Baidyanath Temple

Baidyanath Temple History

Baidyanath Temple History, Timings, Darshan, Puja, Route

The Baidyanath Temple located in Deoghar mainly dedicated to many deities especially Lord Shiva. The Baidyanath Jyotirling is different from the rest of other 12 jyotirlingas. The Jyotirlinga of Baidyanath temple shows the Lingam is compressed, the reason for this compression is also explained by the legendary stories that Ravana worshipped Lord Shiva and asked that Lord Shiva is with him forever.

The wish of Ravana was accepted by the Lord keeping a condition that Lord will be with him in the form of Shivalingam and the Lingam should not be kept on land. But that couldn’t happen and in anger, Ravana pressed the Lingam so it is been compressed down the Earth. From there after the temple became famous even all deities worshipped Lord Shiva. The Baidyanath temple has a special feature that is it a shrine with a Shakti Peeth. It is said that Sati’s heart if felt and became one of the Shakti Peeth of goddess Parvathi.

Every year a huge crowd of devotees flock to Baidyanath temple to worship Baba Baidyanath and the other deities. During the month of Shravan (July and August) the temple is filled with Kanwarias (Devotees who carry Kanwars and offer to the Lord). the Kanwarias carry the Kanwars filled with Ganga jal (water from river Ganges). During the Shravan Mela, the devotees first flock to Sultanganj and from there have a walk to Baidyanath temple.The temple complex shows a total of 21 shrines dedicated to 21 different deities.

The temple has many rituals and also a unique ritual followed in this temple that is ” Ghathbandhan (coalition)”. Devotees follow the ritual of Ghatbandhan in the temple. Devotees tie a thread between the shikras (Panch Shul)of goddess Parvathi temple and the Lord Shiva temple. Devotees after offering puja to lord they take Mukundana, Chura and neck threads (Baddhi) as Prashad and distribute among friends and families.