Vaidhyanath, Bihar

The Vaidhyanatha Jyotir Lingam Temple,

Deodar, Bihar

The Vaidhyanath Shiva temple with the Jyotir Linga in the foreground and the Parvati Temple
joined together by the red threads tied for the pilgrims

The tying of the red thread and thereby joining the Shiva and Parvati Temples is a speciality at this place.

Puja material

Text is under editing - sorry for any inconvinience!

The Vaidhyanatha Jyotir Lingam

Sri Vaidhyanath - the new Lingam

Sri Vaidhyanath - the old Lingam

This photo was found in a shop near the temple. I was told it was the old Vaidhyanath Jyotir Lingam and as it has been used so much over the centuries, a new top has been installed, which is now the new Vaidhyanath Jyotir Lingam

Pravati Temple top before sunrise

The temple area is busy with pilgrims from early morning

Everybody has important chores

The temple bells

The Parvati Temple in early morning light is tied together with ...

... the Shiva Temple

"Whilst the Homakunda is sending prayers to heaven and burning away sins all day."

Inside the Vaidhyanatha shrine
Queue of pilgrims waiting to get inside the Sanctum Sanctorum


After often very long journeys, busy pilgrims in large numbers cannot wait to get inside to have the darshan of the Vaidhyanata Jyotir Lingam
Ganapati to be touched in the doorway before entering this holy shrine
The Vaidhyanatha Jyotir Lingam as it appears today

The Shiva Temple top

The Parvati Temple top

The ladder shows that boys are cravling up the temple top
to fasten the red threads which are used for ritual purposes

Storage of red thread is kept for performing the Shiva/Parvati ritual

Famous and very holy well with deep mythological significance

Parikrama and waterbearing

Parikrama or circunambulation with water brought from holy rivers.
The pilgrims have often traveled over long distances
with the water carried like this in diffrent containers.