The famous Hindu temple Omkareshwar, situated on the bank of River Narmada in Madhya Pradesh is dedicated to Lord Shiva. The temple marks one of the 12 Jyotirlinga shrines. The temple stands on an island Shivapuri or Mandhata. There are two major temples here, one called Omkareshwar while the other one is Amareshwar. Millions of devotees visit this sacred land to pay homage to Lord Shiva year after year.
Legends
As per the religious text of Shiv Mahapuran, once Brahma and Vishnu had a confrontation regarding the supremacy of creation, so to test them, Lord Shiva pierced three worlds in a pillar of infinite light called Jyotirlinga. With this Brahma and Vishnu split both ways trying to find the end of the light. During this process, Brahma lied that he went till the end of light while Vishnu unable to find the end surrendered. Having lied, Brahma was cursed by Lord Shiva denoting the fact that he does not have any place in religious ceremonies while with the confession of Vishnu, Lord Shiva gave him the blessing that he will be worshipped till the end of time. It is thus the Jyotirlinga that defines the supreme existence of Lord Shiva in all the locations it has fallen into. Thus, the places where Jyotirlinga fell are marked as the most religious location for the presence of Lord Shiva. It is believed that there are 64 Jyotirlinga sites where the light had fallen. However, only 12 of them are considered holy and the temple of Omkareshwar is one of them. The Lingam which symbolizes infinite beginning and end and is a mark of Lord Shiva’s supremacy is taken as an idol in these religious shrines.
There are three stories associated with the presence of the temple. The first one is about Vindhya Parvat. Once upon a time, the son of Lord Brahma, Narada visited Vindhya Parbat and recounted his story about the higher stature of Mount Meru. Upon hearing the same, Vindhya felt jealous and decided to perform penance to Lord Shiva to gain the blessing to beat Mount Meru. As the penance went on for six months for worshipping Parthiva Linga which means the Linga was made from physical material, Lord Shiva was impressed and blessed Vindhya with his desired wish. Thereupon further requests from other Gods and sages Lord Shiva divided the Lingas into two halves. The first part is Omkareshwar while the second half is called Amkareshwar or Mamleshwar. Upon Lord Shiva’s boon of growing, he even conditioned that Vindhya would never pose a threat to the preachers of Lord Shiva. However, Vindhya was unable to keep up the promise. The constant rise of Vindhya even obstructed the sun and moon. With this precarious situation, the devotees of Lord Shiva reached sage Agastya to complain about the same. Hearing the stories, Agastya and his wife visited Vindhya and convinced him not to grow further until they returned. Sage Agastya and his wife never returned which resulted in Vindhya stopping to where it was.
The second story relates to Mandhata – an ancestor of Lord Ram. Once, King Mandhata of Ikshvaku practiced severe penance until Lord Shiva arrived in the form of Jyotirlinga. It is from here that the mountain got its name, Mandhata.
The third story that goes along states that once there was an epic battle between Gods and Demons, where the Demons were completely defeated. This fearful event led to the Devas praying for Lord Shiva to save them from the hands of demons. Being pleased with the penance, Lord Shiva appeared as Omkareshwar Jyotirlinga and crushed the Danavas.
Main Attraction
The temple of Omkareshwar is the most sought out place among the devotees. It is only for this important shrine that people visit here irrespective of any time of the year.
Events & Festivals
Besides daily rituals and practices with great fervor, there are four major festivals held in Omkareshwar temple at different times of the year. They are: Kartik Festival, Maha Shivratri, Narmada Jayanti and Bhutni Amavasya.
Climatic Conditions/ Best Time to Visit
Owing to the location of the temple, the weather is extreme in both summer and winter. In the summertime (March-May), the temperature reaches 45 Degrees Celsius. In the winter season (December – February), the temperature drops to 29 degrees Celsius sometimes touching as low as 6 degrees Celsius. Monsoon from June – September gives an average rainfall.
How to Reach
The temple of Omkareshwar is located in the Khandwa district of Madhya Pradesh by the banks of River Narmada. Omkareshwar temple is well connected to other parts of the country by rail, road, and air. The nearest airport lies at Indore and Ujjain with a distance of 77 km and 133 km respectively.
The nearest main railway station lies in Indore. One can avail bus or private cars to reach the location.
The road is well-connected to other parts of Madhya Pradesh.
Moreover, there are regular ferry services and two bridges across the Narmada River to reach the temple.
Religious Pilgrimage Tour Packages 