OMKARESHWAR / MAMLESHWAR TEMPLE

See Omkareshwar, East Nimar for town of the same name Omkareshwar

Omkareshwar is a Hindu temple in the Khandwa district of Madhya Pradesh state in India. It is on an island called Mandhata or Shivapuri in the Narmada river. It is one of the 12 revered Jyotirlinga shrines of Shiva. It is about 12 miles (20 km) from Mortakka in Madhya Pradesh. The shape of the island is said to be like the Hindu Om symbol. There are two temples here, one to Omkareshwar (whose name means "Lord of Omkaara or the Lord of the Om Sound") and one to Amareshwar (whose name means "Immortal lord" or "lord of the Immortals or Devas").

Omkareshwar is formed by the sacred river Narmada. This is one of the most sacred of rivers in India and is now home to one of the world's biggest dam projects.

Narmada river in Omkareshwar

Legends & Sthala purana of Omkareshwar

Omkareshwar Jyotirlinga also has its own quota of stories.Three are prominent.

The first story is about Vindhya Parvat (Mount). Once upon a time Narada (son of Lord Brahma), known for his non-stop comic travel, visited Vindhya parvat. In his spicy way Narad told Vindhya Parvat about the greatness of Mount Meru. This made Vindhya jealous of Meru and he decided to be bigger than Meru. Vindhya started worship of Lord Shiva to become greater than Meru. Vindhya Parvat practiced severe penance and worshipped parthivlinga (A linga made from physical material) along with Lord Omkareshwar for nearly six months. As a result Lord Shiva was pleased and blessed him with his desired boon. On a request of all the gods and the sages Lord Shiva made two parts of the lingas. One half is called Omkareshwara and the other Mamaleshwar or Amareshwar. Lord Shiva gave the boon of growing, but took a promise that Vindhya will never be a problem to Shiva's devotees. Vindhya began to grow, but did not keep his promise. It even obstructed the sun and the moon. All deities approached sage Agastya for help. Agastya along with his wife came to Vindhya, and convinced him that he would not grow until the sage and his wife returned. They never returned and Vindhya is there as it was when they left. The sage and his wife stayed in Srisailam which is regarded as Dakshina Kashi and one of the Dwadash Jyotirlinga.

The second story relates to Mandhata and his son's penance. King Mandhata of Ishvaku clan (an ancestor of Lord Ram) worshipped Lord Shiva here till the Lord manifested himself as a Jyotirlinga. Some scholars also narrate the story about Mandhata's sons-Ambarish and Mucchkund, who had practiced severe penance and austerities here and pleased Lord Shiva. Because of this the mountain is named Mandhata.

The third story from Hindu scriptures says that once upon a time there was a great war between Devas and Danavas(demon), in which Danavas won. This was a major setback for Devas and hence Devas prayed to Lord Shiva. Pleased with their prayer, Lord Shiva emerged in the form of Omkareshwar Jyotirlinga and defeated Danavas.

Omkareshwar Tourism Distance : 77km from Indore The name Omkareshwar derives from the word Om, which signifies the most sacred Hindu symbol. This island is shaped like the Om and is about 2km long and 1km wide. It is one of the holiest Hindu sites in India by virtue of the presence a jyotirlingam, one of the twelve in India. As you probably know by now, the lingam is the symbol of Lord Shiva and there must be simply thousands of them in India. The jyotirlingam or the lingam of light, however, is special. It is believed to derive currents of power from within itself as opposed to an ordinary lingam which is ritually invested with mantra shakti (power invested by chants) by the priests. The Location Omkareshwar rests at the meeting point of the Narmada and the Kaveri rivers. It is divided north to south by a deep gully. The ground slopes gently along the northern edge but in the south and east there are cliffs over 150m high forming a gorge. The village spreads to the southern bank from the island, now linked by a new bridge, and the river between is said to be very deep and full of crocodiles. Sri Omkareshwar Mahadeo Temple Also known as the Temple of Shri Omkar Mandhata, it enshrines the jyotirlingam. The temple is made from a locally available soft stone which made possible intricate detailing in the façade, especially in the friezes on the upper parts of the structure. The Siddnath Temple A classic example of early medieval Brahminic architecture, this one is well worth a visit. Its most eye-catching feature is a frieze of elephants over 1.5m high carved on a stone slab at its outer perimeter. Elaborate carved figures decorate the upper portion and the roof of the temple. The shrine is encircled by verandahs with columns carved in circles, polygons and squares. The Siddnath Temple Other Places Despite the damage done by Muslim invaders in the time of Mahmud of Ghazni (11 th century), there are still many temples on this island, both Hindu and Jain. You can spot a huge Nandi Bull (the vehicle of Lord Shiva) carved in the hillside opposite the temple to Gauri Somnath at the western end of the island. Don’t miss the 24 Avatars, a group of Hindu and Jain temples, the 10th century Satmatrika Temples (6km) and the Kajal Rani Cave (9km), a lovely picnic spot with a great view. Facilities Transport The nearest railway station, Omkareshwar Road, is on the Ratlam-Indore-Khandwa line. Omkareshwar is a mere 12km from the station. Local buses ply on the Indore-Omkareshwar route (68km, Rs 20) at frequent intervals. There are many buses from Indore till 1030 hrs but only one early morning bus from Ujjain. Accommodation Don’t expect any plush hotels, the accommodation available is pretty basic. Dharamshalas are aplenty but they are primarily for Hindus. Check out the Yatrika Guest House at Omkareshwar Mandir. Another good bet is the Holkar Guest House run by the Ahilyabai Charity Trust.

Transport

There are steamboats across the Narmada river and also two connecting bridges to reach the temple.

Air : The Airports close to Omkareshwar are at Indore (77 km) and Ujjain (133 km).

Rail : Nearest Railway Station is at Omkareshwar Road (12 km) on the Ratlam-Khandwa section of the Western Railway which is not a mainline. The other nearest railway station connected to Delhi and Mumbai is at Indore (77 km).

Road : Omkareshwar is connected to major towns and cities of Madhya Pradesh. There are regular bus services from Indore (77 km), Ujjain (133 km) Khandwa (61 km.) and Omkareshwar Road (12 km). By bus, it takes 2.5 hrs from Khandwa railway station to Omkareshwar.

While traveling from Khandwa to Omkareshwar, on the left side of road in the outskirts of Khandwa you can see the memorial to the celebrated singer, Kishore Kumar.