Maharashtra is one of India’s important pilgrimage destinations, known for ancient Shiva temples, the three Jyotirlingas, the Ashtavinayak temples, Shakti temples, Vitthal pilgrimage, Khandoba traditions and many historic temples. Maharashtra Tourism officially highlights major destinations including Bhimashankar, Trimbakeshwar, Grishneshwar, Mahalaxmi, Vitthal, Tulja Bhavani and Siddhivinayak.
🛕 Famous Temples in Maharashtra
- Trimbakeshwar Jyotirlinga Temple – Trimbak, Nashik – Lord Shiva
- Bhimashankar Jyotirlinga Temple – Pune – Lord Shiva
- Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga Temple – Verul, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar – Lord Shiva
- Shri Vitthal Rukmini Temple – Pandharpur – Lord Vitthal
- Shri Mahalaxmi Temple – Kolhapur – Goddess Mahalaxmi
- Tulja Bhavani Temple – Tuljapur – Goddess Bhavani
- Aundha Nagnath Temple – Hingoli – Lord Shiva
- Parli Vaijnath Temple – Beed – Lord Shiva
- Siddhivinayak Temple – Mumbai – Lord Ganesha
- Dagdusheth Halwai Ganpati Temple – Pune – Lord Ganesha
- Khandoba Temple – Jejuri – Lord Khandoba
- Shirdi Sai Baba Temple – Shirdi
- Jyotiba Temple – Kolhapur – Lord Jyotiba
- Ekvira Devi Temple – Lonavala/Karla – Goddess Ekvira
- Renuka Devi Temple – Mahur – Goddess Renuka
- Saptashrungi Devi Temple – Vani, Nashik – Goddess Saptashrungi
- Mahalakshmi Temple – Mumbai
- Morgaon Mayureshwar Temple – Morgaon – Lord Ganesha
- Shani Shingnapur Temple – Ahmednagar region – Lord Shani
- Grishneshwar Temple – Verul – Lord Shiva
Maharashtra Tourism identifies Bhimashankar, Trimbakeshwar and Grishneshwar as three of the twelve Jyotirlingas in Maharashtra. It also notes Aundha Nagnath and Parli Vaijnath as important Jyotirlinga pilgrimage destinations in the state's temple tourism circuit.
🔱 Jyotirlinga Temples in Maharashtra
Maharashtra is associated with three Jyotirlinga temples:
1. Trimbakeshwar Jyotirlinga
Location: Trimbak, Nashik
Deity: Lord Shiva
2. Bhimashankar Jyotirlinga
Location: Bhorgiri, Pune district
Deity: Lord Shiva
3. Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga
Location: Verul, near Ellora
Deity: Lord Shiva
Maharashtra Tourism's Jyotirlinga guide lists these three as the state's Jyotirlingas.
🐘 Ashtavinayak Temples of Maharashtra
The Ashtavinayak Yatra consists of eight traditional Ganesha temples:
- Mayureshwar Temple – Morgaon
- Siddhivinayak Temple – Siddhatek
- Ballaleshwar Temple – Pali
- Varadvinayak Temple – Mahad
- Chintamani Temple – Theur
- Girijatmaj Temple – Lenyadri
- Vighneshwar Temple – Ozar
- Mahaganapati Temple – Ranjangaon
Maharashtra Tourism gives this eight-temple sequence as the traditional Ashtavinayak pilgrimage route.
🕉️ Major Shiva Temples in Maharashtr
- Trimbakeshwar Jyotirlinga – Nashik
- Bhimashankar Jyotirlinga – Pune
- Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga – Verul
- Aundha Nagnath – Hingoli
- Parli Vaijnath – Beed
- Amruteshwar Temple – Ahmednagar
- Kedareshwar Temple – Harishchandragad
- Gondeshwar Temple – Sinnar
- Kapaleshwar Temple – Nashik
- Neelkantheshwar Temple – Pune region
- Pataleshwar Cave Temple – Pune
- Babulnath Temple – Mumbai
- Walkeshwar Temple – Mumbai
- Baneshwar Temple – Pune region
- Nageshwar Temple – Pune
- Kedareshwar Temple – Ahmednagar region
🌺 Shakti Temples in Maharashtra
Important Goddess Temples
- Tulja Bhavani Temple – Tuljapur
- Mahalaxmi Temple – Kolhapur
- Saptashrungi Devi Temple – Vani
- Renuka Devi Temple – Mahur
- Ekvira Devi Temple – Karla
- Kalaram-associated Devi shrines – Nashik
- Mundeshwari? – Not Maharashtra; keep separate
- Kolahapur Ambabai Temple – Kolhapur
- Yogeshwari Devi Temple – Ambajogai
- Mahalakshmi Temple – Mumbai
- Kulswamini/Gramadevata temples across Maharashtra
Note: Traditional classifications such as Shakti Peetha can vary between religious traditions and sources. Where relevant, individual temple posts should explain the tradition rather than presenting every classification as universally agreed.
🪔 Vitthal & Warkari Pilgrimage
Pandharpur
Shri Vitthal Rukmini Temple – Pandharpur
Pandharpur is one of Maharashtra's major pilgrimage centres and is closely associated with the Warkari tradition and saints such as Sant Dnyaneshwar and Sant Tukaram.
Important pilgrimage occasions include:
- Ashadhi Ekadashi
- Kartiki Ekadashi
- Wari pilgrimage
- Dindi processions
- Sant traditions and Bhakti celebrations
🛕 Khandoba Temples
Jejuri Khandoba Temple
Location: Jejuri, Pune district
Deity: Lord Khandoba
Jejuri is one of the major pilgrimage destinations associated with Lord Khandoba. The hilltop temple is known for its distinctive architecture, traditional rituals and the famous Bhandara celebration.
Other Khandoba temples and sacred places can be covered in separate district-wise guides.
🐘 Famous Ganesh Temples
Apart from the Ashtavinayak temples, Maharashtra has many prominent Ganesha temples:
- Siddhivinayak Temple – Mumbai
- Dagdusheth Halwai Ganpati – Pune
- Morgaon Mayureshwar – Morgaon
- Chintamani – Theur
- Siddhivinayak – Siddhatek
- Ballaleshwar – Pali
- Varadvinayak – Mahad
- Girijatmaj – Lenyadri
- Vighneshwar – Ozar
- Mahaganapati – Ranjangaon
🛕 Mumbai Temples
Important temples to explore in Mumbai include:
- Siddhivinayak Temple – Prabhadevi
- Mahalaxmi Temple – Mahalaxmi
- Babulnath Temple – Girgaon
- Mumbadevi Temple – Bhuleshwar
- Walkeshwar Temple – Malabar Hill
- ISKCON Temple – Juhu
- Swaminarayan Temple – Bhuleshwar
- Shri Balaji Temple – Nerul/Navi Mumbai region
- Ayyappa temples
- Various historic Shiva, Devi and Ganesha temples
🛕 Pune Temples
Pune and its surrounding region have many important temples:
- Dagdusheth Halwai Ganpati
- Parvati Hill Temple
- Pataleshwar Cave Temple
- Kasba Ganpati
- Chaturshringi Temple
- Alandi – Sant Dnyaneshwar tradition
- Dehu – Sant Tukaram tradition
- Jejuri Khandoba Temple
- Bhimashankar Jyotirlinga
- Theur Chintamani
- Ranjangaon Mahaganapati
- Siddhatek Siddhivinayak
🌿 Nashik Temple Circuit
Nashik is an important Hindu pilgrimage region.
Major places include:
- Trimbakeshwar Jyotirlinga
- Kalaram Temple
- Kapaleshwar Temple
- Sita Gufa
- Ram Kund
- Panchavati temples
- Saptashrungi Devi Temple – Vani
- Muktidham Temple
- Godavari river ghats
🛕 Kolhapur Temple Circuit
Important temples and sacred places include:
- Mahalaxmi/Ambabai Temple
- Jyotiba Temple
- Kopeshwar Temple – Khidrapur
- Narsobawadi
- Bahubali/Kumbhoj region temples
- Other historic temples around Kolhapur
Maharashtra Tourism describes Jyotiba Temple as a major shrine in the Sahyadri hills near Kolhapur and notes its association with Lord Jyotiba.
🕉️ Marathwada Pilgrimage
Important temples include:
- Tulja Bhavani – Tuljapur
- Aundha Nagnath – Hingoli
- Parli Vaijnath – Beed
- Yogeshwari Devi – Ambajogai
- Renuka Devi – Mahur
- Grishneshwar – Verul
- Ghrishneshwar–Ellora pilgrimage circuit
- Other ancient temples of Dharashiv, Nanded, Latur and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar regions
Aundha Nagnath is officially described by Maharashtra Tourism as a major Shiva pilgrimage site in Hingoli and one of the temples recognised in the state's Jyotirlinga tradition.
🏛️ Ancient & Heritage Temples
Maharashtra also has important historic temple architecture:
- Grishneshwar Temple – Verul
- Gondeshwar Temple – Sinnar
- Amruteshwar Temple
- Trimbakeshwar Temple
- Hemadpanti temples
- Pataleshwar Cave Temple – Pune
- Elephanta's Hindu cave shrine complex – Mumbai
- Karla–Ekvira sacred complex
- Markandeshwar Temple
- Kopeshwar Temple – Khidrapur
The Karla cave complex also contains the Hindu shrine of Goddess Ekvira, while Maharashtra Tourism separately documents the Buddhist heritage of the cave complex.
🙏 Major Pilgrimage Circuits in Maharashtra
🔱 Jyotirlinga Yatra
Bhimashankar → Trimbakeshwar → Grishneshwar
🐘 Ashtavinayak Yatra
Morgaon → Siddhatek → Pali → Mahad → Theur → Lenyadri → Ozar → Ranjangaon
🌺 Devi Yatra
Tuljapur → Kolhapur → Saptashrungi → Mahur → Ambajogai
🕉️ Nashik Yatra
Trimbakeshwar → Panchavati → Ram Kund → Kalaram Temple → Sita Gufa
🛕 Pune Spiritual Circuit
Dagdusheth → Parvati Hill → Pataleshwar → Alandi → Dehu → Jejuri
🌿 Kolhapur Circuit
Mahalaxmi → Jyotiba → Narsobawadi → Kopeshwar
🪔 Pandharpur Yatra
Pandharpur Vitthal-Rukmini → Chandrabhaga River → Warkari pilgrimage sites
📍 Maharashtra Temple Guide by Region
Mumbai & Konkan
- Mumbai
- Thane
- Raigad
- Ratnagiri
- Sindhudurg
- Palghar
Western Maharashtra
- Pune
- Satara
- Sangli
- Kolhapur
- Solapur
North Maharashtra
- Nashik
- Ahmednagar/Ahilyanagar
- Dhule
- Nandurbar
- Jalgaon
Marathwada
- Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar
- Beed
- Latur
- Nanded
- Hingoli
- Dharashiv
- Parbhani
- Jalna
Vidarbha
- Nagpur
- Amravati
- Akola
- Buldhana
- Washim
- Yavatmal
- Wardha
- Chandrapur
- Bhandara
- Gondia
- Gadchiroli
🎉 Major Temple Festivals
Maharashtra's temples are associated with many important festivals and pilgrimages, including:
- Mahashivratri
- Ganesh Chaturthi
- Ashadhi Ekadashi
- Kartiki Ekadashi
- Navratri
- Gudi Padwa
- Ram Navami
- Hanuman Jayanti
- Janmashtami
- Datta Jayanti
- Khandoba Champa Shashthi
- Tulja Bhavani Navratri
- Saptashrungi festivals
- Wari pilgrimage
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