According to the Gautami Mahatmya of the Brahma Purana, the sage Gautama had his ashram here. The Purana tells that a great drought once struck the region. Sage Gautama performed tapas and arranged for grain and water, sustaining all those around him.
After a disagreement with other sages, Gautama prayed to Shiva to bring the Ganga to this region. Shiva heard his prayer.
The Ganga appeared here as the Godavari. The Godavari rises from the Brahmagiri mountain. This is why the Godavari has long been called the Ganga of the South.
Shiva resides here as Trimbakeshwar. Trimbak means the three-eyed one — a name that points to Shiva's three-eyed form. The Shivalinga in the temple has three small faces carved into it, traditionally understood as representing Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva.
The Godavari river rises from the Brahmagiri mountain, right beside the Trimbakeshwar temple.
What makes Trimbakeshwar distinctive is that it stands at the very source of the Godavari river. Nashik is one of the four sites that host the Simhastha Kumbh Mela, held every twelve years.
The temple is built in the Nagara style from black stone. The Brahmagiri mountain rises directly behind the temple. A parikrama (circumambulation) path runs around the mountain, and visiting the source of the Godavari has traditionally been part of the pilgrimage.
- The temple is open throughout the year, and devotees come daily for darshan.
- The three small faces on the Shivalinga here are the defining feature of Trimbakeshwar.
- The Brahmagiri parikrama path leads to the source of the Godavari.
- Maha Shivaratri and the month of Shravan bring the largest gatherings.