Bhimashankar

Bhimashankar sits at about 950 metres in dense Sahyadri forest, and the temple there, in the local Nagara style with carved work on the sanctum, is one of the twelve jyotirlingas, with the Bhima river rising nearby. The forest around it was declared a wildlife sanctuary largely to protect the Indian giant squirrel, the shekru, a large arboreal squirrel with a body up to about forty centimetres and a longer tail, adopted as Maharashtra's state animal; it is seen moving through the canopy in the early morning. Trekking routes climb from Khandas below, and the forest is thick with leeches in the monsoon.

History

The temple, carved in black stone, dates back to the 13th century, when the Bhimashankar shrine and the Bhima river are already mentioned in writings; its hall and spire were improved in the 18th century by Nana Phadnavis, minister of the Peshwas. According to the medieval saint Namdev, Jnaneshwar came here after Tryambakeshwar, and King Shivaji granted the village of Kharosi to the temple (Wikipedia, Bhimashankar Temple).

Highlights

• The jyotirlinga temple - a carved Nagara-style shrine in the forest.
• The giant squirrels - shekru moving through the canopy at dawn.
• The Sahyadri forest - dense evergreen woodland with a long bird list.
• The trek routes - Shidi Ghat and Ganesh Ghat climbing from Khandas.

When to go

June to February; the monsoon is spectacular but brings leeches and slippery rock on the trekking routes. Squirrels are most active early morning. Mahashivratri brings very large crowds.

Good to know

Temple crowds at festivals are enormous and the road up is narrow. Trek routes are steep with ladder sections and accidents occur. Leeches in the monsoon are constant.

Nearby

Pune lies southeast; Malshej Ghat is north.

Key facts