The Ambreshwar Shiva Temple, in Ambarnath town of Thane district, Maharashtra, is one of the oldest dated stone temples still in worship near Mumbai. Carved from basalt and set beside the Waldhuni river, it carries a date of 1060 CE from the Shilahara period. Locals call it the Puratana Shivalaya (old Shiva shrine); it is also written as the Ambernath temple. This guide covers what to see, how to reach it by local train, the best season, and the rules that apply to a protected monument.
The Ambreshwar Shiva Temple is an 11th-century Shilahara-era stone temple at Ambarnath, about 60 km east of Mumbai. Built around 1060 CE and now protected by the Archaeological Survey of India, it is a living Shiva temple known for its sunken sanctum and richly carved basalt walls.
Key takeaways
- The temple carries a date of 1060 CE and is linked to the Shilahara dynasty, probably king Chhittaraja, according to the Wikipedia account drawing on George Michell and J.C. Harle.
- It is a centrally protected monument under the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), which acted against illegal construction near it in July 2025 (Free Press Journal).
- The sanctum (garbhagriha) sits below ground, reached by about 20 steps down from the pillared hall, and the tower above was apparently never finished.
- Reach it by Central Railway local train to Ambarnath station on the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) line; the temple is about 2 km east of the station.
- It is busiest on Maha Shivratri and on the Mondays of Shravan; a 2019 report counted roughly 5 lakh devotees on Maha Shivratri.
- No ticket fee has been reported for entry; confirm timings and any arrangements locally before you go.
About the Ambreshwar Shiva Temple
The Ambreshwar Shiva Temple is a stone Shiva temple at Ambarnath, Thane district, Maharashtra, dated to 1060 CE. According to the account on Wikipedia, which cites the art historians George Michell and J.C. Harle, it was built during the Shilahara dynasty, probably by king Chhittaraja, and may have been rebuilt by his son Mummuni. It is also known as the Ambreshwar Shiva Temple and locally as the Puratana Shivalaya.
Do not confuse Ambarnath the town with other Shiva shrines of similar name. This is the temple on the bank of the Waldhuni river, roughly 2 km east of Ambarnath railway station, at about 19.199° N, 73.177° E. It remains a working temple, so you will usually find worship in progress rather than an empty museum piece.
The temple matters because it is one of the few precisely dated survivals from the Shilahara period in the Konkan–Thane belt. For wider context on the state’s heritage circuits, see our Maharashtra travel guide.
The architecture: a sunken sanctum
The temple is built in the Bhumija style from local basalt, with a sanctum that sits below the floor of the hall. According to the Wikipedia description, the garbhagriha (inner sanctum) is reached by descending about 20 steps from the mandapa (pillared hall), and it lies open to the sky because the shikhara (tower) rises only a little above the hall and was apparently never completed. The mandapa has three porches.
Much of the outer figure carving is weathered or damaged, but panels of divine and female figures survive on the walls. Art historians cited on Wikipedia note that, had the tower been finished, the temple would have resembled the Udayesvara (Neelkantheshwara) temple at Udaipur in Madhya Pradesh, begun in 1059, and the Gondeshwar temple at Sinnar in Maharashtra. Plan to spend time walking the full exterior; the carving rewards a slow circuit.
Best time to visit
The comfortable season is the cool, dry window from October to February, when the Thane–Mumbai plain is least humid. The table below is general climate guidance for the region rather than a reading from the temple site. Monsoon (June to September) brings heavy rain typical of the Konkan coast, which makes the river and surroundings green but the approach slippery.
| Season | Months | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Cool and dry | Oct–Feb | Most comfortable for visiting and walking the exterior |
| Hot | Mar–May | Hot and humid; go early morning |
| Monsoon | Jun–Sep | Heavy rain; green surroundings but slippery stone and steps |
Festival timing is a separate decision. The temple is at its most crowded on Maha Shivratri (February or March) and on the Mondays of the Shravan month (roughly July–August). A 2019 DNA report put the Maha Shivratri turnout at more than 5 lakh devotees, with queues forming a day ahead. Go on a Shravan Monday or Maha Shivratri for the atmosphere; go on an ordinary weekday morning if you want quiet and room to see the carving.
How to reach the Ambarnath temple
The easiest way is a Central Railway local train to Ambarnath station, then a short auto-rickshaw ride. Ambarnath lies on the CSMT–Karjat/Khopoli line of the Mumbai suburban network, so direct locals run from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT). The temple is about 2 km east of the station; shared or metered auto-rickshaws cover the last stretch in a few minutes.
| From | Mode | Approx. distance / time |
|---|---|---|
| Mumbai CSMT | Central Railway local train | Direct train, about 1 hr 20 min–1.5 hr (rome2rio) |
| Ambarnath station | Auto-rickshaw | About 2 km east, a few minutes |
| Mumbai city | Road | Roughly 60 km east |
| Pune | Road (car/taxi) | About 130–145 km, 2–2.5 hr (rome2rio; approximate) |
By air: the nearest major airport is Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (BOM) in Mumbai, after which you continue by train or road; a precise airport-to-temple distance was not verified for this guide, so plan it with a live mapping service.
By road from Pune: drivers usually take the expressway and highway corridor toward Mumbai and branch off for Ambarnath; see our Pune travel guide if you are building this into a wider trip. Treat the 130–145 km figure as a planning estimate and reconfirm live, as routing and traffic vary.
Things to see and do
The single reason to come is the temple itself, best experienced slowly across three parts: the exterior carving, the descent into the sunken sanctum, and the riverside setting. The table groups these as experiences rather than separate ticketed sites, because entry to the temple covers all of them.
| Experience | What to do | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Exterior carving | Walk the full outer wall to see surviving divine and female figures in basalt | 30–45 min |
| The sunken sanctum | Descend about 20 steps to the garbhagriha, open to the sky | 15–20 min |
| Three-porch mandapa | Study the pillared hall and its carved columns | 15–20 min |
| Riverside setting | See the temple against the Waldhuni river from the outside | 10–15 min |
Photographers should arrive in the first hour after opening for soft light on the west and south walls. If you visit on a festival day, treat the carving as a secondary pleasure; the crowds make a slow circuit difficult, and the experience is about the ritual and the queue rather than quiet study.
A simple half-day itinerary
A half day from Mumbai is enough to see the temple without rushing.
- Morning: take an early Central Railway local to Ambarnath; auto-rickshaw to the temple.
- At the temple: circle the exterior first, then descend to the sanctum, then the mandapa.
- Midday: a simple local meal near the station area.
- Afternoon: return train to Mumbai, or continue toward Karjat/Matheran if you are making a longer loop.
If you are travelling from Pune, treat it as a long day trip or an add-on to a Mumbai stay rather than a standalone overnight, since Ambarnath itself is a small town.
Where to stay
Most visitors do not stay in Ambarnath; they base themselves in Mumbai, Thane or Navi Mumbai and come for a half-day. Ambarnath is a residential suburban town with limited tourist-grade accommodation, so the richer choice of budget, mid-range and business hotels is in the larger neighbouring cities.
- Budget (indicative, as of 2026): simple lodges in Thane or around suburban stations; reconfirm current rates and availability when you book.
- Mid-range: standard business hotels in Thane and Navi Mumbai.
- Luxury: full-service hotels in Mumbai, an hour or more away by train or road.
Specific tariff bands could not be verified from an official source for this guide, so we have not published rupee figures to avoid quoting stale prices. Book ahead for any visit timed to Maha Shivratri or Shravan, when the whole area is busy.
Food to try nearby
Expect everyday Maharashtrian and Mumbai street food rather than a dedicated temple cuisine. Near the station you will find vada pav (a fried potato patty in a bread bun), misal pav (a spicy sprout curry with bread), poha (flattened-rice breakfast) and south Indian tiffin. Carry water and eat before or after the crowd peaks on festival days, when stalls and streets are congested.
This is general guidance on regional food available in the area rather than a verified list of named restaurants, which change often. On festival days many temporary stalls appear as part of the fair.
Budget breakdown
A day trip from Mumbai is inexpensive because the main cost is a suburban train ticket and a short rickshaw ride. The figures below are indicative planning estimates as of 2026 and should be reconfirmed; they assume one person on a half-day visit from Mumbai, with no overnight stay.
| Item | Indicative cost (per person) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Return local train (Mumbai–Ambarnath) | Low, suburban fare | Reconfirm current Central Railway fare |
| Auto-rickshaw (station–temple–station) | Short metered/shared ride | Carry small change |
| Temple entry | No ticket fee reported | Reconfirm locally |
| Food and water | Street-food budget | More on festival days |
We have deliberately avoided quoting exact rupee totals for fares and rickshaws, because live suburban fares and local rickshaw rates were not verified for this guide. Check the current fare at the ticket counter or a railway app before you travel.
Permits, photography and temple rules
No special travel permit is needed to visit Ambarnath; it is an open town on the Mumbai suburban network, so Inner Line or Protected Area permits do not apply here. The one rule that does matter is that this is a centrally protected monument under the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), so construction, digging and alterations around it are regulated.
In July 2025 the Free Press Journal reported that the ASI Regional Director (West), T. Sreelakshmi, warned the Ambernath Municipal Council to stop unauthorised concretisation within the monument’s prohibited radius, after an activist flagged the work. For visitors, that means you should treat the structure gently: do not climb on carvings, and follow any ASI or temple-trust signage. As a working Shiva temple, modest dress and the usual temple etiquette (removing footwear, quiet conduct) are expected.
Practical tips
- Timings: one listing (bhaktibharat.com) gives roughly 8 am–9 pm, but this is a single source and not an official notice; confirm the day’s timing locally, especially around festivals.
- Cash and UPI: carry some cash for rickshaws and stalls; UPI is widely used in the region but patchy at small vendors.
- Connectivity: Ambarnath is a built-up suburban town, so mobile network and ATMs are available; there is no altitude or remoteness concern here.
- Crowds and safety: on Maha Shivratri and Shravan Mondays, queues are long and streets can be closed to traffic; go very early, keep belongings close, and follow police and volunteer directions.
- Solo and women travellers: this is a busy, accessible suburban destination well connected by frequent local trains; ordinary city-travel precautions apply.
- What to carry: water, a hat in summer, and footwear you can slip off easily; expect a slippery descent to the sanctum in the monsoon.
Nearby places
Ambarnath pairs well with other stops on the Central Railway corridor if you want a longer day out.
| Place | Approx. distance from Ambarnath | Why go |
|---|---|---|
| Thane | ~26 km | Lakes, markets and a transport hub on the way back to Mumbai |
| Mumbai | ~60 km | City base with the fuller range of hotels and sights |
| Karjat / Matheran side | Further along the Central line | Hill-country add-on for a longer loop (plan separately) |
For planning a wider Maharashtra itinerary around this visit, start with our Maharashtra travel guide.
Frequently asked questions
How old is the Ambarnath Shiva temple?
The Ambreshwar Shiva Temple at Ambarnath carries a date of 1060 CE, making it an 11th-century temple roughly 960 years old. According to the account on Wikipedia, citing art historians George Michell and J.C. Harle, it dates to the Shilahara period and was probably built by king Chhittaraja.
How do I reach the Ambarnath temple from Mumbai?
Take a Central Railway local train from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) to Ambarnath station; direct services run in about 1 hour 20 minutes to 1.5 hours (rome2rio). From the station the temple is about 2 km east, a short auto-rickshaw ride away.
Is there an entry fee for the Ambarnath temple?
No ticket fee has been reported for entering the Ambarnath Shiv Mandir, which is a living temple protected by the Archaeological Survey of India. Because an official fee notice was not verified for this guide, confirm any arrangements, timings and queue rules locally before you visit.
When is the best time to visit Ambarnath temple?
The most comfortable months are October to February, when the Thane–Mumbai plain is cool and dry. For atmosphere, visit on Maha Shivratri or a Shravan Monday, but expect very heavy crowds; for a quiet look at the carving, choose an ordinary weekday morning instead.
What is special about the temple’s architecture?
The temple is a Bhumija-style basalt structure whose sanctum sits below ground, reached by about 20 steps from the pillared hall and open to the sky because the tower was apparently never finished. Its surviving wall carvings of divine and female figures are its best-known feature.
Is the Ambarnath temple protected by the ASI?
Yes. The Ambarnath Shiv Mandir is a centrally protected monument under the Archaeological Survey of India. In July 2025 the Free Press Journal reported that the ASI warned the local municipal council to halt unauthorised construction within the monument’s prohibited radius.
Last updated and sources
Go if you care about early stone architecture or a living Shiva temple with deep history; a cool-season weekday morning is the calmest time, while Maha Shivratri and Shravan Mondays are for those who want the full festival crowd.
Last updated: 28 October 2026. Fees, timings and permits change — reconfirm with official sources before you travel.
Sources: Wikipedia, “Shiv Mandir, Ambarnath” (citing George Michell, The Penguin Guide to the Monuments of India, and J.C. Harle, The Art and Architecture of the Indian Subcontinent); Free Press Journal, “ASI Warns Ambernath Civic Body Over Illegal Work Near Shiv Mandir” (2 July 2025); DNA India, Ambarnath Maha Shivratri turnout report (2019); Rome2Rio, Mumbai–Ambarnath travel times and Rome2Rio, Ambarnath–Pune road distance; Bhakti Bharat, Ambarnath Mandir (timings, single source). Accessed September 2026.
