Deoghar Tourist Places I Just Visited: A Deoghar Travel Guide

So, we had a short Durga Puja holiday, and we were exploring options in East India. As Bengalis, Deoghar has always been a popular place for autumn and winter retreats. In many Bengali literature and fiction, you will find the mention of “Paschim,” meaning places west of Bengal.

Deoghar was one of those hotspots, and as the home of Baba Baidyanath, one of the 12 Jyotirlingas of India, it always has been a sacred place to visit. Further, Deoghar is a place of natural abundance. The red soil complements verdant hills like the Trikut Pahar and lush jungles.

So, when Deoghar came up us a suggestion, we agreed readily. Being passionate about spiritual tourism in India, we decided to visit Deoghar tourist places like Baba Baidyanath Dham, Basukinath, Tapovan Caves, Trikut Pahar, and Naulakha temple on this 2-night and 3-day trip.

And this is how we explored Deoghar during our stay!

⁕⁕ Things You Did Not Know About Deoghar And Its Tourist Places | A Dream And Travel Note ⁕⁕
‣ The origin of Baidyanathdham is not known, and you will find it mentioned as Ketakivan or Haritakivan in prominent Sanskrit texts.
‣ Puran Mal, an ancestor of Maharaja of Giddhour, built certain parts of the famous Baidyanath Temple in 1596.
‣ Baba Baidyanath Dham is among the 12 Shiva Jyotirlingas¹ or द्वादश ज्योतिर्लिंग in India. It is also one of the 51 Shakti Peethas² in India.
‣ Baba Baidyanath Dham, along with Shrisailam, is one of the most revered religious places where a Jyotirlinga and Shakti Peetha coexist.
‣ The Deoghar tourist places, including Baba Baidyanath Dham, have stories of the Ramayana associated with them.

Where Is Deoghar? A Hub Of Spiritual And Natural Tourist Places

Deoghar is the 5th largest city in the Indian state of Jharkhand. Earlier, it was a part of the Dunka District. Now, it is the main city, located in the Santhal Parganas Division of Deoghar District.

Deoghar is at a distance of around 150 Km from Bhagalpur, which is the largest city in Jharkhand.

Further, Deoghar is located at a distance of 12 Km from the Deoghar Airport. Moreover, the closest railway station connecting it to other major cities of the country is Jasidih.

What Is The Best Time To Visit Deoghar Tourist Places?

October to March is the best time to visit Deoghar tourist places. We started our journey on 8th October 2024. We found the temperature moderate during our stay. In fact, at night, the temperature dips a bit.

Overall, you can expect a temperature between 11-20 degrees Celsius during these months. However, it was raining when we reached Jasidih on the evening of 8th October. For the next 2 days, the weather was clear, with rainfall lowering the temperature by a few degrees.

December is also a nice time to visit Deoghar, with temperatures hovering around 10-24 degrees Celsius.

⁕⁕ Dream And Travel Note On Visiting Deoghar Tourist Places ⁕⁕
‣ The month of July, or Shravan, is the time when Deoghar has the most visitors. People from all parts of India visit Baba Baidyanath Dham this month for Shrawani Puja.
‣ People start walking from Sultanganj, from where they collect the Ganga Jal or holy water of the Ganges. Once they visit the Baidyanath Dham, they bathe the deity with this water.
‣ Also, there are many gentle homestays in Deoghar. You can book any of them through any online platform. I used Booking.com to book a room in Shivay Guest House. It had amenities like air conditioners and geysers. Further, here, they serve freshly made home-cooked food.
The charge for an AC room here was INR 1200 per day.
It is a moderate place with a pretty garden at the front. I also loved its location almost in a village setup. During my stay here, I enjoyed taking a walk along the alleys here.
Shivay Guest House:
Contact No: 90883504416
Address: Basant Bihar, Jasidih Deoghar Road, Deoghar

How We Reached Deoghar From Kolkata

For the longest time, I wanted to have a ride on the Vande Bharat Express. With this Deoghar tour plan, my dream came true. We booked our tickets in Vande Bharat Express AC Chair Car from Howrah to Jasidih.

The train was on time. It started from Howrah at 3:30 PM on 8th October 2024, and we reached Jasidih at around 7:15 PM. From there, we took a toto to our homestay.

To return to Kolkata from Deoghar, we booked tickets for Janshatabdi Express. On 11th October, 2024, the train started from Jasidih Station at 9 AM and reached Howrah Station at around 1:40 PM.

What Is The Cost Of Visiting The Deoghar Tourist Places

The cost of your trip to Deoghar will depend on your mode of transportation to Jasidih, your hotel, and the charges for sightseeing. However, the biggest challenge while budgeting a trip to Deoghar is the charges at Baba Baidyanath Dham.

At the temple, the Puja Samagris will cost you around around INR 100. However, the pandas can ask you for unbelievable fees. They asked for INR 2100 from us, and we finally paid them INR 500.

The irony is that you will need the guidance of a Panda here as the sanctum sanctorum is narrow and always over-crowded. So, unless you are a local or have a Panda to make some room for you, you won’t be able to offer water or flowers to the deity.

The floor is slippery, and you have to get on your knees in the Garbh Griha to worship the deity.

Moreover, if you have young children or an elderly person or child with you, the never-ending line will look intimidating. Even if you don’t want to, you will have to buy a VIP Pass for INR 300 each.

Nevertheless, here is the cost breakdown of visiting Deoghar tourist places. I was traveling with my partner. So, the expense shared here is for two people.

Expenses	Amount (INR)
Train Ticket From Howrah to Jasidih (Booked through MakeMyTrip)	963.91*2 (Inclusive of taxes and afternoon snacks)
Jasidih Station to Homestay Toto	100
Homestay Charges	1200*3 = 3600
Food Charges	1500
Puja Charges At Baidyanath Dham	700 (Panda Dakshina, Puja Samagris, Peda)
Puja Charges At Basukinath Temple	150
Toto Charges For Sightseeing (2 Days)	1500
Peda	700 (INR 350/kg)
Shopping for Small Souvenirs	400
Toto Charges from Hotel to Jasidih Station	100
Train Ticket from Jasidih to Howrah (12024 Janshatabdi Express)	634.91*2
Miscellaneous (Entry Fee to Trikut Pahar, Tapovan, and Tea/Coffee)	200
Total Amount	12,147.64

So, for each person, the cost will be around INR 6074.

The Deoghar Tourist Places We Visited This Year | Into The Land Of Baba Baidyanath Dham

To explore the best Deoghar, you have to be an explorer. Despite being a prominent location for spiritual tourism in India, Deoghar still enjoys the simplicity of a small town. People here are warm, and if you have genuine questions, they are always happy to help.

For example, our toto driver, Ravi Kumar, was of great help. When in Deoghar, you can always give him a call at 9631818896.

He is a wonderful young guy and very helpful. He even always guided us and was a great help in managing the maddening crowd at the Baidyanath Temple.

Despite the travel writer in me having done all the research beforehand, we allowed him to be our tour guide, and these are the places he took us to.

1. Baba Baidyanath Dham

Address: Baba Mandir Campus, Shivganga Muhalla, Deoghar, Jharkhand
Contact Number: 090747 63726
Open Hours: 4 AM to 10 PM

Baba Baidyanath Dham, one of the 12 Jyotirlingas of India and a famous Shakti Peeth, is where you will find calm amidst the chaos. If you know, you know! It’s like the center of the universe where the divine feminine meets the divine masculine.

The energy here is palpable. Even amidst the maddening crowd and chant of Bol Bam, you will feel the silence when you enter the Garbh Griha and touch the deity.

After offering prayer to Lord Shiva, we visited the Mata Parvati Temple. Here, Mata Parvati is known as Jay Durga. Two forms of the Goddess, Tripura Sundari, and Chinnamasta, are worshipped here.

Further, as the heart of Goddess Parvati fell here, Baba Baidyanath Dham is also known as Chitabhumi, Hridaypeeth, or Hridaybhumi. You will notice red ribbons tied between the temple tops of Lord Shiva and Parvati. These denote the union between the deities.

We reached the Baba Baidyanath Temple through the Paratha Gali and we found all necessary puja items near the entrance itself.

Many Stories About Baba Baidyanath Dham | Religious Deoghar Tourist Places

The Shivalinga here is known as Kaamna Linga, meaning this idol fulfills all your wishes. However, they say that when you touch the Shiva Linga, you forget all your wishes. It’s true! You have a unique feeling once you touch the idol, and it’s very fulfilling.

Further, Ravana, an ardent devotee of Lord Shiva, once cut nine of his heads to please Lord Shiva. When he was about to cut his tenth head, Lord Shiva stopped him and healed all his injuries as a doctor or Baidya. Thus, the deity here is called Baba Baidyanath.

Being happy with the devotion of Ravana, Lord Shiva gave him a Shiva Linga and asked him to take it to Lanka. However, the Lord warned him not to keep the Shivalinga on the ground before reaching Lanka.

When he reached this place, Varuna Dev entered his body, and Ravana felt the urge to relieve himself. Meanwhile he saw a little boy who was Lord Vishnu in disguise. Ravana requested the boy to hold the Shivalinga for a while.

But Lord Vishnu kept the idol on the ground, and Ravana could not move it. So, he pushed the idol inside the ground, and with the pressure of his thumb, a part of the idol got chipped.

2. Basukinath Temple

Location: Jarmundi Block, Dumka
Temple Hours: 3 AM to 4 PM and Sunset to 8 PM
Distance from Deoghar: 44 Kms

They say that you don’t earn the blessings of Lord Baidyanath until you visit the Basukinath Temple. So, we planned to visit the Basukinath Temple on 9th October, 2024. It was a close to 1.5 hours ride in toto.

You can also travel by the Jasidih Dumka Demu Special train or take buses to reach Basukinath. However, we wanted to keep our trip slow-paced. So, we preferred a relaxed toto ride through the roads of red soil.

Upon reaching the temple, we offered our prayers to Lord Shiva and Mata Parvati. The temple tops of both deities are attached with red threads, marking eternal union. I also explored the Dasha Mahavidya temples here.

However, for me, the biggest draw was a corner in the courtyard. A lot of bells were hung there were cows and oxes sitting or standing there. It looked like a place where people make wishes.

⁕⁕ Things Very Few People Know About The Basukinath Temple ⁕⁕
‣ Kanwar Yatra, held during the months of July and August (Shravan), is the most famous festival here. Thousands of devotees carry Ganges water from Sultanganj, offer their prayer at Baidyanath Dham, and then visit Basukinath Temple.
‣ It is believed that Lord Parashurama was one of the pioneers of Kanwar Yatra. Knvarias are a tribe of Shiva devotees.
‣ The current temple was built by Basaki Tatme, a tribal.
‣ Basukinath Temple is called the “Courtroom of Lord Biswanath.” Here, everyone gets justice according to their deeds.
‣ Furthermore, it is believed to be the place where Lord Vasuki, or a serpent-head god, offered his head to Lord Shiva. Thus, the temple became famous as the Vasukinath Temple.
‣ Avoid standing between the Shiva and Parvati temples here in the evening. According to popular beliefs, it is the time of union for the deities.

⁕⁕ Dream And Travel Note ⁕⁕

The toto will stop a little ahead of the temple. You have to walk through the Bazaar to reach the temple.

You can collect puja essentials at the temple entrance and I loved Basukinath as there was no rush. Despite being a twin temple of the Baba Baidyanath Dham, it is completely opposite in its spirit.

3. Trikut Pahar

Location: Trikut Basdiha in Mohanpur Block

Located at a 16.2 km distance from Deoghar, Trikut Pahar or Trikut Parvat stands on the way to Dumka. It is a verdant hill with three peaks named after the holy trinity of Brahma, Vishnu, and Maheswara.

With an elevation of 753 meters, Trikut Pahar today houses many small temples of Lord Ganesha, Mata Parvati, and Lord Shiva. As you start climbing up the stairs, you will notice a beautiful pond on the left side.

Here, also you will find monkeys. They are quite unbothered unless you are troubling them or carrying food.

The main attractions of Trikut Pahar are the hermitage of Sage Dayananda and Trikutachal Mahadeva Temple. Further, there is a spot here known as the Helipad of Ravana.

Other places to spend some time here are:

Sita Dweep
Ravan Gupha
Ganesh Parvat
Belpatra Bagan

According to myths, Ravana was taking the Shivalinga from Kailash to Lanka is his Pushpak Rath. On his way, he stopped on this mountaintop for a while, and since then it has become famous as Ravana’s helipad.

⁕⁕ Dream And Travel Note On Visiting Trikut Pahar ⁕⁕

You have to pay an entry fee of INR 10 while visiting Trikut Pahar. The hills are beautiful, and the surrounding landscape looks like an oil painting.

However, you will find temporary stalls on both sides of the road as you approach the Trikut Pahar. They obstruct the beautiful view of the hill, and for me, they were nothing less than visual pollution.

This is what overtourism does. We end up ruining the pristine appeal and beauty of the place at the cost of commercialization.

There was a ropeway ride facility at Trikut Pahar. However, after an accident in April 2022, it was closed.

4. Tapovan

Address: Chihardhandhiya, Jharkhand

Tapovan Cave and Hill in Deoghar is a melting pot of religion, mythology, and adventure. It is a great experience to reach the summit of this hill through carved staircases. It will take you around 30-40 minutes to reach the top of the hill.

Once you reach the top or stop at the staircase landings to catch some breath, you will find the most beautiful views of the landscape around. It is lush green as far as you can see.

Further, as we started climbing Tapovan Hill, we found a temple of Sri Sri Balananda Brahmachari Maharaj Ji. It is the place where this sage attained enlightenment or Siddhi.

In this temple, you will also find the skulls of two tigers, which used to guard the saint.

We offered our prayers there, and the priest there gave me some Koris or Cowry shells. He asked me to keep them in my prayer room as blessings, and those will bring prosperity to the family.

Nevertheless, we started climbing the hill and visited the Taponath Mahadev temple cave, the main attraction here.

‣ ClimbingTapovan Hill is not easy, as the slopes are often steep. I, being on the heavier side of the scale, struggled to reach the top.
‣ Don’t forget to hire a guide as you need to learn the stories. Also, you may need support while climbing up the hill.
‣ You will find monkeys here. You can offer them peanuts. Be respectful to them, and do not carry food unnecessarily to avoid them troubling you.
‣ Further, you will need to pay an entry fee of INR 10 to reach Tapovan Hill. There are photographers who will click and share your photos for INR 10-20.

Tapovan Hills Deoghar And Mythological Stories

Tapovan Hills is believed to be the place where Sage Valmiki, the author of the Ramayana, meditated.

Further, halfway through the summit of Tapovan Hills, you will find a huge rock. Lord Hanuman was believed to have cracked open the rock when he wanted to break Ravana’s meditation for Lord Shiva.

The inner walls of the rock have pictures of Lord Hanuman.

The descent from the Tapovan Hill is even more fascinating as you have to squeeze through steep passages of rocks and boulders.

5. Naulakha Temple

Address: Karnibad, Deoghar, Jharkhand
Contact Number: 0651 233 1828
Hours Open: 7 AM to 12 PM and 2-7:30 PM

Naulakha Temple is my favorite among all the Deoghar tourist places I have been to. The peaceful ambiance here allows you to meditate, introspect, or just soak in the calm energy of the place at your own pace.

Contrary to what you will see online or everyone will tell you, it is not a Radha Krishna temple. It has Gopal Gobinda as the main deity and a chamber of Balananda Brahmachari.

Balananda Brahmachari was the Guru of Rani Charushila, who built this temple. Rani Charushila of Pathuria Ghat King’s family in Kolkata built this temple in 1863, following the advice of Balananda Brahmachari. She met the saint after losing her husband, Akshay Ghosh, and son Jatindra Ghosh.

Further, the temple was built at an expense of 9 lakhs at that time. Thus, it got its name as Naulakha Temple.

In fact, you will find inscriptions like “Jatindra Smriti” and “Akshay Smriti” on the walls of this temple.

Naulakha Temple: A Humble Temple With Beautiful Architecture

The architecture of Naulakha Temple is amazing. At first, it looks like a Rajasthani fort with precise geometrical structures.

As you enter the temple, you will see a white marble statue of Charushila Devi sitting with Gopal Gobinda or Baal Gopal in her lap. The statue is in the middle of two-way staircases.

When you climb up the stairs, you see a vast covered space with arched columns and marble flooring. You have to cross this area to visit the Gobinda temple and the chamber of Balananda Brahmachari.

However, for me, the most intriguing element was the intricate sculptures and carvings on the wall. The Kaliya Daman Scene especially drew my attention.

6. Nandan Pahar

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Address: Nandan Pahar Road, Near Satsang Chowk, Barmasia, Deoghar
Contact Number: 094313 96940
Hours Open: 6 AM to 7 PM
Entry Fee: INR 10 (Per Person)

Nandan Pahar is one of the most popular Deoghar tourist places for children. If you are traveling from Jasidih, you can take an auto or toto. The distance is around 8 Kms.

The small hill of Nandan Pahar has many beautiful temples. Our favorite was the Nandi Temple facing the Baba Baidyanath Dham. It seems that Nandi Bhahwan here symbolizes the eternal wait of a devotee for the deity.

‣ Nandan Pahar is associated with the stories of Ravana and his devotion to Lord Shiva. Ravana once tried to enter the abode of Lord Shiva.
‣ Nandi Bhagwan, as the doorkeeper, tried to stop him. Being furious, Ravana threw Nandi to this site. Thus, it has got its name of Nandan Pahar.

As you reach the hilltop, you will get a beautiful view of the surrounding landscape. I will suggest you visit Nandan Hill during the sunset hours. It looks beautiful and reinforces your belief in the joy of little things.

Moreover, it has a Children’s Park and a Ghost House. So, if you have kids traveling with you, they will have a great time here.

As I explored Baba Baidyanath Dham and other Deoghar tourist places, the shlokas of Adi Shankaracharya resonated in my mind. About Baidyanath Dham and its beauty, he wrote,

“Poorvottare prajwalika nidhaane

sada vasantam girija sametam

suraasuraaradhita paada padmam

shri vaidyanaatham tamaham namaami.”

Here, the great saint and scholar described how Lord Mahadeva resides here with his consort, Mata Parvati, the reincarnation of Sati.

After Maa Sati’s self-immolation, Mahadev’s rage led him to perform the destructive Tandav dance, prompting the other gods to seek Shri Hari Vishnu’s intervention. Vishnu used his Sudarshana Chakra to divide Sati’s body into 51 pieces, which fell to various locations on Earth, resulting in the creation of divine temples known as “Sati Peeth.” ↩︎
A Jyotirlinga, or Jyotirlingam, serves as a sacred representation of the Hindu deity Shiva. This term is derived from the Sanskrit words ‘jyotis,’ meaning light, and ‘linga,’ meaning symbol.
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