Triyambakeswara, Nasik

The Triambakeswara Temple

Trimbak, 33 km vest of Nasik in Maharashtra is revered as the city of one of the 12 Jyotirlinga shrines of Shiva. It is here in the Anjaneya Mountains that the river Godavari originates. From a spring high on the steep Brahmagiri hill above Trimbak, the Godavari River dribbles into the Gangadwar bathingtank, whose waters are reputed to wash away sins. From this tiny start the Godavari flows right across India, down and out in the Bay of Bengal. The Godavari River is called Ganga in these parts of the country.

The Tryambakeswara Temple is one of the most sacred Shive Temples of India. It is an ancient shrine and the temple today is a reconstruction undertaken by the Peshwa Balaji Bajirao in mid 18th century. The other Jyotirlinga shrines in Maharashtra are Sri Bhimashankar and Sri Grishneshwar or Ghusmeswara.

* The four Jyotir lingams of Maharastra is: Mahakaleswar, Ghusmeswara, Bhimashankar and Triyambakeswar.

Text is under editing - sorry for any inconvinience!

The Triyambakeswara Jyotir Lingam

The Triyambakeswara Jyotir Lingam is atypical, as it is divided in three smaal thumb shaped Lingams placed at the edge of the hole in the Yoni. The hole is apr. 20 cm in diameter and often filled with offerings like milch, flowers, Bilva leaves aso.

A full size model of the Trayambakeswara Lingam
at the main entrance of the temple

Mythology

Legend has it that sage Gowtama resided on the Brahmagiri hill here with his wife Ahalya, and seeing his unflinching devotion received a boon from Varuna - a bottomless pit from which he received an inexhaustible supply of foodgrains. This of course enraged other sages who conspired for a cow to enter his granary, and caused it to die as Gowtama attempted to ward it off with a bunch of Darbha grass. Because of this misfortune Gowtama therefore worshipped Shiva, to invoke the Goddess Ganga down to his hermitage to purify the premises. Ganga came down as Godavari, and Shiva took up an abode here in the form of Tryambaka. Interestingly, locals refer to the river here as Ganga and not as Godavari.
Legend has it that Brahma and Vishnu searched in vain to discover the origin of Shiva who manifested himself as a cosmic column of fire. Brahma lied that he had seen the top of the column of fire, and was hence cursed that he would not be worshipped on earth. In turn Brahma cursed Shiva that he would be pushed underground. Accordingly, Shiva came down under the Brahmagiri hill in the form of Tryambakeshwar. The shrine enjoyed the patronage of the Peshwas.

A walk in the temple premises ...

The temple entrance with the Anjaneya Mountains
towering in the background

The first glimpse of the temple ...

The Temple

The Nagara style of architecture is what typifies this temple made of black stone. It is enclosed in a spacious courtyard and the sanctum (internally a square and externally a stellar structure) houses a small Shivalingam - Tryambaka. The sanctum is crowned with a graceful tower, a giant amalaka and a golden kalasha.

In front of the garbagriha and the antarala is a mandap with doors on all four sides. Three out of the four doorways are covered with porches, and the openings of these porches are ornamented with pillars and arches. The roof of the mandapam is formed by curvilinear slabs rising in steps. The entire structure is ornamented with sculptural work featuring running scrolls, floral designs with a big turtle in the middle, figures of gods, yakshas, humans and animals. The Shivalingam is seen in a depression on the floor of the sanctum with water constantly oozing out from the top of the Shivalingam. Usually, the Shivalingam is covered with a silver mask, and on festive occasions with a golden mask with five faces, each with a golden crown. The silver mask is equivalent to the processional images seen in South Indian temples.

The temple seen from the backside.
The garbagriha and the antarala of the shrine is a big open space with floral designs,
a big turtle in the middle, figures of gods, yakshas, humans and animals.

Darshan queue

The main entrance of the temple

Trisula at the main entrance

Shiva Lingams and Yonis at the main entrance