Vaidyanath Temple, Deoghar

Vaidyanath (Baidyanath) at Deoghar, Jharkhand is, in the most widely followed enumeration, the ninth jyotirlinga — Shiva as the Lord of Physicians. Its founding legend is the great Ravana story: granted the linga on condition it never touch earth before Lanka, the demon-king was tricked into setting it down at Deoghar, where it rooted forever. Each Shravana, lakhs of kanwariyas carry Ganga water on foot from Sultanganj — among the largest annual pilgrimages on earth. The tradition of Parli Vaijnath in Maharashtra also carries this jyotirlinga's claim; per Indopedia policy both traditions will be documented with their sources.

This page awaits its full Indopedia treatment — history from inscriptions and chronicles, period images with provenance, and the chain of builders and rebuilders, in the manner of Somnath Temple — The Shrine Eternal. To take up this temple, see Indopedia:Contribute.