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The Ghrishneshwar temple is also known by other names like Kusumeswarar, Ghushmeswara, Grushmeswara and Grishneswara. According to the Shiva Purana, a couple named Sudharm and Sudeha resided on the Devagiri Mountain. They were childless, and thus Sudeha got her sister Ghushma married to Sudharm. They bore a son who rendered Ghushma proud and Sudeha jealous of her sister. In her jealousy, Sudeha threw the son in the lake where Ghushma used to discharge 101 lingams. Ghushma prayed to Lord Shiva who ultimately returned her the son and told her of her sister’s deeds. Sudharm asked Shiva to emancipate Sudeha which left Shiva pleased with his generosity. On Sudharm’s request, Shiva manifested himself in the form of the Jyotirlinga and assumed the name Ghushmeshwar.

Grishneshwar Temple has a traditional South-Indian Temple architecture.

The temple complex consists of inner chambers and a sanctum sanctorum.

The structure is made up of red coloured stones and occupies an area of 44,400 square feet. With these dimensions also, the Grishneshwar Temple is the smallest Jyotirlinga temple.

The temple has a 5-layered tall shikhara and several pillars which bear intricate mythological carvings.

The red-stone walls mostly depict the legends of Lord Shiva and the ten incarnations of Lord Vishnu.

The garbhagriha or the sanctum sanctorum has the Shivalinga facing east. It measures about 289 square feet and has a statue of Nandi in the passageway.