Historical PeriodEra
Oral / medieval / documented history
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Deities
Ghṛṣṇeśvara of Ellora
Ghṛṣṇeśvara — 12th of the 12 Jyotirlingas, adjacent to Ellora
Ghṛṣṇeśvara — 12th of the 12 Jyotirlingas, adjacent to Ellora
Hindu / Shaiva
Ghṛṣṇeśvara — 12th and last of the 12 Jyotir-liṅgas — sits adjacent to the UNESCO-listed Ellora Cave complex (6th–10th c. CE). The temple is smaller than the other Jyotirlingas. The name comes from a legend of a devotee named Ghṛṣṇā whose son was drowned by a jealous co-wife; Shiva restored him. Maratha queen Ahilyabai Holkar (18th c.) rebuilt the current structure. Pilgrims traditionally complete the 12-Jyotirlinga yātra over a week.
India's sacred landscape embraces Hindu, Jain, Buddhist, Christian, Muslim, Sikh, Zoroastrian, tribal, regional-folk traditions — each with its own cosmology and priestly lineage. This entry honours Hindu on its own terms.
