In the renowned Beed district of Maharashtra, rests yet another ‘jyotirlinga’ temple of India on the top of a small hill – Parali Vaijnath Temple. Popularly known as the ‘Vaijanath Temple,’ each corner of the temple whispers the secrets of the mythological stories, never revealing the full story. Somewhere like the other ‘jyotirlinga’ temples, Parali Vaijnath too has a story to tell; not just one but many.
ACCORDING TO THE LEGENDS
One such story is from the time of Ramayana. It is said that Ravana performed a Tapasya and chanted Shiva Tandava Stotram in his soulful voice. Impressed by Ravana’s dedication, Lord Shiva asked him about his wishes. Ravana’s request was a special lingam. Lord Shiva handed over a special lingam to Ravana to take home to Lanka with strict instructions that it should not be placed on the ground till it is deified at a final destination. Lord Shiva fulfilled all the wishes of Ravana. While returning home, Ravana met a boy to whom he handed over the lingam. The lingam started getting too heavy with every minute and the boy kept it on the ground. This is how the jyotirlinga happens to be here. The belief is that Shiva decided to reside here in the form of Vaidyanatheshwar.
To reach the sanctum of the Parali Vaijnath Temple, there are two doors – north and south. Within the temple complex, there is a huge teak wood hall and spacious corridor for circumambulation. Further enhancing the beauty of the temple are two ponds that too have religious significance.
BEST TIME TO VISIT
Celebration on a large scale takes place in several festivals like Gudi Padawan, Vijaya Dashami, Tripuri Pournima, and Mahashivaratri. Also, it is considered auspicious to have ‘darshan’ of the auspicious ‘shiv linga’ during the Hindu calendar month of Shravan.
OPENING/CLOSING/ARTI TIME
- Shadopachar: 5:00 AM
- Shringar Pooja: 6:00 PM
ENTRY FEE
Free
