Shiva (Grishneshwar) temple · Verul (Ellora), Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (Aurangabad), Maharashtra, India
Grishneshwar (Ghrishneshwar) Temple at Verul, about 1 km from the Ellora Caves and 31 km from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (Aurangabad), Maharashtra, is a Shiva temple revered as one of the twelve Jyotirlingas — the twelfth and last, according to Incredible India and The Hindu. The district administration describes it as an 18th-century temple.
Faith & Tradition
Incredible India describes it as the smallest of the Jyotirlingas. Devotees entering the garbhagriha may touch the Shiva linga directly with their hands, and men are asked to remove their shirts before entering the sanctum.
Temple legend, as told by Incredible India, tells of a devotee named Kusuma who worshipped a linga under a tamarind tree.
Heritage
Incredible India traces the temple's roots to the Rashtrakuta period and notes that the present structure was completed in the 18th century.
The temple blends South and North Indian styles and is decorated with carvings and sculptures (Incredible India).
Plan Your Visit
Men must remove shirts to enter the sanctum (Incredible India). Confirm darshan timings locally.
Timings and arrangements change with seasons and festivals. Confirm current details with the temple administration before travelling. Last reviewed 5 October 2026.
Location
The temple is about 31 km from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (Aurangabad) and can be reached by state transport bus or taxi; it is about 1 km from the Ellora Caves (district administration).
Location: Verul (Ellora), Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (Aurangabad), Maharashtra, India
More in Hindu temples in Maharashtra · Shiva (Grishneshwar) temples
Questions
At Verul, about 1 km from the Ellora Caves and 31 km from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (Aurangabad), Maharashtra.
Yes; it is revered as the twelfth of the twelve Jyotirlingas.
Yes, devotees may touch the linga directly, according to Incredible India.
Men are asked to remove their shirts before entering the sanctum.
The present temple dates from the 18th century.
Further reading: Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga Temple, Verul (Ellora) on Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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