Grishneshwar Temple
A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Grishneshwar Temple located in Ellora is one of the 12 Jyotirlingas in India. Also known as Ghrneshwar or Dhushmeshwar Temple, this Jyotirlinga in Aurangabad is dedicated to Lord Shiva and is considered an important pilgrimage site. Grishneshwar is the smallest of the Jyotirlingas and is considered the last or the 12th Jyotirlinga of India.
Entry to the Grishneshwar Temple is open to all, but to enter the Garbhagriha (the main sanctum housing the Shiva Linga), men need to be bare-chested. This is also one of the only Jyotirlingas in India where the devotees can touch the Shiva Linga with bare hands.
History
The actual date of establishment of the Grishneshwar Temple is unknown but it is believed to be built before the 13th Century. When the Mughal Empire acquired the region that included Velur (now known as Ellora) where the temple is located, the region witnessed some devastating Hindu-Muslim conflicts and the temple was destroyed sometime between the 13th and the 14th Century.
Maloji Bhosale, the grandfather of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, as the chief of Verul, played an important role in rebuilding the temple in the 16th Century. It is said that Maloji Bhosale found a hidden treasure that he spent in reconstructing the temple and also built an artificial lake at Shanishingnapur.
Grishneshwar Temple suffered several more attacks by the Mughals even after the 16th Century. It required rebuilding a few more times during the Mughal-Maratha wars that happened between 1680 and 1707. In the 18th Century, it was rebuilt for the last time when the Mughal Empire was defeated by the Marathas. The Queen of Indore, Rani Ahalyabai sponsored the reconstruction of the temple that can be seen even today.
Architecture
The Grishneshwar Temple is carved out of red stone and is a treat for lovers of ancient architecture. The temple architecture follows a South Indian Style and it is known to be one of the holiest places to visit in Aurangabad. The five-tiered shikhara of the Grishneshwar Temple is spectacularly carved and constructed in the traditional temple architecture style. Rebuilt several times, the current form of the temple was built by Queen Ahilyabai Holkar of Indore in the 18th century.
