Nageshwar Temple

The Nageshwar Jyotirlinga is located in Dwarka, on the coast of Saurashtra, in Gujarat. It is one of the 12 Jyotirlinga in the world. A 25 m tall statue of Lord Shiva and a large garden with a pond are the major attractions that attract tourists here every year. The Nageshwar temple first story goes a hundred years back in Shiva Purana, about a demon couple named Daruka and Daruk. But, Daruka was a cruel demon with a sadistic characteristic; who found joy in troubling folks around. While in captivity Supriya advised all others to enchant the mantra “Om Namaha Shivaya” loudly. According to legend, there was a group of dwarves, the Balakhilyas, who lived in Darukvana. They were devout of Lord Shiv. To test their devotion, the Lord came to Darukavana disguised as a naked ascetic, wearing nothing but serpents on his body. The wives of the sages were drawn towards him and left their husbands. Enraged, the sages cursed the ascetic so that his ling (phallus) would fall off. The Shiv Ling then fell on the earth and the entire earth shuddered. Lord Vishnu and Lord Brahma pleaded with Lord Shiva to take his ling back before the world was destroyed. Pacified, the Lord took back his linga but left a symbol of the linga that would remain there forever.
The second legend is that according to the Shiv Purana, hundreds of years ago two demons Daruka and Daruki lived in Darukavan. Daruka was blessed by Goddess Parvati. However, he misused the blessings and terrorized the local folks. One such time, he imprisoned a local woman, Supriya. Supriya told her fellow inmates to take the name of Lord Shiva and no harm would come to them. When Daruka heard this, he was enraged. He rushed to kill her but Lord Shiv appeared to protect her. As Daruka was blessed by his own wife, the Lord could not kill him so instead, he took the form of a lingam and promised to protect Supriya and the local folks forever in Dwarka.