Trimbakeshwar is a pilgrim town in Nashik district, at the foot of Brahmagiri hill and at the source of the Godavari. This guide walks the visit in the order you meet it, using what the Shri Trimbakeshwar Devasthan Trust publishes on its website.
The walk to the linga
The trust says the temple has entry gates on all four sides, East, West, South and North. The trust's own explanation of the directions is that East marks the beginning, West maturity, South fulfilment or completion and North revelation. Darshan is open from 5:30 AM to 9:00 PM, so plan your arrival inside those hours.
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The trust's site menu lists a free darshan pass, but its pages do not explain how the general queue works. For a paid entry, the trust offers a donation darshan pass on its website, trimbakeshwartrust.com, and at an offline donation darshan counter. Book the pass online before you travel if you want to avoid the counter.
The trust holds three pujas each day, shown in the table below. The trust notes that these timings might change on festival days, so check the trust's daily programme before you set a time.
The trust describes Trimbakeshwar as the abode of one of the twelve Jyotirlingas. Its linga is in the form of a three-faced figure that embodies Tridev: Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva. The trust's history page says the present temple was built by the third Peshwa, Balaji Bajirao, between 1740 and 1760, on the site of an older temple.
Pujas and bookings
The trust's daily programme lists the following pujas and timings.
| Time | What |
|---|---|
| 5:30 AM to 9:00 PM | Darshan |
| 7:00 AM to 8:30 AM | Morning puja, of Brahma Deva |
| 10:45 AM to 12:30 PM | Mid-day puja, of Mahadev |
| Evening, time to confirm | Evening puja, of Vishnu |
The trust's daily programme page prints the evening puja as "7.00 AM TO 8.30 AM", the same as the morning puja. This looks like a typing error, since the puja sits under the evening heading, but the trust does not give a corrected time. Confirm the evening time with the trust before you plan around it.
The trust takes Rudrabhishek and Laghurudra puja bookings on its website, and it also takes online bookings for rooms at its Bhaktniwas. The website lists these under its online services menu.
History in brief
The trust's history page says the temple is maintained by the Trimbakeshwar Temple Trust, and that the Sansthan was registered under the public trust registration act in 1954. A board of trustees came into being in 1995. The page also records that the temple opened on Mahashivratri, 16 February 1756. It says 400 steps on the northern side of Brahmagiri, built from a donation by Lalchand Sheth of Karachi, climb to the fort.
The trust also records that Sant Nivruttinath, elder brother of Sant Dnyaneshwar, took samadhi at Trimbakeshwar. Lakhs of Varkaris gather for the yatra held on his punyatithi, according to the trust.
Festivals and crowds
The trust's festivals page lists a full year of observances, including special worship on Gudhi Padva, the deity's procession on Mahashivratri, keertan on Kartik days, and Ganesh Chaturthi held for 10 days in Bhadrapad. The Mahashivratri guide covers that festival in more detail.
This site's notes give Mahashivratri, the Shravan Mondays and the Kalsarpa days as the busiest periods in the town and the queue. On those days, expect longer waits and plan your bookings ahead.
Getting there
- By rail: Maharashtra Tourism names Nashik Road as the closest railhead, with frequent trains to major cities. It is about 38 km from the temple by road on Google Maps.
- By air: the state page names Nashik Airport as the nearest airport, and Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport as the closest option for international travellers.
- By road: the state page describes state transport buses and private taxis running regularly from Nashik and other nearby cities. Central Nashik (the CBS bus stand) is about 30 km by road on Google Maps.
- Full routes: see the how to reach Trimbakeshwar page.
Staying
The trust runs its own Bhaktniwas. Its history page describes the Shivprasad Bhakta Niwas as having 24 rooms in two, three and five bedded options, along with a conference hall, a lift and hot water. Rooms are booked online through the trust's website. For other options in Nashik and the surrounding area, see the hotels page for Trimbakeshwar.
Around the temple
For other places to visit near Trimbakeshwar, see the nearby page. To combine it with other Jyotirlinga temples, see the circuit page.