Nageshwar, Gujarat

Nageshwar Jyotirling Temple is located at a distance of 18 kms from Dwarka in Gujarat which is one of the top seven Hindu holy cities of India. There is a narration from Shiv Purana that Shiva in Nageshwar form (body full of serpants) defeated a demon named Daruka and his army to rescue his imprisoned devotee named Supriya. The temple is built with pink stone and the idol is Dakshinamurti. Devotees are allowed to go inside the sanctorum and perform abhishek on this linga along with the local priest albeit only in traditional attire. There is a huge statue of a sitting Shiva in the temple complex which can be seen from a distance. An idol of Shani is also worshipped in the temple complex below a huge pipal tree. Apart from municipal sightseeing buses, auto rickshaws and cabs can be hired to visit this temple. Like Baijnath, this jyotirling is also disputed . There are two more temples; Jageshwar in Almora, Uttarakhand and Nagnath in Aundha, Maharashtra that are said to be contenders as well.