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Kailashnath Temple Ellora, Kailashnath Temple in Ellora, Kailasanatha Travel Guide, Places in Kailashnath

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Main Shiv Sites - Kailashnath(Ellora) - Introduction

Introduction

Image: 
Introduction: 
   
The world renowned Kailashnath temple is situated in Ellora (Verul) Village which is also counted as Cave No. 16.
    
This huge temple, spread over twice the area of Parthenon of Greece, is carved from a single, huge piece of rock.
    
The construction style of this temple is unique wherein the shikhar (top) was built first followed by the lower parts.
    
Krishna-I of the Rashtrakoot dynasty built this Shiv temple in 760 A.D. and named it after Kailash Parvat, the abode of Shiv.
    
The original inscriptions suggest that this temple was dedicated to Indra. Situated close by is the Ghrishneshwar Jyotirling.

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Mythological Beliefs

Mythological Beliefs: 
   
According to Shiv Puran, mere worship of Ghrishneshwar Jyotirling rids all the sins and increases happiness in life in the same manner as the moon increases in size during the shukla Paksh (waxing) .
    
 According to the belief prevalent among devotees, worshipping this Jyotirling is equivalent to worshipping all the 12 Jyotirlings.
    
According to the Skand Puran, Shiv made this place his abode after being upset with Parvati. She then took the form of a tribal girl and pleased him.
   
The belief about Yel Ganga is that Lord Shiv transformed a female hunter called Sudhanva into Yel Ganga.
    
Regarding the appearance of this Jyotirling, an anecdote in Shiv Puran suggests that Shiv was pleased with Ghushma, the second wife of Bhardwaj-gotriya Brahmin Sudharma, who lived here and therefore, he appeared in the form of a Jyotirling.
   
In ancient times, this forest was known as Kamyak forest and the region, as Mahesh Mauli.
   
According to local beliefs, the wife of Krishna-I dreamt of Lord Shiv instructing her to build a Shiv Temple. As a result, the next day she determined that she would not consume food or water until she saw the shikhar (top) of the temple. Hence the shikhar of the temple was built first.
 

Historical Facts

History: 
   
This region was associated with the Nag tribe. Snake holes are known as Varul in Marathi; this name was later distorted to Verul.
   
In the 6th century, this region developed with the rise of the Chalukyas. In those days, it was a centre for all the 3 key religions, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism.
   
Ghrishneshwar temple is believed to have been built by the Rashtrakoot ruler, Krishna II, who also built the world renowned Kailashnath temple in Ellora.
   
The first Muslim invasion in this region was carried by Alauddin Khilji in 1296 A.D.
   
The initial construction of the current temple was done by Shivaji’s grandfather Maloji Bhosle, a jagirdar of this region.
   
Ahilyabai Holkar (1765-1795 A.D.) gave the temple its current form and also built a sacred pond in the region.
 

Main Places To See

Main Places To See: 
   
Ghrishneshwar Temple:
 
Made of red stone, this is the main temple where the Jyotirling is housed. A huge Nandi statue is situated outside the Garbhgriha. The temple can be entered in from 3 sides. The hall (sabha mandap) has 24 pillars which are adorned with beautiful sculptures. The Ling in the temple is east facing.
    
Shivalay Teerth:
 
It is believed that the lake was built by Shiv to quench Parvati’s thirst.
    
Yel Ganga:
 
This small river flowing from Verul (Ellora) towards the west has a special spiritual significance.
    
Ellora:
 
Declared as a world heritage site, Ellora has 39 caves that belong to Hinduism (22), Buddhism (12), and Jainism (5).
    
Khuldabad:
 
The tomb of Aurangzeb is situated here. It is believed that a strand of hair from the beard of Mohammad, the founder of Islam, has also been preserved here. It is situated at a distance of 3 km.
   
Daulatabad:
 
Earlier known as Devgiri, Mohammad bin Tughlaq changed the name to Daulatabad. The Chaand Minar and Cheeni Mahal are a must-see.
   
Kailashnath Temple:
 
This temple is built in 3 sections - Pravesh (entrance) section, Nandi Mandap (hall) and the main temple. The temple walls have been adorned by beautiful images, of which the most striking is the one that shows the demon king, Ravan, shaking up the Kailash Mountain. The Garbhgriha has a Shivling and a statue of Indra.
 

Main Festivals

Main Festivals: 
   
Mahashivratri:
 
It is celebrated on the Chaturdashi of the Magh month (February) and is the biggest festival here. A big fair is held on this occasion which is visited not only by the local people, but also Shiv devotees and tourists from huge distances.
    
Shravan mela:
 
During the entire Shravan month (July-August), the place is flooded with Shiv devotees. On Mondays, the region is drenched with devotion to Shiv.
    
Vaikunth Chaturdashi:
 
This festival is a celebration of the union of Hari (Vishnu) and Har (Shiv) in the Kartik month (November). A significant point is that on this day, Shiv is worshipped with tulsi and Vishnu with Bilva patra (leaves).
 

Where To Stay

Where To Stay : 
   
Dharamshalas:
 
 Antarasal Dharmshala  Ghrishneshwar
    
Hotels:
 
 Category  General
 Name  Panchvati Hotel
 Address  Padampura, Railway Station Road, Aurangabad,
 Maharashtra - 431 005
 Telephone  +91 - 240 - 2325469
 Web Site  www.hotelpanchavati.com
   
 
 Category  General
 Name  Sai Hotel
 Address  Plot 5, Jalna Road, Surana Nagar, Aurangabad,
 Maharashtra - 431 001
 Telephone  +91 - 240 - 2321905
   
 
 Category  Medium
 Name  Classic Hotel
 Address  Plot 4, Beside Goldie Cinema, Railway Station Road,  Aurangabad, Maharashtra - 431 005
 Telephone  +91 - 240 - 5624315
 Web Site  www.hotelclassicaurangabad.in
   
 
 Category  Medium
 Name  Manor Hotel
 Address  Kranti Chowk, Aurangabad,  Maharashtra - 431 001
 Telephone  +91 - 240 - 2333383
 Web Site  www.ajantaelloraaurangabad.com
   
 
 Category  High
 Name  Presidency Park Hotel
 Address  R-7/2, Chikalthana, Airport Road, Aurangabad,
 Maharashtra-431210
 Telephone  +91 - 240 - 2486201
 Web Site  www.presidenthotels.com
   
 
 Category  High
 Name  Taj Residency Hotel
 Address  8-N-12, CIDCO, Rauza Bagh, Aurangabad,  Maharashtra - 431 003
 Telephone  +91 - 240 - 2381106
 Web Site  www.tajhotels.com
 

Location/Climate

Location/Climate: 
 
Location
 
 Geographical  Location  Height  Above  Sea Level  Average Annual Rainfall
 Latitude  Longitude  513 metres  800 mm
 20˚ N  75.1˚ E
   
 
Temperature

Temperature is given in degrees Celsius.
 
 Month  Jan   Feb   Mar   Apr  May  Jun  Jul  Aug  Sep  Oct   Nov    Dec
 Maximum   29  32  36  38  40  35  29  29  30  31  30  29
 Minimum  14  16  20  24  25  23  22  21  21  20  16  14
   
 
Important Information
This Jyotirling is situated on Devgiri Mountains in the Sahyadri mountain range and the Yel Ganga flows near it.
October to March is the ideal time for touring. However, Shiv devotees visit during Shravan month (July-August) too in large numbers.
 

General Information

General Information: 
 
 STD Code
 02437
 Police Assistance
  Tel: +91 - 2437 - 241 100
 Ambulance/Hospital  09881300707‎
 09822392780‎
 Currency  Exchange
 Central Bank of India
 CIDCO-N-23, 297, Opp. Hotel Ajanta Ambassador
 Chikalthana, Aurangabad - 431 001
 Tel: +91 - 240 - 2485834
 ATM Centre  ICICI Bank
 Shop NO. 29 & 30, Upper Ground Floor,
 Siddharth Arcade, Station Road,
 Aurangabad - 431 005
 State Bank of India
 Jaagi Building, Near Kranti Chowk,
 Aurangabad, Maharashtra-  431 001
 Post Office
 Ellora Sub Post Office, Taluka-Khuldabad,
 PIN-431102, Dist-Aurangabad
 Tel: +91 - 2437 - 244 450
 Tourist Office
  Government of India Tourist Office
 Krishna Vilas, Station Road, Near South RTO,  Aurangabad
 Tel: +91 - 240 - 2331217
 Shopping
 Paithani sarees and Himru shawls can be bought   from   Paithani Silk Weaving Centre on Jalna Road  in    Aurangabad.
   
 
Food
Bhakri and Pithla can be enjoyed in Kailash Hotel of Ghrishneshwar. Besides this, good food is available at Milan Hotel and MTDC Restaurant & Bar.
 

Travel Planner

Address (Click on "A" to locate): 
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PDF File: 
application/pdf iconkailashnath.pdf
Airports in the vicinity: 
- Mumbai
- Pune
- Aurangabad
- Sholapur
- Nagpur
Railway: 
 Main Railway Stations  Station Code
 Mumbai CST  CSTM
 Pandharpur  PVR
 Surat  STA
 Ahmadnagar  ANG
 Pune  Pune
 Jejuri  JJR
 Nasik  NK
Road Distance from Destinations: 
 Yamunotri  Dehradun  240 KM
 Rishikesh  201 KM
 Haridwar  223 KM
 Gangotri

 

  Dehradun  212 KM
 Rishikesh  177 KM
 Haridwar  200 KM
 Kedarnath  Dehradun  163 KM
 Haridwar  151 KM
 Rishikesh  130 KM
 Badrinath  Dehradun  245 KM
 Joshimath  31 KM
 Haridwar  230 KM
 Haridwar  Dehradun  49 KM
 Rishikesh  24 KM

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