Jyotirlings of Onkareshwar-Mamleshwar and Mahakaal
We got an opportunity to visit two jyotirlings (situated in the State of Madhya Pradesh i.e. Omkareshwar – Mamleshwar in District Khandwa (on banks of River Narmada) and Mahakaleshwar Jyotirling in Ujjain (on banks of river Shipra). (Jyotirlings are the shrines which are said to be the most sacred abodes of Lord Shiva. There are, in total, 12 Jyotirlings in India). A group led by Sanjay Mittal ji was going there. So, we also joined them. Gradually, many other relatives joined and we became a group of 26 persons (most were from Delhi; few joined from Jaipur and few joined from Ahmedabad).
7.4.2023 Friday
We had an early morning flight from Delhi to Indore. So, we got up at 2.30 am and got ready. At 3.40 am, me, Meenu, Naresh Singhal and Meenakshi started from home in Ertiga cab and reached Terminal 3 of Indira Gandhi Int’l Airport Delhi at 4.10 am.
At 5.55 am, the Vistara flight took off from the airport.
At 7.10 am, we landed at Indore airport. We all members met there at the airport (most came by the same plane, 3-4 are reaching separately from Jaipur after about 45 min).
We all settled into 4 Innova cars which were waiting for us at airport (we have hired 6 Innova cars for 3 days) and started from the airport at about 8 a.m. We passed by IIT Indore at 8.45 am. At 9.15 am, we took a break at Balraj Retreat. It’s a popular eating place on the way from Indore to Omkareshwar. We took snacks/ breakfast here and started again at 10 am.
At 1.30 pm, we moved to our rooms (we got #610) and took some rest.
At 3.50 pm, constable Jitender came at hotel to meet me. He has been deputed by Judicial magistrate at Taluka court at Banawat (which is about 12 km from Omkareshwar).
At 4 pm, we started from the hotel to go to Omkareshwar temple.
We first went to Gomukh Ghat. We did boating here (by motor boat which can carry 6-8 people) in River Narmada from 4.45 to 5.45 pm. It was such a thrilling feeling. We could also see that construction of some dam was going on here in relation to Sardar Sarovar project.
Basically, Omkareshwar is an island which houses many temples including Omkareshwar temple and the boat takes a round of the whole island in river Narmada. The island is called Mandhata. The shape of the island is said to be like the Devnagari Om symbol. There are two main temples of Lord Shiva here, one is Omkareshwar (whose name means "Lord of Omkara or the Lord of the Om sound") located in the island and other is Mamleshwar (whose name means "Immortal Lord" or "lord of the Immortals or Devas") located on the south bank of Narmada River on the mainland. There is a hanging walkable bridge over the Narmada river which separates the two temples. On the mainland, first the Mamleshwar temple comes, and then one cross the bridge to go to Omkareshwar temple. Both temples are considered as one Jyotirling. It is said that darshan of Omkareshwar jyotirling is not complete unless one also do darshan of Mamleshwar.
Everyday, at 7.15 pm, there is Narmada Arti at Brahmpuri Ghat nearby (other ghats are Narsingh Ghat and Naagar Ghat). So, at 7.15 pm, we reached Brahmpuri Ghat and participated in Narmada Arti.
After the Narmada arti was over at 8.30 pm, we went by car which dropped us at the entry of bridge. We walked through the bridge (about 100-150 mtr long) and reached on to the island on the other side of the river to further walk to Omkareshwar temple by crossing narrow lane. Jitender helped us a lot. We all followed him. He took us through shorter route (avoiding the long line). He took us directly near darshan exit gate in the mandir.
8.4.2023 Saturday
In early morning about 5-7 am, some members went to Omkareshwar temple again and did Abhishek there and came back to hotel at about 7 am.
I woke up leisurely at about 7.30 am. Most of the members had gone by car to nearby Naagar ghat for bath.
I walked down from the hotel through lanes of a basti and reached Naagar ghat in about 15 minutes. I also took bath in the river Narmada at the ghat. It looked somewhat like Har ki Pauri ghat of Haridwar, though there was not much crowd here. The water was remarkably clear and clean here. We all took dip in the river. There was a pucca boundary at a distance of about 20 ft but drowned in the river. I swam to the said boundary and sat at it and walked on it. It gave a feeling to the onlookers as if I am floating on water !
At about 8.30 am, we returned to the hotel and took bath, got ready, packed our luggage and took breakfast.
At 9.50 am, we in 6 Innovas started from the Omkareshwar Hotel, to go to Ujjain.
(From Indore Airport, Ujjain is 2 hour drive on one side and Omkareshwar is 2 hour drive on the other side. So, from Omkareshwar, it is about 4 hour drive to Ujjain. The distances are not much, but the road at several places is single lane which causes congestion and traffic jam, which increase the journey time).
We all soon got stuck in the massive traffic jam on the Pahari on the way, after we had hardly travelled about ½ hour from the hotel. (The huge tankers, trucks and buses mainly cause the jam as road is quite narrow, and then some insensible vehicle drivers come out in the opposite lane and cause the jam).
At 12.35 pm, we took a break at Panjtara restaurant on the way in Indore, for lunch. All 6 cabs assembled here.
At 1.45 pm, we started from the restaurant.
At 3 pm, we reached Hotel MPT Shipra Residency, Ujjain.
After resting for a while, at 4.15 pm, we started from the Hotel and reached Karkraj Parking Gate at 4.25 pm. The big cars are not allowed beyond this point. From here, we took e-rickshaws which dropped us near Mahakaleshwar temple. From here, we walked to Gate No.4 of the Mahakaleshwar Temple complex. Some locals here were making tilak and trishul on devotees’s forehead by chandan and charging Rs.10/- per person.
Here, the army jawan (through contact of Sanjay mittal) got us entry into the temple complex on the basis of sheeghra darshan tickets which we all had booked online in advance one month back. We all put our chappals, shoes near exit gate no.5 which is also manned by defence personnel. We carried mobile phones in our pockets, there was no restriction in carrying mobiles. After moving in a separate VIP line for about 30 min, we did darshan of Lord Mahakaleshwar.
After darshan, we came out of Gate no.5. From here, we walked to Bada Ganesh Mandir nearby and did darshan.
Then we walked for about 1 km and reached Maa Harsiddhi Temple nearby at about 6.30 pm. It is one of the 51 Shaktipeeths in India. (According to the Shiva Purana, when Shiva carried away the burning body of Sati from the sacrificial fire, her elbow dropped at this place. There is an interesting legend in the Skanda Purana about the manner in which the Goddess Chandi acquired the epithet of Harsiddhi. Once when Shiva and Parvati were alone on Mount Kailash, two demons Chand and Prachand tried to force their way in. Shiva called upon Chandi to destroy them which she did. Pleased, Shiva bestowed upon her the epithet of ‘one who vanquishes all’. The temple was reconstructed during the Maratha period and the two pillars adorned with lamps are special features of Maratha art).
After doing darshan here, we waited for the arti which starts at 7 am. As the time passed, more and more devotes assembled and the entire mandir complex became jam packed. The arti here is a treat to watch. It is very unique. During the arti, the 1100 wicks (batti) placed at particular points on the two pillars (each about 51 ft high) erected here are lit by two boys amid chanting of arti who climb barefoot on to the top of the pillar and then come down lighting each wick. It was such a mesmerizing spectacle and environment.
At 8 pm, we got free from Harsiddhi temple. Then we 6 went by innova to Kal Bhairav temple which was about 20-25 min drive from there. This temple is dedicated to Kal Bhairav, the guardian diety of the city. Located on the banks of the Shipra River, it is one of the most active temples in the city, visited by hundreds of devotees daily. Liquor is one of the offerings made to the temple deity.
We did darshan there and offered quarter of whisky there which we than gave to a sweeper there. At 9 pm, this mandir closes.
At 9.20 pm, we returned to our hotel and took dinner in the restaurant of the hotel. It was quite a decent hotel (much better than Omkareshwar hotel).
At 10.15 pm, we 10 persons went for a walk. We walked to the clock tower circle (12 min walk) and searched for hot milk. We found out an outlet and savoured milk with malai ! At 11 pm, we returned back to the hotel.
9.4.2023 Sunday
We all had decided to participate in Bhasma arti in the Mahakaleshwar temple which start early in the morning (arti starts at about 4 am but one has to reach early to be able to occupy better located seat to be able to have a good view of bhasma arti). We all had booked Bhasma Arti tickets online in advance one month back.
All others started from the hotel at 1 am.
We 6 started from the hotel at 1.30 am and reached Mahakaleshwar Temple Gate No.1 at 1.45 am. 2-3 shops were open at this Gate, selling dhotis and keeping devotees slippers/chappals. We bought dhoti from one of the shop and kept our chappals here.
The Bhasma arti shringar started at about 4.25 am. It was such a once-in-a-lifetime spectacle. After offering various offerings like flowers, chandan, rolli, mauli, bhang, honey, milk etc on the shivling, one pandit carved out image of Shiva on the shivling by using natural things like bhang, fruits, dryfruits etc !
The arti was over at 6 am. Thereafter, we roamed in the campus of the temple. There were many small temples within the complex which was buzzing with devotees, with devotional songs playing in the background.
With the aim to boost tourism in the holy city of Ujjain, the Mahakaleshwar Temple Corridor was built and inaugurated in October 2022 (built at a cost Rs 850 crore). The Mahakaal Path contains 108 stambhs (pillars) which depict Anand Tandav Swaroop (Dance form) of Lord Shiva. Many religious sculptures depicting the life of Lord Shiva are installed along the Mahakal Path. However, this corridor was also closed for public temporarily due to above reason. However, Bharat Mata mandir was open.
At 7.30 am, we returned to our hotel and took rest / slept.
At 9.30 am, we came down and took breakfast in the restaurant.
At 10.50 am, we four started from the hotel and reached Mangalnath temple at 11.10 am. We walked to Shri Mangal Dham nearby where Ajay Beriwal and Monica di were getting Mangal puja. It is believed that this is the only place in the world where the mangal dosh can be get rid of by doing puja here. Mangal Nath temple, which is situated on Tropic of Cancer, is considered to be the birthplace of planet Mars. We could see so many people doing puja through the local pandits here. We did darshan in Mangal Nath temple.
At 11.50 am, we walked to Maharishi Sandipani ashram nearby and did darshan. It is believed that Lord Krishna and Sudama received their education in this ashram of Guru Sandipani.
At 12.25 pm, we returned to hotel and checked out of our rooms and kept luggage in the lobby area and rested there. Few went out for shopping nearby. I and Sanjay chatted for about an hour with Panditji (who did mangal puja) who had brought prashad and bhasm from Mahakaal temple.
At 2-3 pm, all took lunch in the hotel restaurant.
At 3.15 pm, we started from the Ujjain hotel to go to Indore airport.
At 4.50 pm, we took a break at a famous food court area called ‘56 Dukan street’ in Indore (just like Cyber Hub in Gurgaon). There were so many eating joints at this place. We strolled here and took snacks and ice-cream.
At 5.40 pm, we started from here and reached Indore Airport at 6.25 pm. The Vistara flight to Delhi was at 8.10 pm. We got issued boarding pass, cleared security area and waited at the lounge.
At 8.30 pm, the flight took off from Indore airport.
The flight landed at Delhi at 9.35 pm. We took a cab and reached home at 10.30 pm.
Thus, another memorable trip came to an end.
