The Omkareshwar Jyotirlinga is located around 80 Kms from
Indore in the Khandwa district of Madhya Pradesh on the banks of the sacred
Narmada. We had started out early and the drive from Indore was wonderful as we
breezed past green fields and colourful villages. Along the way we saw many groups
of devotees carrying kavads and walking barefoot towards the temple. The driver
told us that this was very common during the month of Shravan. The devotees
would fill their jars with water from the sacred Narmada and carry it to the
temple for performing abhishek to Lord Shiva at Omkareswar as well as
Mahakaleshwar at Ujjain.
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| A view of the Omkareshwar Temple |
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| Kavadias on the way to Omkareshwar |
There was a traffic jam at a certain point and noticing an
open wayside café, we got down to have coffee. We then proceeded to Omkareshwar. It was a
Shravan Somvar and there was a fair like atmosphere all around. The shimmering blue waters of the Narmada,
dotted with colourful boats waiting to ferry devotees to the temple was a
welcoming sight.
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| Colourful boats dotting the Narmada River |
We chose to however use the Jhula Phul, a beautiful hanging
bridge, about 272 feet long, built over the Narmada connecting the mainland to
the island.
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| The Jhula Phul |
The shape of the Mandhata Island resembles the sacred Hindu symbol
‘OM’. The Omkareshwar Jyotirling temple, one of the most sacred pilgrimage
sites in India, is located atop this island. As we walk towards the temple, we
find stalls on both sides of the lane selling any kind of puja items. We climb
a flight of steps on the ghats to reach the temple. The base floor of the
temple which houses the sacred Jyotirling immersed in water. There is a silver
image of Goddess Parvati behind the Shivaling. We were allowed to perform
abhishek for the Jyotirling with water and milk and offer Vilwa leaves to the Lord.
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| Inside the temple |
A priest doubled up as a guide and led us to the Sabha
Mandap standing on 60 pillars with artistic carvings. He also told us that the temple is called the
Omkar Mandhata temple as it was the Ikshvaku Maharaja Mandhata’s devotion that
brought Lord Shiva to this place. The temple itself is a five storied structure
with a shrine to Mahakaleshwar on the first floor and shrines to Siddhanath,
Gupteshwar and Dhwajeshwar on the subsequent floors. The priest told us that main pujas and
abhishek with milk, curd and water are performed three times in a day at Omkareshwar.
The first one is performed by the temple trust early in the morning. The second
puja is performed by the priest of the Scindias, and the third in the evening
by the priest of the Holkar State. Again there is a belief that Lord Shiva
rests at Omkareshwar every night. So the Shayan Aarti at 8.30 pm in the night
is worth watching. A bed is laid out for Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati and a game
of Chaupad is placed for them to play. This Aarti is open to the public.
There is an open corridor with a view of the joyous and
youthful flowing Narmada, where the priest guided us to perform the puja and
abhishek to Mahadev with a small Shivaling and water from the Narmada. This was
indeed spiritually satiating.
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| Performing Puja in the temple premises |
Though the
temple was extremely crowded due to it being Shravan Somvar, we got very good
darshan, albeit after a wait of almost an hour. Photography is not allowed
inside the temple sanctum. But anywhere else one can take photographs.
The priest guide then led us to the Mamleshwar temple on the
opposite bank. We now chose to have a boat ferry us across the river. This was
another wonderful experience.
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| On the boat ride across the Narmada River |
The Mamleshwar temple’s original name is
Amareshwar and there is equal significance accorded to it. In fact many people
say that both Omkareshwar and Mamleshwar are Jyotirlings and so devotees make
it a point to visit both. This temple complex has an ancient look and is protected
by the ASI. The carved sculptures on the stone walls are aesthetically
beautiful and the Nandi Mandap is exquisite. We were told that the Lingarchana
at Mamleshwar is worth seeing as a thousand Banalingas are placed in concentric
circles around the main Shivalinga. They are then worshipped. But unfortunately
we could not see this puja as it was already over by the time we visited the
temple.
As in many pilgrimage destinations there is a parikrama path
which can be done on foot or by boat if the water level in the river is good.
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| Stalls set up on the banks for Shravan |
The Omkareshwar Parikrama passes through several temples including the
Kedareshwar temple, Markanda Ashram with a huge image of Sri Krishna, the Gauri
Somnath temple, Khedapati Hanuman and Patali Hanuman temples, Siddhanath temple
and a giant statue of Lord Shiva.
Another place to visit, if you have time, is the Mandhata
palace, where the views from the Jharokhas or hanging windows of the temple and
the river are mesmerizing to say the least.
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