The Bhimashankar Jyotirlinga Temple, one of the 12 revered Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva, will remain closed for devotees during Mahashivratri this year on February 15, the Pune district administration announced on Sunday, revising its previous decision to open the complex, currently under renovation, for a week for the occasion. However, considering the safety of devotees, the district administration has ordered the complete closure of the Bhimashankar Temple for darshan on the occasion.
The district administration has also issued an order in this regard.
Located in Maharashtra's Pune district, the Bhimashankar Temple attracts thousands of devotees daily, with exceptionally large crowds during major festivals like Mahashivratri. Even on regular days, long queues of Shiva devotees are a common sight at the temple, prompting authorities to take a cautious approach amid ongoing construction activities.
Preparations underway for the Kumbh Mela
It is pertinent to mention that preparations are underway ahead of the Singhast Kumbh Mela, scheduled to be held in Nashik in 2027. With millions of pilgrims expected to visit religious sites across the region, including Bhimashankar, development work is being carried out on a war footing to improve facilities and ensure the smooth movement of devotees. Authorities have appealed to devotees to cooperate with the temporary restrictions.
At present, major construction work is underway at the Bhimashankar Jyotirlinga Temple, including the construction of a new grand assembly hall and renovation of the staircase. The existing main assembly hall has been completely demolished as part of the redevelopment project. Officials noted that given the heavy daily footfall at the shrine, carrying out such work without suspending darshan would pose serious safety risks.
"Keeping the temple open for darshan during the ongoing construction could prove extremely dangerous," officials said, adding that the closure is necessary to ensure public safety and to complete the development work within the stipulated timeframe.
The temple will reopen for devotees once the critical phases of the renovation work are completed, the administration said.
Mahashivratri 2026
Mahashivratri 2026 will be celebrated on February 15. For Lord Shiva's devotees, Mahashivratri is the most significant day. All year long, Bholenath devotees look forward to Mahashivratri. Religious beliefs state that Mahadev and Mata Parvati were married on Mahashivratri. All of the devotees' requests are granted by fasting and worshipping Lord Shiva and Goddess Gauri on this day.
According to the Panchanak, the Chaturdashi date of the Krishna Paksha of the Phalgun month will begin on February 15 at 5:04 pm. Chaturdashi date will end on February 16 at 5:34 pm. So, the fast of Maha Shivratri will be observed on February 15. On this day, Lord Shiva and Mother Parvati will be worshipped as per the rituals.
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