Jharkhand is the nest of few pilgrimage centres, which have great historical importance. Deoghar is one such place of reverence.
Deoghar (the house of Gods) is a centre of peace and harmony that features many socio-cultural and industrial units. It is a popular health resort and an important Hindu pilgrimage.
The ancient temple of Baba Baidyanath (kamana-linga) where one of the twelve jyotirlingas of India is enshrined. Deoghar is believed to be the place where Ravana carrying Lord Shiva on his way to Sri Lanka had stopped, betraying the conditions of a non-stop journey. This failed him in his mission of taking the Lord to Lanka and the Lord remained rooted here.
The place become known as BaidyanathDham after Lord Shiva, also known as Baba Baidyanath. Every monsoon (in the month of Shravan) countless devotees undertake a rigorous 100 kms piligrimage on foot from Ajgaibinath (Sultanganj) to offer holy water to Baba Baidyanath. The pilgrimage is deemed complete with homage paid at Basukinath, almost 43 kms from Deoghar.
Within the precincts of the main temple, there are 12 other temples, dedicated to different Gods, including Lord Mahadeva.
