Omkareshwar Travel Guide

Omkareshwar is revered as one of the 12 Jyotirlinga sites dedicated to Shiva. The Omkareshwar and Amareshwar temples are situated on the island of Mandhata in the river Narmada in Madhya Pradesh’s Khandwa district.

The Omkareshwar Island itself is named after its shape, which resembles that of the mystic word ‘Om’.

According to a legend, the two temples on the islands house the two pieces of a single Shivalinga that Shiva himself split into two following a request by the gods.

Besides the temples, a number of shrines can also be seen here.

The island also features a cave believed to have been once used by the philosopher Adi Shankaracharya (788-820).

Historical

Ranmukteshwar Temple, Omkareshwar
Omkareshwar is known all over the country for its beautiful temples. One among the most acclaimed to fame is the Ranmukteshwar temple. People from all over the world and various states within India itself visit this temple to offer their prayers and to seek blessings of the lord. As Muki means pardon in Hindi Language, Ranmukteshwar temple is known among the devotees for holding powers to absolve all the sins of a pilgrim. People come here for a holy darshan and seek blessings from the lord for the absolving of their sins. Usually, the pilgrims offer raw gram pulses here to the main deity. They believe by offering this they can absolve all the debts that are unpaid and can thus lead a peaceful and stress-free life. They also offer the Chana dal for peace of their departed souls. The shrine is easily accessible and transport facility is available to reach the temple.

Religious

Kedareshwar Temple, Omkareshwar

When you begin to count the most important of the shrines in Madhya Pradesh, Kedareshwar Temple has to top the list for sure. Built in the 11th century, this temple is a great attraction for those entire international and national tourists that visit the state. A lot of people travel all the way to this temple in order to seek blessings of the lord for a better fortune and prosperous life. Basically, it is the holy aura and divinity of the temple that attracts so many tourist and pilgrims towards this temple. When any special event is held, like any significant festival is celebrated, pilgrims in large numbers flock to the temple. From flowers to money, they offer a lot along with their prayers to the main presiding deity of the temple. I am believed that whoever comes to the temple always gets the wish fulfilled. Though the wish may come true a little late, it is always catered to, locals believe.

Mamleshwar Temple, Omkareshwar

Mamleshwar Temple is a very famous holy shrine that sees a lot of devotees flocking to it all throughout the year. The temple lies in the town of Omkareshwar and is very popular. The specialty of the temple lays in its attractively carved pillars and stone works. The temple is believed to inspire a lot of devotees with the absolute divinity that it offers. Devoted to Lord Shiva, this temples sanctum is decorated with a very beautiful Shiva Lingam. This is made of sand. Just like other temples of Lord Shiva, the sacred bull, Nandi, guards the temple sanctorum. A very interesting feature of the temple is that it is always full of monkeys who roam around freely in the premises. They are very rarely seen to attack the devotees, that too only after thorough provocation. During the celebrations of the Maha Shivratri festival, the temple precincts are overcrowded with devotees who stay here all night just to mark the grandeur of the day.

Omkar Mandhata Temple, Omkareshwar
Considered amongst the most revered shrines of the town, Omkar Mandhata Temple is the one that houses one of the 12 jyotirlingas of India. Standing prettily in the confluence of river Kaveri and Narmada, this temple showcases the best of Nagara style of architecture. There are lovely carvings and frescos that are witness to it. The beautifully constructed balconies of the temple have engraved columns having distinct shapes. This gives the temple a very dazzling and elegant appeal. Though the main presiding deity of the temple is Lord Shiva, but idols of Lord Ganesha and Goddess Annapurna are also dominant here. People believe that this temple has special powers and thus the one who comes to pray here never goes empty handed. The devotees find a special kind of peace here and throng to the temple on special occasion in large numbers. Shivratri is celebrated with a lot of pomp here.

Scenic

Sacred Meeting Point, Omkareshwar
When it comes to sanctity, each place in India is full of it. But when you are in the city of Omkareshwar, the Sacred Meeting Point is a must visit. River Narmada is the daughter of God Shiva as per mythological beliefs and holds a great religious significance for Hindus. This very sacred river also found its distinct place in various Puranas whereby it is narrated as a holy dip. It is also believed that the circumvention of the river fetches salvation. Though it flows through many regions, when the river reaches Omkareshwar, it merges with river Kaveri to form one island. Now, this meeting point of the rivers gains an amount of significance that cannot be described so easily. It is shaped like the symbol Om, the most respectable and revered symbol of Hindus. Apart from having a religious merit, this place is also bestowed with many breathtaking and mesmerizing types of scenery along with vivid avian life.