Bhimashankar Jyotirlinga Temple, Pune: Timings, Story & How to Reach
श्री भीमाशंकरWhere Shiva rose from a prisoner's linga.
Shree Kshetra Bhimashankar stands on the crest of the Sahyadri in a protected forest, at the source of the Bhima river. The legend, the reopening after the 2026 works, today’s short darshan window, the online pass and the easiest ways to reach from Pune.
- 7–11 am darshan while works continue
- ~110–125 km from Pune
- 6th in the Jyotirlinga order
- No VIP entry since June 2026
Where is Bhimashankar Jyotirlinga and is it open now?
Bhimashankar is in Khed taluka of Pune district, Maharashtra, on the Sahyadri crest about 110–125 km from Pune. It is the sixth of the 12 Jyotirlingas and the source of the Bhima river. The temple reopened on 15 June 2026 after works; the official site currently gives darshan from 7 am to 11 am only.
The temple sits deep inside the Bhimashankar Wildlife Sanctuary, a forest of the Western Ghats that is home to the shekru, the Malabar giant squirrel and Maharashtra’s state animal. Pilgrims walk down a long flight of steps from the bus stand and parking to a dark-stone shrine in the Nagara style, with Hemadpanthi touches and carvings of Vishnu’s ten avatars. The temple trust dates it to the 13th century.
In the popular Jyotirlinga stotram the shrine is remembered as “डाकिन्यां भीमशङ्करम्” — Bhimashankar in Dakini. That one word, Dakini, is why a second tradition places Bhimashankar in Assam (see below). Bhimashankar is not the same as Bhimakali, the Devi temple at Sarahan in Himachal.
The legend of Bhimashankar
The Shiva Purana (Koti Rudra Samhita) tells of a demon’s pride and a king’s quiet faith. This is how the story is told.
- Bhima grows mightyBhima was the son of Kumbhakarna and the demoness Karkati. He grew up in these hills, and when he learnt that his father had fallen to Rama, he did fierce penance and won a boon of great strength from Brahma.
- A devoted king in chainsBhima set out to defeat the gods and righteous kings. He threw Sudakshina, the Shiva-devoted king of Kamarupa, into prison — yet the king kept worshipping a small clay linga in his cell.
- The sword and the lingaEnraged, Bhima raised his sword to smash the linga. At that moment, it is believed, Shiva burst out of it and destroyed him.
- Shiva stays as BhimashankarAt the request of the gods, Shiva agreed to remain here as Bhimashankar, the Jyotirlinga of these forests.
A separate Maharashtra tradition ties the name to Shiva’s battle with the demon Tripurasura, and says the sweat of that great fight became the Bhima river. These are stories of faith, told as tradition rather than history.
Bhimashankar darshan timings and the online pass
| Darshan now | 7:00 am – 11:00 am only, while the new sabhamandap and stairs are being built (official site notice, checked 28 Oct 2026) |
| Online pass | Online registration with photo ID was made compulsory on reopening (15 Jun 2026). Check shreebhimashankar.com for the current rule before you leave Pune |
| VIP darshan | Discontinued — VIP, recommendation and protocol entry ended on 15 Jun 2026. “VIP darshan” ticket sites are agencies, not the temple |
| Aarti | Times are not published officially — confirm at the temple |
| Dress | Modest dress; shoes off at the shoe stand |
| Temple office | 02135 222 880 · office@shreebhimashankar.com |
The temple was closed from 9 Jan to 14 Jun 2026 for the works (including Mahashivratri 2026) and in Shravan 2026 hours were extended to 5 am – 9:30 pm. Hours change with the works and festivals — confirm locally on the day.
Bhimashankar festivals and dates
| What | Date | Status / source |
|---|---|---|
| Mahashivratri 2027 | 6 Mar 2027 | Drik Panchang; temple arrangements not announced yet |
| Tripuri (Kartik) Purnima | Around 24 Nov 2026 | Per panchang — confirm locally |
| Shravan Mondays | Jul–Aug (Amanta Shravan in Maharashtra) | 2027 dates not announced here yet |
| Simhastha Kumbh 2027 | Nashik–Trimbakeshwar, 2027 | Expect heavy crowds across the Maharashtra Jyotirlingas — dates per the Nashik administration |
The temple is open all year. October to February is the most comfortable season. The monsoon (June–September) is lush and misty, but the ghat road and forest trails get foggy and slippery.
How to reach Bhimashankar
By air
Pune airport is the nearest, about 110–120 km away — roughly 3 to 4 hours by road.
By rail
Pune Junction (about 110 km) is the practical railhead; continue by taxi or bus.
By road
From Pune via Rajgurunagar (Khed) and Manchar, then a ghat road up to the temple — about 110–125 km depending on the route. MSRTC buses run from Pune, with extra buses in Shravan.
On foot
Trekking routes climb from the Konkan side. Go only with a local guide and never in heavy rain. At the top, a long flight of steps leads down to the temple.
Sample Bhimashankar trips from Pune
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Day 1Pune → Bhimashankar → Pune (day trip)
Leave Pune before dawn, reach for the 7 am darshan window, visit Kusharanya Tirth (the Bhima’s source) beside the temple, walk a little in the forest and drive back by afternoon.
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Day 2Overnight option
Drive up the evening before and stay nearby; darshan at opening, then the Gupt Bhimashankar forest trail and Nagphani viewpoint (with a local guide) before returning to Pune.
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Day 3Maharashtra Jyotirlinga circuit
Continue towards Trimbakeshwar near Nashik and Grishneshwar near Ellora — Suzu plans the drives and darshan timings around each temple’s rules.
Every yatra is planned for your dates, group and pace — Price: Get Quote.
Before you go
- Start very earlyWith darshan only 7–11 am, leave Pune around 4 am or stay near Bhimashankar the night before.
- Check the passLook at the official site for the registration rule and carry photo ID. Ignore sites selling VIP passes.
- Mind the stepsThere are many steps and no ropeway; elders should take it slowly, and the stairs are under rebuilding.
- Forest and monsoonIt is a wildlife sanctuary — keep it clean and quiet. In the monsoon, drive the ghat slowly in fog.
Is the real Bhimashankar in Pune or in Assam?
The Shiva Purana places Bhimashankar in “Dakini” and its story features the king of Kamarupa — the old name of Assam. Most pilgrims and the western-Indian tradition revere the Sahyadri temple near Pune, whose forest is called Dakini-vana. Many devotees in Assam, and the Assam government, identify the Jyotirlinga with Bhimeswar Dham on Dakini hill near Guwahati; Assam’s Chief Minister restated this on 20 Feb 2023.
Both are living places of worship. We present the traditions side by side and leave the faith to the pilgrim — the Pune temple is the one counted in most Jyotirlinga yatras.
A short history of Bhimashankar temple
The temple trust dates the shrine to the 13th century. In February 1739 Chimaji Appa presented a large bell taken from Vasai fort after the Battle of Bassein; it still hangs before the temple. In the 18th century Nana Phadnavis built the sabhamandap and the shikhara, and according to the temple, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj gave grants for worship here.
In 2026 the old sabhamandap was dismantled for a new hall and safer stairs, part of crowd planning for the Simhastha Kumbh of 2027. The temple stayed shut from 9 January to 14 June 2026 and reopened on 15 June with online registration and no VIP entry.
Plan your Bhimashankar darshan with Suzu
We plan Bhimashankar trips from Pune, the Maharashtra Jyotirlinga circuit and the full 12 Jyotirlinga journey — cars, stays and an early start timed to the temple’s current darshan window, with elders in mind.
Questions pilgrims ask
Is Bhimashankar temple open now?
Yes. It reopened on 15 June 2026 after being closed from 9 January for works. While the new sabhamandap and stairs are built, the official site gives darshan from 7 am to 11 am only — confirm before you go.
Do I need an online pass for Bhimashankar darshan?
Online registration with photo ID was made compulsory when the temple reopened in June 2026, with a daily cap. Check shreebhimashankar.com for the current rule before you travel.
Is VIP darshan available at Bhimashankar?
No. VIP, recommendation and protocol entry were discontinued from 15 June 2026, so everyone follows the same queue. Websites selling VIP passes are agencies, not the temple.
How far is Bhimashankar from Pune?
About 110–125 km by road via Rajgurunagar, Manchar and a ghat section — roughly 3 to 4 hours. Pune is also the nearest airport and railway station.
Is the real Bhimashankar Jyotirlinga in Assam?
It is a difference of tradition. The Sahyadri temple near Pune is the most widely accepted; many devotees in Assam identify Bhimeswar Dham near Guwahati, because the Shiva Purana mentions Dakini and the king of Kamarupa.
Which river starts at Bhimashankar?
The Bhima, also called Bhimarathi, rises beside the temple at Kusharanya Tirth. It flows south-east to join the Krishna.
What is the best time to visit Bhimashankar?
October to February is the most comfortable. The monsoon is beautiful but the ghat road and trails are foggy and slippery, and Shravan and Mahashivratri bring big crowds.
Is Bhimashankar the same as Bhimakali?
No. Bhimashankar is a Jyotirlinga of Shiva in Maharashtra; Bhimakali is a Devi temple at Sarahan in Himachal Pradesh.
Keep exploring
Yatras & circuits
Seasonal yatras
Temple guides
Planning guides
Sources
- Shree Bhimashankar Temple — About the Temple (official)
- Navbharat Live — new darshan rules, online registration, VIP entry ban (16 Jun 2026)
- Punekar News — darshan resumes from 15 June, registration compulsory
- Punekar News — temple shut during Mahashivratri 2026 (13 Feb 2026)
- The Bridge Chronicle — darshan timings extended in Shravan
- Outlook — Bhimashankar Jyotirlinga in Assam's Kamrup: Himanta (20 Feb 2023)
- Wikipedia — Bhimashankar Temple
- Drik Panchang — Maha Shivaratri 2027
Legends are retold in our own words as traditions. Animations are original artwork by Suzu Travels.
