Omkareshwar

Situated on an island named Mandhata on River Narmada in the state of Madhya Pradesh, the beautiful temple of Omkareshwar is one of the 12 Shivalingas in the country. This is the reason why the island is sacred to all Hindus. Every year thousands of tourists come here and pay homage to Lord Shiva.

It is believed that the place derives its name from the Hindu symbol of ‘Om.’ In fact they say that the aerial view of the island makes it look like the Om.

There are two main temples in this small town that are most frequented by devotees. The first is the Omkareshwar. Its name comes from ‘Lord Omkaara’, or the ‘Lord of Om Sound.’ This is the temple or the main Jyotirlinga Shrine.

What makes this temple even more sacred is that it is situated on the confluence of the River Narmada and Kaveri. Shiva Bhagats or followers flock the temple all round the year in search of sanctity and peace.

The other temple on the island is the Amareshwar. The name of the temple is made from two words, Amar, meaning immortal, and Eshwar, meaning Lord. Therefore, this temple is often referred to as the temple of the ‘Immortal Lord.’

The place gets extremely hot during the summers, with a typical hot tropical climate, and the sultry heat can drain out energy. But apart from that the temperatures remain pleasant for the remaining year.

The importance the place acquired due to its religious history makes it quiet a frequented pilgrimage destination, and so it is well connected to the entire state and coming here won’t be a problem. The Omkareshwar railway station is only 12 km from the place, and the nearest airport is at Indore, which is about 80 km from here. A regular bus service operates from all nearby cities like Indore, Khandwa, and Ujjain.