Famous Shiva temples that you can visit this Shivratri

It is Maha Shivratri today, one of the most widely celebrated festival in the country and, if you have been planning to visit some of the prominent Shiva temples across the country, we have you covered here. Here, we bring to you a list of temples that you can plan to visit on this occasion of Shivratri.

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It’s one of the finest Shiva temples in India, situated in Ellora. The structure is also a brilliant example of Rashtrakuta architecture of the Rashtrakuta Dynasty, which ruled India between the 6th and 10th century AD. It’s a part of the 34 temples that are present in Ellora, and is the country’s largest rock-cut temple, and also has a megalith carved from a rock cliff.

Located in North Karnataka, this place is famed for housing the second tallest statue of Lord Shiva that sits with the Arabian Sea at the backdrop. One of the highlights of this temple is the scenic landscape surrounding it, with a 20-storey temple built near the statue that is dedicated to Lord Shiva. The temple authorities have also built a lift that takes visitors to the top of the Raja Gopura to enjoy a spectacular view of the mammoth statue.

Lingaraj Shiva Temple showcases spectacular Kalinga architecture, and is also one of the prominent Shiva temples in India. It’s the largest temple in Bhubaneshwar which, as per the records, have been constructed by the Somavamsi Dynasty. Maha Shivratri is one of the best times to visit this temple, when visitors throng this place to seek blessings.

It’s a renowned temple that is famed for housing almost 1 crore shivalingas, located in the Kolar district of Karnataka. Apart from the said shivalingas, one can also get to see a 33 m tall linga and an 11 m tall Nandi that are present in the temple premises.

This jyotirlinga shrine in Ujjain is one of the sacred Shiva temples that you can visit this Shivratri. Located on the banks of the Shipra river, it’s believed that the linga in this temple has been built on its own accord. Another highlight of this temple is the south-facing linga, which is present only in Mahakal.