OMKARESHWAR JYOTIRLINGA | OMKARESHWAR TOURIST PLACES | OMKARESHWAR HISTORY | UJJAIN TO OMKARESHWAR

OMKARESHWAR JYOTIRLINGA | OMKARESHWAR TOURIST PLACES | OMKARESHWAR HISTORY | UJJAIN TO OMKARESHWAR

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OMKARESHWAR

History Behind the Omkareshwar Temple
The Jyotirlinga of Omkareshwar is located in Madhya Pradesh along the banks of the Narmada River. The eminent ‘Shikhara of Omkareshwar’ stands tall and proud in the sky as if overlooking the entire earth. The temple is mentioned in sacred Hindu texts like the Vedas and Puranas. The island of Omkareshwar has a total of 6 pilgrimages and 33 deities making it a must-visit place for spiritual seekers.

A symbolic manifestation of “Om” formed by the curves of Narmada makes the sacred site even more ethereal. Omkareshwar is an epitome of the years-old Hindu traditions and timeless religious influence of Shiva on his devotees. This temple is the only place where Lord Shiva appeared in an Omkara Swaroopa.

The religious importance of Omkareshwar finds mention in the Skanda Purana, the Shiv Purana, and the Vayu Purana. It is believed that whoever worships Omkareshwar with an unshakeable faith in Mahadev will attain respite from all the evils present on earth.

Many couples visit Omkareshwar temple and perform various rituals to get healthy offspring’s and lifelong happiness in blessings from Bholenath (Lord Shiva). According to the temple priests, if you do a Parikrama (circle around) of the temple, it will lead you to a promising future in life and Moksha (salvation) after death.

There are several stories associated with Omkareshwar, as mentioned in ancient Hindu texts. According to one, once Narad Muni (a traveling Vedic sage) visited the Vindhya Mountains and got enraged because there was no home for Lord Shiva in the region. So, the God of Vindhya Mountain started Tapasya (non-indulgence) to repent for this mistake.

He meditated on Lord Shiva in the form of the earthly lord. His faith and patience impressed Mahadev (Lord Shiva) who told the mountain god that he would reside on the island as Pranava Linga. And it would be divided into two parts- Mamleswar and Omkareswar. While Mamleswar was an earthly linga, Omkareswas was a Jyoti Linga (column of light). Since then, the place was named as Omkareswar, and a temple was built to worship the Jyotirlingam.

Another story goes that King Mandhata of the Ishvaaku dynasty (the one to which Lord Rama belonged) did extreme penance here. Impressed by his faith, Shiva blessed the king and appeared in this place in the form of a Jyotirlinga, referred to as Omkawareswar.

The third story from Hindu scriptures states that once there was a fierce war between Gods and Danavas(Demons), in which Danavas won. Fearful of the result of their victory, the Gods prayed to Lord Shiva who emerged in the form of Omkareswar Jyotirlinga and defeated the Demons.

The holy scriptures present in the temple indicate that the Omkareswar temple existed since at least 5500 years ago. The temple gets a mention in many Puranas (ancient Hindu texts) that talk about its significance and origin. Historians believe that the Paramara Kings of Malwa built the temple in the 11th century. After Paramara kings, the temple remained under the administration of Chauhan rulers.

Like many other ancient Hindu temples, Omkareswar underwent brutal destruction and loot at the hands of Muslim invaders like Mahmud Ghazni in the 13th century. However, even after the invasion, Omkareswar was one of the few temples in the region which stood intact without much damage. During the entire Mughal rule, the temple stayed under the Chauhan Kings, but not much renovation was done in the temple.

Later on, in the 19th century, Holkar rulers (mainly Rani Ahalya Bai Holkar) rebuilt the temple and restored it to its present glory. Eventually, the temple came under British rule till India’s Independence in 1947. After that, the ASI (Archaeological Survey of India) shouldered the responsibility of the temple with the help of the Khandwa administration, which continues to date.