At the point when you break the word "Jyotirlinga", it becomes 'Jyothi', which signifies 'brilliance' and 'linga ', which means ‘phallus'. These Jyotirlingas are viewed as various indications of Shiva. There are 12 Jyotirlingas in India spread in essential areas, and Hindu devotees from all over the country visit each one of them on their spiritual journey. So if you are planning to set out on a spiritual journey, start your spiritual journey with these jyotirlingas that are as divine as the presence of the all-powerful God itself.

From tall ancient temples to simple village shrines, India's immense expenses are suffused with divine faith. No matter where your footsteps take you in India, you will always find harmony that streams by the house of Gods. There is no doubt to say that India is in support of divine beings and mythical beings and among them, Lord Shiva is the most respected God by Hindus. Ruler Shiva, also called Mahadev-('the great God') is worshipped in the form of Shivlinga.

Listed below are the 12 Jyotirlinga Temples of Lord Shiva.

1. Somnath Temple, Gujarat:

This is one of the most well-known Jyotirlingas in India. Somnath is viewed as the first among the twelve aadi jyotirlingas and one of the most loved destinations in the country. The temple architecture looks Chalukya style and Lord Shiva is believed to have appeared in this place of worship, as a sizzling segment of light.

It is said that Lord Brahma told Moon God to build a temple for Lord Shiva. The temple is believed to have been built during the period somewhere in the range of 320 and 500 AD.

2. Mallikarjuna Temple, Andhra Pradesh:

Famous as Kailash of the South among the other 12 Jyotirlingas in India, Mallikarjuna jyotirlinga temple is located on the top of Shri Saila Mountain, on the banks of River Krishna. With beautiful architecture and sculptures, decorated pillars of support known as gopurams, and a mukha mandapa corridor, the temple of Mallikarjuna consists of the sculpture of Shiva and Bhramaramba or Parvati and is listed as one among the 52 shakti peethas of Sati. Mallikarjuna jyotirlinga is unquestionable, one of the best Shaivite shrines in the country.

It is said that the shrine of Lord Shiva was introduced by Arjuna, one of the Pandavas from the Epic Mahabharata. The Kumbala River nearby adds to the relaxing ambiance and magnificence of the spot.

3. Mahakaleshwar Temple Madhya Pradesh:

Situated in the historical city of Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh on the banks of River Kshipra, the Mahakaleshwar Temple, aside from being the home to one of the twelve sacred Jyotirlingas, is likewise one of the top 'Tantra Temples' of India.

The main highlight of this temple is its 'Bhasm-Aarti' which is the first ritual performed toward the beginning of the day during which the Shivling is washed with the remains taken from a new burial service fire. A great many travelers from everywhere over the world visit this temple particularly during the month of Sawan(July) and on Nag Panchami.

4. Omkareshwar and Mamleshwar Temple, Madhya Pradesh:

The fourth sacred Jyotirlinga of Lord Shiva resides in the divine Omkareshwar' and 'Mamleshwar' temples at the banks of the Narmada River on an island called Mandhata in Madhya Pradesh. It is believed that the island is looking like 'Om' - a spiritual image in Hindu Mythology. Thousands of devotees gather here for the darshans of Omkareshwar Jyotirlinga on the events of Shivratri, Mahashivratri, and Kartik Poornima. Peaceful Vibes and pleasant perspectives on the holy Narmada River add to the divinity of these shrines. The sanctuary of Mamleshwar is isolated from Omkareshwar by a narrow ridge.

5. Baidyanath Dham, Jharkand:

Among the 12 Shiva Jyotirlingas, Baidyanath Dham in Jharkhand has a few legends joined to it. This temple complex is situated in Deoghar in the Santhal Parganas division, enhanced by the presence of 21 temples. The holy Shivalinga existing here is decorated with valuable jewels. It is not just one of the 12 Jyotirlingas but in addition a conspicuous Shakti peeth, where body portions of Goddess Shakti fell. During Mughal Rule, Raja Man Singh, the leader of Amber is said to have built a lake here which is known as Manasarovar. The temple's pyramidal tower is 72ft high. The eight-petaled lotus known as Chandrakanta Mani is the most gorgeous incredible behold.

6. Bhimashankar Temple, Maharashtra :

The 6th Jyotirlinga, Bhimashankar Temple is a sight of unequaled glory. It is situated in a little town called Bhorgiri amidst the Sahyadri Hills close to Pune in Maharashtra.

The place holds incredible strict importance inferable from the presence of the 'Bhimashankar Temple, which is home to another sacred Jyotirlinga of Lord Shiva.

The temple Garba Griha is a beautiful combination of Rajasthani and Gujarati influences in its Nagara (Indo-Aryan engineering) style. The external walls of the sanctuary portray the scenes from Shiv Leela, Krishna Leela, Ramayana, and Mahabharata.

7. Ramanathaswamy Temple, Tamil Nadu:

The holy town of Rameshwaram, located in Tamil Nadu holds religious significance for Hindus and is considered one of the '‘Char Dham' pilgrimage sites.

The 'Ramanathaswamy Temple' here is home to one of the twelve sacred Jyotirlingas. The temple is a marvelous piece of fine design, and architecture, Majestic towers, and rich passageways will blow your heart away.

Ramanathaswamy Temple is the pillar of Lord Rama's endless confidence in Lord Shiva. Declaration of the truth of the matter is the name Ramanathaswamy which means Master of Rama. Ramanathaswamy Temple is the mainstay of Lord Rama's ceaseless confidence in Lord Shiva.

8. Nageshwar Temple, Gujarat:

Located near Dwarka, one of the 'Char Dham' pilgrimage sites for Hindus, in Gujarat, is the 'Nageshwar Mahadev Temple' which is viewed as the home to one of the twelve Jyotirlingas. The creation date of the temple remains unknown, however, at present, the temple was renovated by Late Gulshan Kumar in 1996. Thousands of pilgrims visit the temple every year to seek blessings for endowments from Lord Shiva who is worshipped here as 'Nagdev'. A 25-meter-tall sculpture of Lord Shiva in a seated position is an extraordinary fascination of this sanctuary and gives an ideal background to a decent recognition picture.

9. Kashi Vishwanath Temple, Uttar Pradesh:

With just about 2000 temples in the city of Banaras/Varanasi, the most sacred is believed to be the 'Kashi Vishwanath Temple, which is home to the 12th Jyotirlinga of Lord Shiva. The temple originally traces back to the 11th century. The present temple was redesigned by Rani Ahilyabai Holkar in the year 1780. The towers of the temple are gold plated with a brilliant chhatri on the top. Various pioneers from everywhere over the world assemble at Kashi during the celebrations of 'Makar Sankranti', 'Kartik Poornima', 'Shivratri', 'Maha Shivratri', 'Dev Diwali', and 'Annakoot

10. Trimbakeshwar Temple, Maharashtra:

Legacy of the third Peshwa, Balaji Bajirao, the magnificent Trimbakeshwar Temple lures devotees from all over the world to embrace the spiritual whirlwind inside themselves. It is situated in the small town of Trimbak near Nashik in Maharashtra. Beautiful views of Brahmagiri Hill and Kalagiri hill add to the divine radiance of this temple. The temple is built of black stone in the Nagara style of architecture and the inner sanctum houses the Trimbakeshwar Shivling. There is a saying that: One who gets the darshans of the Jyotirlinga gets all his desires fulfilled. There is a lake named Kushavarta on the premises of the temple which is supposed to be the origin point of the Godavari River.

Another legend says that Lord Shiva resides here as three lingas of Brahma, Vishnu, and Mahesh and consequently the name 'Trimbakeshwar'. Alongside the darshans of Jyotirlinga, explorers take a blessed plunge at 'Kushavarta', the spot from where River Godavari starts.

11. Kedarnath Temple, Uttarakhand:

Situated in the Himalayan Range in Uttarakhand, the 'Kedarnath Temple is the most noteworthy among the twelve Jyotirlingas. The origin of the temple is believed to have been during the hour of Mahabharata. The Kedarnath Temple is likewise one of the 'Chota Char Dham' pilgrimage sites for Hindus. Owing to the extremely cold climate on the slopes during winters, the temple is closed and the icon of Lord Shiva is brought down at 'Ukhimath' where the god is worshipped throughout the cold weather months.

According to the legends, Pandavas performed an incredible compensation here to Lord Shiva to exonerate their transgressions after the fight of Mahabharata. Satisfied with the Pandavas, Lord Shiva showed up as a three-sided Jyotirlinga. The temple was initially ruled by the Pandavas and a while later revamped by the Hindu Guru, Adi Shankaracharya.

12. Grishneshwar Temple, Maharashtra:

Located in a village called Verul, near Aurangabad in Maharashtra, the 'Grishneshwar Temple' traces back to the 18th century. The architecture, paintings, and sculptures on sanctuary walls remain excellent architectural skills to remember the artist of the past period. Composed of a five-level 'shikhara' it is the littlest Jyotirlinga sanctuary in India.

As shown by the Shiv Purana, there was a woman named Ghushma whose child was killed by her sister. Out of despondency, she began praying to Lord Shiva, pleased with the devotion of Ghushma, Shiva favored her with a child. On request of Ghushma, Shiva resided here forever as Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga.