("God's residence") Sacred location (tirtha) around 130 miles southeast of Patna, in the southeastern portion of the present state of Bihar.
Deoghar is well-known across India as the location of a temple dedicated to the deity Shiva as Vaidyanath, the "Lord of Physicians." Vaidyanath is one of the twelve jyotirlingas, a set of sacred locations dedicated to Shiva and thought to be the only place on the planet where Shiva may be found.
During the Shivaratri festival (February—March) and the lunar month of Shravan (July—August), both of which are considered particularly important to Shiva, Deoghar hosts a massive religious gathering.
Pilgrims gather water from the Ganges at Sultanganj, more than sixty miles from Deoghar, on both occasions, and then travel to Deoghar to give the water to Shiva.
This observance combines devotion to God with a willingness to endure adversity; it is often practiced to fulfill a pledge made while requesting heavenly favor.
At Deoghar, like at many Hindu sacred sites, pilgrim traffic surges during particular festival seasons and then reduces to nearly nothing at other times of the year.
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