Pune: Bhimashankar Jyotirlinga Temple To Remain Closed During Mahashivratri For Safety & Development Works

The Shri Kshetra Bhimashankar Jyotirlinga Temple will remain closed for devotees during the Mahashivratri period from 12 February to 18 February 2026, the Pune District Administration has announced. The decision has been taken in view of ongoing large-scale development works and concerns over devotee safety, informed District Collector and District Magistrate Shri Jitendra Dudi.

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With the Nashik Kumbh Mela 2027 scheduled to be held in Nashik, and considering the experience of the Maha Kumbh 2025 at Prayagraj, the administration anticipates a massive influx of pilgrims to Nashik–Trimbakeshwar. A significant number of these devotees are also expected to visit Shri Kshetra Bhimashankar, one of the twelve sacred Jyotirlingas, with daily footfall likely to reach nearly one lakh.

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To manage this anticipated surge and to provide safe, systematic, and modern facilities for devotees, the Government of Maharashtra has approved a Special Development Plan for the holistic development of the Bhimashankar Temple area, focusing on crowd management and devotee amenities for Kumbh Mela 2027.

As part of this plan, major infrastructure works are currently underway, including the construction of a new grand Sabhamandap, development of safe entry and exit systems, improvement of the stairway access route, and installation of essential crowd management facilities. The existing Sabhamandap was found to be insufficient to handle large crowds and has therefore been completely dismantled.

Given that extensive stone masonry work is in progress and heavy construction materials and machinery are present within the temple premises, allowing darshan during this period poses serious safety risks. After a detailed review of the construction pace and site conditions, the administration concluded that it would not be safe to open the temple even during Mahashivratri.

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Moreover, Bhimashankar experiences extremely heavy rainfall between June and September, during which construction activities are not feasible. This makes it crucial to complete the development work within the limited available working window by accelerating construction activities.

In light of these factors, the earlier decision to keep the temple open during Mahashivratri has been revised. The temple will therefore remain closed for regular darshan from 12 to 18 February 2026.

District Collector Jitendra Dudi has appealed to devotees and local citizens to understand the gravity of the situation and extend full cooperation to the Temple Trust, District Administration, Police Administration, and Local Authorities to ensure the timely completion of the development works and the safety of all.

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