Aura of India: Temples of Jharkhand: Baidyanath Dham, Rajrappa and Maluti

The white towers of the Baidyanath temple complex at Deoghar

Photo: Pinakpani, CC BY 4.0 (cropped), via Wikimedia Commons

Deoghar, in Jharkhand, during the month of Shravan.

For one month a year, a road of saffron walkers leads to Deoghar.

The temple at Deoghar

Deoghar, "the home of the gods", grew up around the Baidyanath temple, a Jyotirlinga, one of the twelve shrines where Shiva is worshipped as a column of light. The main shrine is a tall, plain stone tower in a crowded courtyard of smaller temples. Baidyanath means the Lord of Physicians, and people come to pray for health. Near the town stands the Naulakha Mandir, named for the nine lakh rupees it is said to have cost.

The walk of the kanwariyas

In Shravan, the monsoon month of July and August, pilgrims called kanwariyas fill pots with water from the Ganges at Sultanganj, in Bihar, and walk about a hundred kilometres to Deoghar, barefoot and dressed in saffron, to pour it over the lingam. Carrying the pots on a bamboo pole across the shoulders, they walk day and night. The road is lined with free food stalls, rest tents and first-aid posts for the whole month. It is one of the largest annual pilgrimages in India.

Why people come

Beyond Deoghar, Jharkhand's temples are spread through forest and hill country. At Rajrappa, where the Bhera river joins the Damodar, the Chhinnamasta temple of a fierce goddess draws pilgrims from across eastern India. At Maluti, a village near the border with Bengal, dozens of small terracotta temples from the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries survive, their walls covered in clay panels of gods and battles. In Ranchi, the capital, the Jagannath temple on a hill holds its own Rath Yatra each summer, and the Sun Temple on the Tata road is built as a chariot with eighteen wheels.

Getting there

Deoghar has an airport, opened in 2022, with flights from Kolkata and Delhi, and the railway junction at Jasidih is about seven kilometres away. Ranchi is the gateway to the rest of the state, with an airport and good trains. Rajrappa is about eighty kilometres from Ranchi by road. Maluti is best reached from Rampurhat, across the border in West Bengal.

Deoghar in Shravan

In the month of Shravan, July into August, the Shravani Mela turns Deoghar into one long queue. Kanwariyas, pilgrims in saffron, fill pots with Ganga water at Sultanganj in Bihar and walk about 100 km to pour it on the lingam. The temple keeps longer hours, and the district suspends VIP darshan for the month.

Many pilgrims go on to Basukinath, in Dumka district, after Deoghar. For a quieter visit, come between October and March and join the queue soon after the doors open at 4 am.

What to look for at Maluti

Maluti is a village of small brick temples, most of them built by the local Baj Basanta rulers in the 17th and 18th centuries. Jharkhand Tourism counts 72 still standing out of an original 108.

Look closely at the front walls. Terracotta panels show scenes from the Ramayana and the Mahabharata, and Durga killing the buffalo demon. The style is close to the temples of Bishnupur across the border in West Bengal, and Maluti is easiest to reach from that side, 16 km from Rampurhat. For the rest of the state, see the Jharkhand guide.

Temples to know

Baidyanath, Deoghar: a Jyotirlinga, the goal of the Shravan walk.
Naulakha Mandir, Deoghar: a tall temple outside the old town.
Chhinnamasta, Rajrappa, Ramgarh district: at the meeting of two rivers.
Maluti temples, Dumka district: a village of terracotta shrines.
Jagannath temple, Ranchi: a hilltop temple with a summer Rath Yatra.
Sun Temple, near Ranchi: a temple built as a stone chariot.
Basukinath, Dumka district: a Shiva temple many Deoghar pilgrims visit next.

In Shravan the town doesn't sleep. The bells at Baidyanath ring through the night.

Plan your visit

Best season	October to March. The Shravani Mela falls in July and August, and Mahashivratri in February or March; both bring very large crowds to Deoghar.
How to reach	Deoghar airport has flights from Delhi, Kolkata, Bengaluru and Mumbai. Jasidih Junction, about 7 km away, is on the main Howrah–Delhi line. For Rajrappa, fly to Ranchi, about 70 km away, or take a train to Ramgarh Cantonment, 28 km away.
Getting around	Taxis and shared jeeps run from Deoghar, Ramgarh and Rampurhat. Maluti is 16 km from Rampurhat in West Bengal and about 55 km from Dumka.
Where to stay	Around Tower Chowk and the temple lanes in Deoghar; central Ranchi or Ramgarh for Rajrappa; Rampurhat or Dumka for Maluti.
How long to spend	Four to five days: two around Deoghar and Basukinath, one for Rajrappa, one for Maluti.
Opening hours	Baidyanath Dham opens at 4 am, closes in the afternoon and reopens at 6 pm for the Shringar Puja, closing for the night at about 8 to 9 pm. Hours run longer in the Shravani Mela and on Mahashivratri. Check before you go.
Dress and rules	Dress modestly and leave shoes at the gate. Mondays and festival days draw the most people.

Open Baba Baidyanath Dham, Deoghar, Jharkhand in Google Maps

Questions people ask

What are the timings at Baidyanath Dham?

The temple trust lists the doors opening at 4 am, a break in the afternoon, and reopening at 6 pm for the Shringar Puja. Hours change in the Shravani Mela and on Mahashivratri, so check the trust website before you go.

When is the Shravani Mela?

In the Hindu month of Shravan, which falls in July and August. Pilgrims carry Ganga water from Sultanganj to Deoghar, and VIP darshan is suspended for the month.

How do I get to Rajrappa?

Take a train to Ramgarh Cantonment, 28 km away, or fly to Ranchi, about 70 km away, then go on by taxi or jeep. The temple stands where the Bhairavi meets the Damodar, beside a hot spring.

How many temples survive at Maluti?

Jharkhand Tourism counts 72 of an original 108, built mostly in the 17th and 18th centuries.

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Temples of Jharkhand: Baidyanath Dham, Rajrappa and Maluti