The main attraction of Nasik- Trimbakeshwar Temple

Lisa Roy

The main attraction of Nasik- Trimbakeshwar Temple

India is a synonym of cultural and spiritual diversity, where you will find different cultures in each corner of this country. India is not only famous for its breathtaking monuments but also for its Pilgrimage sites. Each yeah there are endless international visitors who visit India not as tourists but as pilgrims, to uncover the essence that lies beneath the mystery of the soul. One such attraction is the Trimbakeshwar temple which is also known as the Nasik’s most sacred place.

Trimbakeshwar temple of Nasik; Image source- Reddit

The first name that we Humans take after committing any sin is of Our god and often try to find a way of penance. While establishing the rules of mortal life, Gods made the pilgrimage a way to relieve the burden of sins on conscience. And Trimbakeshwar temple of Nasik has become such an attraction where the Pilgrims repent their wrongdoings even though they are unaware of them until they reach the shelter of the deity they serve.

Trimbakeshwar temple in Trimbak, one of the 12 Jyotirlingas, is a site where Lord Shiva devotees can unwind and drop their loads of guilt at the feet of God.

It was all about a time when Drought and Famine were very common in Trimbak, the land of sages. Sage Gautam with his wife Ahilya used to live here. He used to offer food to people selflessly and used to invite people to stay in the ashram with him. Gautam Rishi prayed to God Varun to bless his land with rain where he planted Paddy for people. God Varun was pleased with him and blessed the land of paddy with rain. The blessings of the rishis increased Gautama's merit (Punya).

On the other hand, the other Sages became jealous of Sage Gautam and prayed to Lord Ganesha to take an avatar of a cow purposely. Unfortunately, at the request of the rishis and their jealous wives, Lord Ganesha takes the form of a cow and died making Sage Gautama the reason for 'Gau Hatya'.

He was advised to approach Lord Shiva and request that the Ganges be released and that bathing in the Ganges would wash away his sins as his penance for killing a cow.

Lord Shiva was pleased with him and directed Ganga to descend. It came from the Brahmagiri hills, and Gautam Rishi was trapped in a type known as Kushavarta. The rishi then asked Lord Shiva to stay there.

Lord Shiva appeared with all the gods and goddesses and is supposed to have dwelt here in the form of Trimbakeshwar's Jyotirlinga, giving rise to the legend of 33 crore Gods and Goddesses residing here, making it the most popular pilgrimage destination on the earth.

The temple of Trimbakeshwar is said to be one of the most revered and sacred temples because The account of Ganga arriving on earth in the shape of Godavari is described here, followed by the cause for the manifestation of Lord Trimbakeshwar, who represents the holy triad of Brahma, Vishnu, and Mahesh.

The Lord's temple is also linked to the historical event in which the British seized and took away the Neelmani or Nassak Diamond, which was part of Lord Shiva's statue.

This story is in association with VAMA. You can checkout their website for online darshan and puja services.

The town of Trimbakeshwar has been named after this temple and is the main attraction of this town. This temple was established in the mid-18th century by Peshwa Balaji Baji Rao, commonly known as Nana Saheb, Prime Minister of the Maratha Empire.

The entire temple of Trimbakeshwar is constructed with Black stone. The jyotirlinga of Shiva at Trimbakeshwar temple consists of three faces, first lord shiva ( the destroyer), Lord Vishnu ( the preserver), and Lord Brahma ( the creator). They are all contained within the Shivalinga's hollow area. Trimbakeshwara is derived from this (Three Lords). They are crowned with a jeweled crown that is thought to date back to the era of the Pandavas.