With the beginning of the Sawan month thousands of devotees have started visiting to pray and worship—the naturally formed three-faced Shivalinga—the Bhimashankar Jyotirlinga in Dakini Hills on the outskirts of Guwahati city.
The President of the temple committee Sanesh Teron said that over 20,000 pilgrims turned up for the annual pilgrimage on Sunday. He said “Between 40 thousand and 50 thousand pilgrims turned up last Sunday and Monday. We expected the highest footfall on Monday, but the rain in the morning played a spoilsport."
The Bhimashankar is one of the 12 Jyotirlingams as per the Shiva Puranas. As per the scriptures, the power and grace of Lord Shiva is most strongly manifested in some places where it is believed that he had previously existed in his most potent form. Those places have been named Jyotirlingam (Shaft of light).
Henry David Teron, Secretary of the Bhimashankar Management Committee said that the Shivalinga on a flowing stream resembled the Dwadash Jyotirlinga (12th holy place of Shiva worship) mentioned in the Shiva Puranas after which it has been named the 12th Jyotirlingam, making it an annual congregation of Shiva worshippers during the month of Sawan.
He said, “This Shivalinga has formed naturally with three faces that represent the Trimurthi; Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. In fact, we have tried to construct over the main Shivalinga many times to secure it and build a roof over it but all attempts mysteriously failed every time."
The main temple only has a piece of tarpaulin over the stream and the "naturally formed" sculptures in the stream. The tarpaulin only serves the purpose of keeping priests and devotees away from getting drenched in the rains.
Sanesh Teron said, “The month of Sawan is considered holy by worshippers of Lord Shiva. Every Sunday and Monday starting from the first day of Sawan month until Rakhi Purnima, devotees offer milk, bhog and water to the Shivlinga which has formed naturally in the middle of a stream, Panchadhara.”
The annual pilgrimage started from July 14 and will be celebrated every Sunday and Monday until August 15.