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Trimbakeswarar is one of the 12 Jyotir Lingams...a marvellous Mandir indeed!

My spiritual Journey
to various Jyotir LIngams led me to Trimbakeswarar Mandir near Nasik this year.
This is a pilgrimage I undertake once a year in greatest reverence to Adi Sankara and as a mark of respect to this Great Sage I try to worship a Jyotir LIngam on Sankara Jayanthi day and this year on 9th of May I was privileged to have this unique darshan at Trimbakeswarar.
My journey was not that very easy this year..the outside temperature was really rising and the buses of Maharashtra State Transport took their own sweet time in every village between Shirdi to Nasik...
I landed in Nasik around 6 PM on the 8th May and tried to find out a decent hotel where I can take rest and visit this Mandir on the 9th morning.
When I got down and enquired an auto driver
"Can you take me to a nice HOtel where from I can have an early morning Darshan of Trimbakeswarar?"
"Sir,Trimbakeswarar is NOT in Nasik.It is another 30 KM from here.See that Bus..that goes to Trimbakeswarar"
"Is there any Lodges there"
"No problem Sir.You will get one"
"Thank you my friend"

Trimbakeswarar Mandir View

When I landed in Trimbakeswarar it was around 7PM and I saw many Lodges both Big and small..I went to the one nearest to the Mandir and asked for a single room.
"You have come alone?"
"Yes"
"No Room"
"Why?There are so many rooms vacant I cd see from your Key Board?"
"NO Room.Period"
Another HOtel..same reception..another one..same..
I got vexed and took an auto to a costlier HOtel Sahyadri and asked a decent looking Manager who was kind enough to tell me
"Sir,here None will give a room for a single Man.Thats the unwritten rule."
"Sir I have come all the way from Madras just to have the Darshan on Sankara Jayanthi Day..thats tomorrow.."
"I can understand but I can help you with a bed in the Dormitory"
Never in my life I have ever stayed in a Dormitory..
"OK if thats what Lord wishes me to have let me have it"
Infact it was neatly made up with a locker also provided for just Rs 100 where all things including my suitcases cd be accomodated..
I rushed to have my bath and went straight to the Mandir before dinner..

(There is No Lingam Visible from outside
There are 3 Lingams inside at 120* to each other
of each Thumb Size)
What a beautiful Mandir it was!
Oh!God it is worth all the trouble including 90 mts of standing in the queue.
I had a nice dinner in a Bojana Sala and hit the sack at 9;15PM

I heard some one calling me.
"Sir Have you gone to Bed already?"
The Manager..
"Yes..I finished TOdays Darshan.."
"I have got a double room specially for you with attached bath..if you want you can move in there I will adjust the Dormitory charges.."
"Oh God..is there .See"
I had one of the soundest sleeps till 5:30 AM

The SUN was straight on my head when I decided to take snap of Him from my Window.
I thanked Him for waking me up and took a shower and went straight in Full Faith to the Greatest of all Sages,Adi Sankara and found to my utter surprise that at 6 AM the queue was not only longer than Normal but another 1500 Devotees ,Men and woemen going round and round the Mandir..

The Prayer on that day was not only unique but
I felt the Mandir is a real Monument to the Bakthi of all the people Old and New!
The architecture as can be seen are wonderful..beautifully carved inside
an amazing Marble Nandi in front of Lord Shiva..
But no where I cd see the LIngam inside..!
When I was taking a Prathakshanam I saw a Lingam on the northern side where a young lad was demanding rs 5 for explaning something..I paid him..
He asked me to feel inside the LIngam Yore..
There were 3 small Lingams of Thumb size at 120* to each other and there was no Lingam visible from outside!
Oh!Thats the story of TRimbakeswrara,Brahma,Vishnu & Shiva..
Many places have many stories but
This unique Mandir must have been built some 400 yrs old and I enjoyed the architecture,the atmosphere and the varous views as Photos were strictly prohibited from inside