a short trip to Omkareshwar
- Publishing Date: 30-Mar-2018
- Category: Religious
- Starting Date: 09-Feb-2018
- No of Days: 1 Day
- Location: Omkareshwar, Madhya Pradesh, India
To read the same blog in Hindi, go to setting gear showing on the right hand side and change the language selection to Hindi.
Let's continue the story of our Malwa trip, on yesterday we went to Dewas Chamunda devi, you can read the same blog here.
For the next day, we have already booked a taxi for Omkareshwar and he will come at around 09:30 AM. Around 09:45 AM we were all set to leave this city and start our new journey to Omkareshwar. The road from Dewas to Omkareshwar is a good one and we were moving very fast and some good quality music was playing in the music system on low volume, we face the air thrust on our cheeks, all these things making our journey memorable one. The distance of Dewas to Omkareshwar is around 110 Kilometers and after covering almost half distance the "Ghat" started, the road was narrow and single and having so many turns. This was an accidental prone area so we were moving slow in this area. Narmada pipeline was also adjacent to the road, this was the same pipeline that was used during Kumbh to lift the water of Narmada up to Shipra Ujjain and now it is used for normal water supply in Indore.
And after covering some more distance the Ghat's was over and the plain road started, and it was a tea break time. We stopped at a road side dhaba and ordered tea and poha (the national food of Malwa). While having the tea and poha we were discussing on random topics and this is the best way to pass the time. After finishing the tea and poha we were heading towards Omkareshwar. After covering some more distance we were on a bridge, this bridge is built over the river Narmada, we bow down towards Narmada and we moved further.
I wish this road never ends :)
After covering some more distance we crossed the Omkareshwar border and the roads turn into a tunnel like structure created by trees, the whole scene was like a movie shot and there was a song playing on the music system - "Hum raahi mere hum raahi, hain mere sang tu to dar kya, rehna hai teri palkon ke saye saye mere hum raahi"
Information about Narmada:
The Narmada, also called the Rewa, is a river in central India and the sixth longest river in the Indian subcontinent. It is the third longest river that flows entirely within India, after the Godavari, and the Krishna. It is also known as "Life Line of Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh" for its huge contribution to the state of Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh in many ways. Narmada rises from Amarkantak Plateau near Anuppur district. It forms the traditional boundary between North India and South India and flows westwards over a length of 1,312 km before draining through the Gulf of Khambhat into the Arabian Sea, 30 km west of Bharuch city of Gujarat. (Source Wikipedia)
Information about Omkareshwar:
Omkareshwar is a Hindu temple dedicated to God Shiva. It is one of the 12 revered Jyotirlinga shrines of Shiva. It is on an island called Mandhata or Shivapuri in the Narmada river; the shape of the island is said to be like the Hindu ॐ symbol.
There are two main temples of Lord Shiva here, one to Omkareshwar (whose name means "Lord of Omkaara or the Lord of the Om Sound") located in the island and one to Amareshwar (whose name means "Immortal lord" or "lord of the Immortals or Devas") located on the south bank of Narmada River on the mainland. As per the sloka on dwadash jyotirligam, Mamleshwar the other name of Amareshwar is the jyotirling, nonetheless, many consider both Omkareshwar and Mamleshwar equally sacred and representative of jyotirling at this sacred place. (Source Wikipedia)
After few minutes we were standing in the parking of Omkareshwar, after taking the required items we came out of our car.
Omkareshwar is situated on an island named Mandhata or Shivpuri on river Narmada, there are two ways to reach temple, the first one is the walking by road and second one is by using the boat. To cross the river, there is a suspension bridge available just like Laxman Jhula or Ram Jhula of Rishikesh, and there is no pillar available in between for the support and its name is Mamleshwar Setu.
First sight of Omkareshwar
Mamleshwar Setu from below
We started walking towards the bank of Narmada and a person started talking with us just like a tourist guide and he was telling us about the places of interest, later we came to know that he was the booking agent of the boats. He told us that we will start by taking a holy dip in Narmada and for that he will take us to the ghat where proper arrangement of bathing are available and after that he will drop us on the ghat that is nearby the Omkareshwar temple and after that he will drop us at Mamleshwar mandir ghat.
First sight of Narmada
And after some bargaining we settled it down at Rs 500 we sit down in the boat, most of the boats were driven by children of local area. It was a normal paddle boat in which a Gen set engine is fitted by some technique by using this one can run it in any way.
Boat with an genset engine mounted on a pipe by some technique, so that it can be moved in any direction to force the boat
We were heading towards our first point, on which we will take a holy dip. In my opinion if I find a water source like river, pond to bath during my trip then it is just like Icing on the cake. And I got the same thing here, we (me and pradeep) do not miss a single second and jump in the water, and we were enjoying this moment.
Best part of this trip :D
Neha was sitting on the ghat and capturing some random photos of our water act, the water was a bit cold but we were enjoying this coldness. We were thinking like why we go somewhere else while we are enjoying here, but we come here for Omkareshwar Darshan and without doing that we will not return, after half an hour we came out and after changing the clothes we were heading towards our boat. Our next stop was on the ghat that is nearby the temple, we came out of boat and noted down the number of that guy so that we can find him easily. We were moving towards the entry gate of temple through narrow lanes just like I saw in the lanes of Mansa Devi Haridwar, there were shops of prasad everywhere and some pandit's were also roaming here and there and there were some eateries there.
After crossing the market we were standing in the entry gate of temple, we bow down and after that we were standing in the line and waiting for our turn, some pandit's were asking to different peoples for VIP darshan, this option is for those who don't have much time or those who don't want to stand in line, but we have enough time so we denied the proposal and were moving forward and waiting for our turn.
After spending half an hour we were inside the temple, the over all area inside the temple is so less, only 10 to 12 people can stand together. The Omkareshwar shivling is a natural shivling, in other temple the shivling located at the center of the temple, but at Omkareshwar the shivling is in a corner and it is totally emerged in the water and its surrounding is covered by glass, pipeline kind of structure is maintained to offer the Jal on the shivling. There was so much crowd and because of that we came out from temple after spending hardly a minute, after that we were enjoying the beauty of Narmada from the same temple premises.
The scenic beauty of Narmada from Omkareshwar temple
Me and Neha in front of Omkareshwar temple
After spending some time I bought a packet of prasad (Besan ke Laddu) and some images as momento of this trip we were heading forward for the same ghat where our boatman was waiting for us. After 10 minutes we were again inside the boat and this time boatman will show us the 50 feet idol of Vishnu from a distnace because it was not possible for us to reach that place by boat because of the low water level at that place. After that we were moving forward to the ghat from where we will go to Mamleshwar temple, after reaching the ghat we paid the boatman and moving forward to Mamleshwar temple after confirming the address.
Information about Mamleshwar:
The correct name is the Amreshwar temple. It is a protected Ancient Monument with good architectural stone work. Since the time of Maharani Ahilyabai holkar who expired in 1795, 22 Brahims paid by the Holker state, daily performed Lingarchan Puja. Each Brahmin was Provided with a wooden board having 1300 little holes. In each they put very small miniature clay lingam to represent Shiva Lingas and when nearly 14300 lingas were manufacture and worshipped, they used to be submerges in the Narmada. In the early part of the 20th century the number of Brahmins was reduced to 11 and at present the number is only 5. the wall of the temple contains the inscription of Mahims Stotra dated 1063 A.D. (http://omkareshwar.org/mamleshwar-jyotirlinga-in-omkareshwar/2/English)
Mamleshwar temple and its flag
This temple is also very old, this can be judged by looking at the temple. The importance of Mamleshwar is same as Omkareshwar, or we can say by combining the Omkareshwar and Mamleshar shivling the Omkareshwar Jyotirling is formed. Therefor it is believed after visiting the Omkareshwar temple every one has to come to Mamleshwar as well.
An ancient architecture
There was no crowd in this temple so did the darshan very easily, and after that we came out and I am busy in capturing the pictures of surrounding.
Random click
After spending some time here, we were heading towards the parking area where our vehicle was parked. We reached the parking and after paying the parking fee which is Rs.50 and putting the luggage in the car we were ready to say good bye to this beautiful place and again bow down to Shivji, and after that we started moving towards our next destination.
While returning we took a stop to have lunch, our driver know this area very well so he stopped at a good restaurant nearby the highway. In this whole area there is a dish called Sev Tamatar is served, which is very delicious, don't forget to taste it while you are here. After having lunch we were again started towards Indore, from there Pradeep will go to his relative place and I will go to one of my old friend's place. Tomorrow we will go to the city of Mahakaleshwar, Ujjain...
And the story ends here. I will be back soon with a new story of some random place :)
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Happy traveling
Fir milege kahi kisi roj ghumte firte :)
#floatingshoes
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