The deity here is believed to increase by the size of a til, a sesame seed, every year.
The name Maheshwar means the abode of Shiva, and the town lives up to it: it holds numerous Shiva temples, most of them named after incarnations or forms of the deity. Tilbhandeshwar is among the important ones.
The belief attached to this shrine is that the deity increases in size by a til, a sesame seed, each year. The temple itself displays considerable architectural quality, with intricately worked doorways and overhanging balconies of the kind found across the better Maheshwar temples. The atmosphere inside is quiet, which is much of its appeal. All the Shiva festivals are kept here, and Mahashivratri in particular is celebrated with great enthusiasm.
The doorways are intricately worked and are the first thing to look at, before you step through them. The detail is fine rather than bold, which repays standing still for a moment.
Balconies project from the upper walls, as they do on the other main temples of the town. They give the building its silhouette and are best read from across the street or the courtyard.
The sanctum is in regular worship, and the lingam is the one locally held to increase by a til each year. Mahashivratri is when the shrine is at its most crowded and most alive.
Tilbhandeshwar is one of the stops on the Maheshwar temple circuit and is reached on foot within the town.
October to March is the comfortable season at Maheshwar. Early morning suits both the temperature and the carved doorways, which take low light well. Mahashivratri is the single most significant day here, and all the Shiva festivals are observed.
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