Sawan is starting from 30th July. In Saavan, there is a long queue in every Shiva temple from small to big to have darshan and worship of Lord Shiva. Not only this, the crowd of devotees in the 12 Jyotirlinga temples in Sawan is more visible than on normal days.

According to the Kashi section of Skanda Purana, Sawan is very dear to Shiva. It is believed that a devotee who visits the 12 Jyotirlingas at this time gets freedom from the inauspiciousness of the planets and the paths to attain salvation open up.

If for some reason you are not able to have darshan of Jyotirlinga in Sawan, then do Abhishek of Lord Shiva at home and recite Dwadash Jyotirlinga. It is believed that this brings blessings of long life, health, success, happiness in married life and having children.

Adi Shankaracharya has said in Dwadash Jyotirlinga Stotra – Dwadashaitani Naamani Pratarutthaya Yah Pathet. Being free from all sins, getting the benefits of all perfection. This means that a person who remembers or recites the names of 12 Jyotirlingas every morning becomes free from sins and attains all the siddhis and auspicious results. Reciting this stotra in Saavan gives double results.

These are the 12 Jyotirlingas – Somnath, Mallikarjuna, Mahakaleshwar, Omkareshwar (Mamleshwar), Kedarnath, Bhimashankar, Kashi Vishwanath, Trimbakeshwar, Vaidyanath, Nageshwar, Rameshwaram and Ghrishneshwar.

According to Shiva Purana, Lord Shiva appeared in the form of an infinite pillar of fire (light). For the welfare of the devotees, he appeared in the form of Jyotirlinga and resided at 12 places on earth.