriving ahead of or after Ellora Caves converge here, lengthening the sanctum queue to 20–40 minutes on weekends.
Busy
12:00 – 16:00
Midday Lull
Crowd thins as most day-trippers move on to Ellora or Daulatabad. A reasonable window for a calmer visit outside festival dates.
Moderate
16:00 – 21:30
Evening Aarti
Local worshippers return for the evening aarti (ritual prayer with lamps), drawing a steady but manageable crowd through closing.
Moderate

History of Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga Temple

The original shrine at this site predates confirmed thirteenth-century records, though its earliest form and founder are not documented with certainty. Maloji Bhosale, grandfather of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, rebuilt the temple in the sixteenth century, and the structure suffered repeated damage during the Mughal-Maratha conflicts between 1680 and 1707. The temple reached its present form through an eighteenth-century reconstruction commissioned by Ahilyabai Holkar, the Malwa regent responsible for rebuilding several major Shiva temples across India, including Kashi Vishwanath in Varanasi. The Shiva Purana's account of the Jyotirlinga's origin — involving a devotee named Ghushma and the revival of her son — is religious legend rather than documented history and should be read as such rather than as a historical event.

Rules & etiquette at Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga Temple

Men are expected to remove their shirts before entering the inner sanctum, a rule enforced by temple attendants at the sanctum threshold; women are expected to wear modest, traditional Indian attire rather than western clothing. Mobile phones and cameras are not permitted inside the temple; a free locker counter near the entrance holds phones and bags during darshan. Leather items, including belts and wallets, are commonly asked to be left outside the sanctum in line with standard practice at Shiva temples, though enforcement is less strict than the phone ban. Queues move in a single-file line toward the lingam, and pushing ahead is discouraged by volunteers managing crowd flow during festival periods.

Tips for visiting Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga Temple

1
Grishneshwar pairs naturally with Ellora Caves given the 2 km distance, and visiting the temple first thing in the morning before the Ellora ticket counters open avoids the crowd overlap between pilgrims and cave-circuit tourists. The free locker counter for phones and cameras has limited capacity during Shravan month and Maha Shivratri, so arriving early matters more during these periods than at any other time of year. Prasad (a small offering, usually a coconut or sweet) can be purchased from stalls just outside the main gate for ₹20–50; vendors inside the temple complex itself are minimal. Auto-rickshaws based at Ellora's parking area readily add a Grishneshwar stop to a return fare for a modest addition, usually ₹50–100, making a combined visit straightforward without arranging separate transport.

How to reach Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga Temple

The red star is Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga Temple; the numbered pins are the 2 nearest places in our guides, each showing its rank in its city. Tap a pin for details.

Verul, Khuldabad taluka, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district, Maharashtra 431102Directions in Google Maps

From Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj Airport (IXU)
₹700–₹900
29 km · 50–60 min
Prepaid taxi
From Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Railway Station (AWB)
₹650–₹850
30 km · 55–65 min
Taxi); MSRTC bus toward Ellora for approximately ₹50
From Ellora Caves
₹50–₹100
2 km · 5–8 min
Auto-rickshaw, often added to a return fare

Nearest airport

From Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj Airport (IXU)

29 km, approximately 50–60 minutes by road.

Nearest railway station

From Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Railway Station (AWB)

30 km, approximately 55–65 minutes.

Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga Temple FAQs

Is there an entry fee for Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga Temple?

No. General darshan is free. Optional special or VIP darshan tickets, typically ₹200–500, are available at a counter inside the complex for visitors who want to skip the main queue.

How far is Grishneshwar Temple from Ellora Caves?

About 2 km, a 5–8 minute auto-rickshaw ride. Most visitors combine both sites in a single morning, often starting at the temple before the Ellora crowds build.

What is the dress code at Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga Temple?

Men must remove their shirts before entering the inner sanctum. Women are expected to wear modest, traditional Indian clothing. Mobile phones and cameras are not allowed inside and must be left at a free locker counter near the entrance.

Is the legend behind Grishneshwar's origin historically documented?

No. The Shiva Purana account involving the devotee Ghushma is religious legend, not a historically documented event. The temple's confirmed history begins with sixteenth-century reconstruction under Maloji Bhosale and its present form from an eighteenth-century rebuild by Ahilyabai Holkar.

Compiled with AI assistance from official sources and public records, and published only after the checks in How we write these guides. Nobody from Traveliac has visited this place. Last updated 18 September 2026. How we rank and check places