Yamunotri Temple

A famous Hindu legend states that this place was the abode of a great sage called Asit Muni, who used to take a holy dip in the water of Ganga and Yamuna daily. When the sage became old and feeble, he was unable to visit Gangotri. Then miraculously a stream of the river Ganga appeared opposite of Yamunotri for the elderly sage to continue his bathing ritual.The daughter of the Sun god, Surya and consciousness, Sangya the birthplace of the Yamuna is the Champasar Glacier (4,421 m) just below the Banderpoonch Mountain. The mountain adjacent to the river source is dedicated to her father, and is called Kalind Parvat, Kalind being another name of Surya.

Yamuna is known for her frivolousness, a trait that she developed because, according to a common story, Yamuna’s mother could never make eye contact with her dazzling husband.The deity or Goddess Yamuna is made of black marble. The temple is dedicated to the river Yamuna, who is represented in the form of a silver idol, bedecked with garlands.

Close to the temple are hot water springs gushing out from the mountain cavities. Suryakund is the most important Kund. Near the Suryakund there is a shila called Divya Shila, which is worshipped before puja is offered to the deity. Devotees prepare rice and potatoes to offer at the shrine by dipping them in these hot water springs, tied in muslin cloth. Rice so cooked is taken back home as prasadam. 

Yamunotri Dham, which is one of the four sites of the Char Dham Yatra of Uttarakhand, is famous being the source of Yamuna River. It is also the seat of goddess Yamuna, after whom the dham is probably named. Many pilgrims make the trip to the pious site of Yamunotri to get their wishes fulfilled and find redemption. Located on the left banks of the river Yamuna, the temple was built by Maharaja Pratap Shah of Tehri Garhwal.

Yamunotri Temple, which is popular for its thermal springs and glaciers, happens to be one of the most important stopovers on the itinerary of the Hindu pilgrims. The temple is perched at an altitude of 3293 meters above sea level.

Yamunotri tour is going to be a very riveting experience for the pilgrim as the temple is located very close to the Indo-Chinese border and is surrounded by the mountains which are offshoots of the Himalayas from all the sides. The glacier lake of Saptrishi Kund on the Kalindi Parbat is the real source of the river Yamuna. The whole region remains snow-laden during winter and it is always advisable to carry woolen clothes since the temperature falls below 0° Celsius; even during the summers, the weather is pretty cold.

The shrine of Yamunotri attracts thousands of devotees from across the world during the period from May to October. It is generally believed that the springs surrounding the Yamunotri temple has supernatural powers which is why pilgrims carry raw potato and rice which they dip in the hot spring and regarding them as Prasad from the Goddess Yamuna take them home.

We offer you the most comprehensive Yamunotri tour with attractive offers on packages; the tour covers all the important destinations and takes care of all your minute details. General InformationThe history of the temple of Yamunotri dates back to the 18th century when it was built by Amar Singh Thapa. Following damage due to floods and snow, it was reconstructed in the 19th century by Tehri Naresh Sudarshan Shah in 1839.History says that being deemed as one of the most silent and peaceful places on the earth, large number of foreigners travel form far off countries especially to enjoy the atmosphere and ambience here in addition to feasting in the breathtaking sceneries all around.Hinduism Is Closely Related To River Yamuna, The River Yamuna Is Worshipped As Goddess, Epics Proclaimed That Goddess Yamuna Is The Daughter Of God Sun “Surya” And The Sister Of “Yama” God Of Death. That Is So Why Hindu Pandit (Philosophers) Stated As Bathing In Scared Water Helps To Remove All The Sins And Free One From The Ordeal Of Death.

River Yamuna Is The Second Largest River In India After Yamuna, The Name Yamuna Is Origin From A Sanskrit Word Called “Jamuna” Which Means Purity. It Originated From Yamunotri At A Height Above 6,387 Meters Approximately From Banderpooch Peaks, Located In The Upper Most Regions Of Lower Himalayas. Total, Flowing Distance Of River Yamuna Is 1356 KM. Yearly Numerous Peoples Are Arriving To This Destiny, To Worship The Goddess Yamuna, Also You Can See Lots Of Temples And Spiritual Shrines Are Located Near To The Yamunotri.Yamunotri Temple was built by the Maharani of Jaipur is the center of attraction at Yamunotri.  As with the Gangotri, Yamunotri is a place of spiritual and religious significance, rather than any architectural significance.According to the legend, Sage Asit Muni had his abode here. All his life, he bathed daily both in the Ganges and the Yamuna. It is said that when he got old and frail, he was unable to go to Gangotri, a stream of the Ganges appeared opposite Yamunotri for him. Yamunotri Temple is part of Chota Char DhamYamunotri is one of the most spiritual places in India. Vedic philosophy and hindu ideologies are the way of the life. Long treks have brought people from different states together and serve one ultimate spiritual objective. The entire valley looks like a never ending procession of merry pilgrims during the 'yatras'. Piety, spirituality, and religion are held in high regards, as is the symbolic bath as Yamuna is the sister of Yama, the Lord of Death; taking a dip in Yamuna is considered to assure one of painless death.

Ekambareswarar Temple

This vast temple is one of the most ancient in India having been in existence since at least 600 AD. Second century AD Tamil poetry speaks of Kama kottam, and the Kumara kottam (currently the Kamakashi Amman temple and the Subramanya temple). The existing structure then, was pulled down and rebuilt by the Pallava Kings. The Cholas, who came later, also made several contributions to the temple.

No separate shrine for Parvati exists here (as in other Shiva temples in Kanchipuram).

There is a small shrine for Lord Vishnu named Thiru Nilaaththingal Thundathan. Here, the Lord Vishnu is prayed as Vamana Murthy.

The temple covers an area of over 40 acres. Reaching a height of 57 meters, the temple's Raja gopuram (the entrance tower to the temple) is one of the tallest in South India and was built by the Vijayanagar King, Krishnadevaraya.

One notable feature of the temple is the Aayiram Kaal Mandapam, or the "hallway with a thousand pillars", which was built by the Vijayanagar Kings. The temple's inner walls are decorated with an array of 1,008 Siva lingams.

The sthala-virutcham is a 3,500 year old mango tree whose branches are said to yield four different types of mangoes.

Legend has it that once Parvati was doing tapas under the temple's ancient Mango Tree. In order to test her devotion Lord Shiva sent fire on her. Goddess Parvati prayed to her brother, Lord Vishnu, for help. In order to save her, he took the Moon from Lord Shiva's head and showed the rays which then cooled down the tree as well as Parvati.

After that, Lord Shiva again sent the river Ganga to disrupt Parvati's tapas. Parvati devi prayed to Ganga and convinced her that both of them were sisters and so should not harm her. And so Ganga did not disturb her penance after that. Then Parvati made a Shiva Linga out of sand and got united with Lord Shiva.

According to another legend, it is believed that Parvati worshipped Shiva in the form of a Prithivi Lingam (or a Lingam improvised out of sand), under a mango tree. Legend has it that the neighboring Vegavati river overflowed and threatened to engulf the Shiva Lingam and that Parvati or Kamakshi embraced the Lingam. Shiva touched by the gesture materialized in person and married her. In this context he is referred to as Tazhuva kuzhainthaar ("He who melted in Her embrace") in Tamil.13 day Panguni Uthiram in March-April with colourful events with processions in Silver Rath, Silver Mavadi Servai and Gold Vrushab- the Nandhi vahan of Lord Shiva is the biggest festival of the temple drawing devotee crowd in lakhs.

The devotee crowd is also huge on new moon, full moon and pradosha days. 

Also celebrated in the temple are Deepavali, Tamil and English New Year days with special abisheks and pujas. Ekambareswarar Temple is one of the famous Hindu temples dedicated to Lord Shiva, located in Kanchipuram in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. Kanchipuram

It is one of the five major Shiva temples or Pancha Bootha Sthalams (each representing a natural element) representing the element - Earth. The other four temples in this category are Thiruvanaikaval Jambukeswara (water), Chidambaram Natarajar (ether), Thiruvannamalai Arunachaleswara (fire) and Kalahasti Nathar (wind). kanchipuram ekambareswarar temple

All of the four revered Saivite Saints have sung the glories of this temple. Kanchipuram temple Kanchipuram temple

This vast temple is one of the most ancient in India having been in existence since at least 600 AD. Second century AD Tamil poetry speaks of Kama kottam, and the Kumara kottam (currently the Kamakashi Amman temple and the Subramanya temple). The existing structure then, was pulled down and rebuilt by the Pallava Kings. The Cholas, who came later, also made several contributions to the temple. kanchipuram ekambaranathar temple history kanchipuram ekambaranathar temple

No separate shrine for Parvati exists here (as in other Shiva temples in Kanchipuram). kanchipuram ekambareswarar temple

There is a small shrine for Lord Vishnu named Thiru Nilaaththingal Thundathan. Here, the Lord Vishnu is prayed as Vamana Murthy. kanchipuram temple kanchipuram temple kanchipuram temple kanchipuram ekambareswarar temple timings

The temple covers an area of over 40 acres. Reaching a height of 57 meters, the temple's Raja gopuram (the entrance tower to the temple) is one of the tallest in South India and was built by the Vijayanagar King, Krishnadevaraya.Ekambaranathar temple is one of the most popular temples of Kanchipuram, the ‘City of Temples’. Also one of the Panch Bootha Sthalangal of God Shiva, this city is also one of the seven great holy centers of ancient India.

Ekambareswarar temple is a huge temple, covering an area of around 40 acres. It is believed to be one of India’s most ancient temples that has been here from the year 600 AD. The rulers of Chola, Vijayanagar and Pallava dynasties have given their contribution during different times in the construction of the temple. The presiding deity is Lord Shiva who is revered here in the form of Prithvi Lingam/Lingam of Earth. All the Shiva temple in the city has a separate shrine for the female deity but it is not the case in Ekambareswarar. Appar, Sambandar, Manickavasgar and Sundarar, the four popular Saivite Saints of the region have praised the temple in their songs.

The temple also has an old revered mango tree, known to be the Sthala Vruksham, which is believed to be over 3000 year old. The tree has four branches depicting the 4 Vedas. Each branch of the tree bears 4 varied types of mango in 4 different seasons. If mythology is to be believed it once happened that Goddess Parvathi got separated from the Lord and came to Kancheepuram. Using sand, she made a Sivalingam, which is installed under the mango tree. She worshipped that Lingarm religiously and got together back with Lord Shiva.

This is one of the most sacred temples to the Lord as it is also one of the Panchabhoota Stalams representing the 5 elements- water (Tiruvanaikkaval), wind (Kalahasti), space (Chidambaram), fire (Tiruvannamalai) and earth (Kanchipuram). This huge temple received many grants from the Vijayanagar rulers, that can be noted in its long corridors, towering gopuram as well as mandapams. This temple is also the first of the 32 Tevara Stalams in the Tondai region of Southern India.

The colossal gopurams of the temple look amazing against the skyline of the temple.The Pallavas, Cholas and the Vijayanagar rulers mainly Krishna Deva Raya made important contributions to this temple. The original structure was demolished and then reconstructed by the Pallava rulers. The Cholas entered the scene later on and made a number of contributions to Ekambareswarar temple.

The Ekambareswarar temple complex spreads in an area of over 40 acres. The entrance tower or the Raja Gopuram, with a height of 172 feet, was erected by Krishnadevaraya, a Vijayanagar ruler. The pillared hall in front of the main sanctum was also constructed by the Vijayanagar Kings.

Lord Shiva here is worshipped as the Prithvi Lingam and is known as Ekambareswarar. A Somaskanda panel including Lord Shiva, Goddess Parvati and Skanda Mata feston the back of the main temple area, usedin worship for centuries. As told earlier that Parbati worshipped the Lord as Prithivi Lingam, made from sand, placed under a mango tree. The legend inform that once the bordering River Vegavati flooded, threating to immerse the Lingam. Goddess Parvati or Kamakshi, clutched the Shiva Lingam, who was touched by her gesture in person and married her. Because of the same the Lord is also referred to as 'Tazhuvakkuzhainthaar' in Tamil.

Six worship services namely UshadKalam, Kaalasanthi, Uchi Kaalam, Pradosham and Sayarakshai and Ardhajamam are offered to the Lord, every day. The temple also becomes the venue of splendid festivals like Ani Tirumanjanam (June-July), Adi Kritikai (July-August), Avani Moolam (August - September), Navaratri (September-October), Kartikai Deepam (November-December), Thai Poosam (January-February), Panguni Uthiram (March-April), Chitra Pournami (April-May) and Vaikashi Vishakam (May-June), every year. One of the most important of these annual festival is the 13-day Panguni festival when the wedding of the Lord is celebrated. The acclaimed Tamil poems of the Nayanmars (Tirumurais) tell the tales of the same.

According to the Sthala Purana, at the time when the Lord was extremely absorbed in the creation, protection and destruction of the Universe, his consort Goddess Parvati, closed his eyes in a jovial manner. As a result there was a halt in this important process, making the Lord angry. In anger, he cursed Parvati to leave his side, to the Earth and amend her fault. After this, she came to the banks of Kampa River under a single mango tree in Kanchipuram. She made a Shivalinga from sand and started worshipping it. Lord thought of testing her by creating obstacles in her way of penance. However, with Lord Vishnu’s help, she cleared all her troubles. At last, Lord Shiva opened his matted hair and asked River Ganga to wash away the Linga that Parvati was worshipping. She hugged the Lingam tightly. The Lord was pleased and remarried her.

The tall gopurams of Ekambareswarar temple look daunting with the Kanchipuram’s skyline in the backdrop. The temple complex spreads in an area of 40 acres. The tower on the entry gate or Raja Gopuram, erected by Krishnadevaraya, is 172 feet high. Another structure he built was pillared hall in the sanctum’s front. The main shrine is surrounded by a corridor, representing an arrangement of receding piers. One can spot statues of 63 Nayanmars. The temple complex also has 2 tanks, Kampa Nadi and Shivaganga. There is also a shrine dedicated to Lord Vishnu who here is worshipped as Nilatingal Tundattan. The temple also has valuable silver and gold-plated vahanams.

Morgaon Ganesha Temple

As per the historical records, there was a prominent Ganapatya saint named Morya Gosavi. He worshiped at the Morgaon Ganesha temple before relocating to Chinchwad. There, he built a new shrine. This temple along with other temples near Pune enjoyed royal patronage from the Brahmin Peshwa rulers.

As per Anne Feldhaus, the date of this temple stands disputed. It does not go back to the seventeenth century when the Morya Gosavi popularized it.

According to Ganesha Purana, God Ganesh incarnated as Mayureshwar who had six arms and a white complexion. He was born in the Treta Yuga for the purpose of killing the demon named Sindhu. The demon caused hardship to the people of the Universe and Gods pleaded to Ganpati for help. The Lord came down on a peacock mount and waged a battle against Sindhu and later vanquished him.

Lord Brahma, the creator of the universe, installed the original image of the lord. Later, the Pandava princes installed a copper image during the course of their pilgrimage.

There is another legend which states that this place had a large number of peacocks. Hence the name is Morgaon or the Village of Peacocks. The presiding God is Moreshwar.

Another significant Ganapatya legend states that Lord Brahma along with Vishnu, Shiva, the Divine Mother Devi and Surya meditated at Morgaon to gain knowledge about their creator and the purpose of existence. Then Lord Ganesha appeared before them in the form of an Omkara flame and blessed them.

The significance of Morgaon ganapati Temple is that a huge stone boundary encloses the place of worship with minarets at four corners of the temple. The four gates which depict four ages face a cardinal direction with an image of Ganesha. Each form relates with an aim of life.

The main entrance of the shrine faces the north direction.

This beautiful courtyard has two Deepmalas and a 6-foot mouse that sits in front of the temple. An enormous structure of Nandi faces the Lord on the outside of the Morgaon Ganpati Temple gates.

Recently there is an assembly hall which is the home to the deities of Lord Vishnu and Lakshmi. This, in turn, paves a way for the central hall that was built by the Patwardhan Rulers of Kurundwad.

Morgaon Ganpati temple’s ceiling stone is made up of a single stone and the Garbhagriha houses a central image of the Lord facing the north direction.

The space around the assembly hall contains 23 different idols symbolizing various forms of Lord Ganesha. These idols include the images of the eight forms of the God as explained in Mudgala Purana.Here are some of the festivals celebrated at Morgaon Ganapati Temple:

• Ganesh Jayanti or the festival that celebrates the birthday of Lord Ganesha sees thousands of devotees assembling in the temple premises.
• Every year people from distant places gather in this place to offer prayers and seek blessings from the Almighty. It falls in the Hindu month of Bhadrapada and the celebrations last for more than a month. Devotees can offer a donation to the Chinchwad Deosthan Trust and collect the receipt. The Prasad can be sent to the pilgrims by post.
• The devotees also celebrate Vijayadasami with great fervor.

Some other festivals observed in this temple include Shukla Chaturthi, Krishna Chaturthi, and Somavati Amavasya.

The idol of this temple is Lord Mayureshwar or Lord Ganesha also called as Lord Moreshwar which is made of alloy of five metals and the trunk of lord Ganesha towards left and bounded with Goddess Riddhi and Goddess Siddhi. The other idol in this temple are Lord Shiva, Goddess Parvati, Lord Vishnu, Lord Rama, Lord Brahnma, Nagna-Bhairava, Nandi etc. There are 6 feet mouse idol on the entrance of the temple and other 23 idols of Lord Ganesha which all depicting different forms of Lord Ganpati. Ganesh Chaturthi, Magh Shuddha Chaturthi, Dasehara and Somavati Amavasya are major festivals are celebrated by this temple and lots of people visiting this temple on that days. On Sankasthi chaturthi of every month attract huge pilgrims from different parts. This is must visit the temple of Maharashtra.

As per Hindu mythology, Lord Ganesha is the God of prosperity and good will and is the remover of all obstacles that is faced by humans in their life. Hence before beginning any new venture people worship Lord Ganesha. The elephant faced God is prayed and loved by everyone who believes in Hinduism.

Every year people set out for Ashtavinayak pilgrimage which means visiting the eight auspicious Ganesh temples. Moryeshwar or Morgaon Ganesha temple is the most special and auspicious of all the eight temples. This temple is visited first and last during the pilgrimage and the pilgrimage is said to be incomplete without visiting this temple.

Morgaon Ganesha temple is located in Morgaon in Pune in Maharashtra. Morgaon is about 80 kms from Pune city. Here the temple is located in the middle of a village and the temple resembles a fort with a 50 feet high dome and four pillars on all the corners. The temple is made of black stone and has four gates.  The devotees are greeted with a tall stone pillar of oil lamp, a flight of steps leads one to the main entrance of the temple. Inside the temple is a six foot tall mooshak, the mount or vehicle of Lord Ganesha. The idol of Ganesha is in a sitting position and wears silver headed cobra above the crown. There are diamonds placed on the eyes and navel of the idol. All the pujas are done only by the priests and people are not allowed in the sanctum.

There are eight idols of Ganesha, which are the incarnations of the Lord, are placed on the eight corners of the temple is very peculiar and attractive. Another attractive feature here is the tall black statue of ‘Nandi’, the bull. As per the Hindu mythology, the statue was being transported from a nearby Shiva temple. But as soon as it reached the present place, it couldn’t be removed from there.

There are many legends related to how the temple got the name and why is it so famous and auspicious. It is said that the Lord used his vehicle or mount, as peacock which he later gave it to his brother, Skanda and thus got the name. Another belief is that the place had a large population of peacocks hence its Morgaon.

Moreover it is believed that Brahma the creator - God has himself sanctified the place twice and hence it is very specialAn 80 km drive from Pune will bring you to a place that the Ganesha Purana states is the most important place for Ganesha on Bhuloka – Morgaon. Here, the Moreshwar Temple is the starting point of the famous Ashtavinayaka pilgrimage circuit. It is called an adhya pitha – the centre of worship for those who belong to the Ganapatya sect.

In the Treta Yuga, King Chakrapani and his queen, Ugra, ruled over the kingdom of Gandaki near Mithila. The royal couple did not have any children and so Ugra prayed to Surya Deva for a child. Her prayers were answered but the foetus was so brilliant and radiant that Ugra could not bear the light and heat that emanated from it. To get rid of the foetus, Ugra abandoned it in the ocean. Here the foetus developed into a brilliant baby and was cared for the sea god. The sea god then took the form of a Brahmin and reunited the baby with his bereaved father, Chakrapani. Chakrapani named his son Sindhu, for he had come from the sea.
Sindhu was clearly no ordinary boy. He had great ambitions and in order to realise them he performed intense tapasya to please Surya Deva. Surya Deva, impressed by Sindhu’s efforts, gave Sindhu a bowl of amrut that was guaranteed to make Sindhu immortal. Sindhu consumed the amrut and stored the bowl in his navel, as Surya had promised that this bowl would continuously supply Sindhu with more amrut and ward off death. With such a great boon, Sindhu became proud, arrogant and dominating. He picked fights with devas and troubled good people. All the Gods rushed to Ganesha for help and Ganesha promised to take birth on Bhuloka and put Sindhu in his place.

Thus Ganesha was born to Parvathi and Shiva during the Treta Yuga. Shiva named him Ganesha and instead of his usual rat, Ganesha used a peacock as his mode of transport. With the peacock as his vahana, Ganesha also came to be called Moreshwar. Astride his peacock, Moreshwar defeated Sindhu’s mighty army, killed his sons and finally came for wicked Sindhu, himself. Sindhu was so arrogant that he did not heed his father’s warnings and Moreshwar killed Sindhu by ripping his body into three. According to some stories, Sindhu’s head fell in the village of Morgaon. Here the locals built a temple dedicated to Moreshwar.

In other stories, after the great battle was complete, Moreshwar looked for a place to settle down and spend the rest of his avatarhood. He chose Morgaon, a lush green, beautiful home to peacocks; along the banks of the sacred Karha and this is where we still find Him today.

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Kanchi Kailasanathar Temple

The Kanchi Kailasanathar temple is the oldest structure in Kanchipuram, located in Tamilnadu, India, it is a Hindu temple in the Dravidian architectural style. It is dedicated to the Lord Shiva, and is known for its historical importance. The temple was built from 685 – 705 AD by Rajasimha ruler of the Pallava Dynasty. The low-slung sandstone compound contains a large number of carvings, including many half-animal deities which were popular during the early Dravidian architectural period. The structure contains 58 small shrines which are dedicated to various forms of Shiva. These are built into niches on the inner face of the high compound wall of the circumambulatory passage. The temple is one the most prominent tourist attractions of the city.The temple is located on the banks of the Vegavathi at the western limits of the Kanchipuram. It faces east. Its location, demarcated according to the religious faiths, is in one of three "Kanchis", the Shiva Kanchi; the other two Kanchis are, Vishnu Kanchi and Jain Kanchi. It is 75 kilometres (47 mi) from the Chennai, the capital city of Tamil Nadu. 
Interesting Facts about Kailasanathar Temple:

• The temple is locally also known as the Sand Temple due to the sandstone used in its construction.
• The Shiva Lingam which is present in the main shrine has the feature of having sixteen faces and is ten feet high.
• This temple stands for the Ketu planet amongst the nine Shaiva kshetras (nine temples) with each of them standing for one of the nine planets.
• Circling the innermost pathway is believed to guarantee Moksha after death.
• A huge kneeling Nandi stands in the front facing the temple and a look at it clearly indicates it must have been painted in gorgeous colours once. There is a curious tunnel around the sanctum sanctorum which has a very narrow opening at the entrance and a larger one at the exit.
• It is of stone built architecture unlike the rock cut architecture built into hallowed caves or carved into rock outcrops as in Mahabalipuram. The tall gopuram (tower) is to the left and the temple complex is to the right. The temple's foundations are made of granite, which could withstand the weight of the temple, while the super structures including the carvings are all made of sandstone. Initially, only the main sanctuary existed with pyramidal vimana and a detached mandapa (main hall).The temple complex is complete in all respects as it has garbagriha (sanctum sanctorum), antarala (inner enclosure), mandapa, a high compound wall, and an entrance gate, the gopuram. The mandapa, which was initially detached, was made part of the main shrine by interposing an ardhamandapa (smaller hall). The pillars of the mandapa have the repetitive features of mythical lion mounts.The structure has a simple layout with a tower or shikara at the center of the complex. The shikara of the temple, above the main shrine (sanctum sanctorum), is square in plan and rises up in a curvilinear style or pyramidal shape. The tower has many levels rising proportionately. At the top of this tower, there is a small roof in the shape of a dome. The pillar elements with mythical animal shapes (lions on the base) are extra features in Pallava style. At the entrance, the gopuram walls are plastered. Its entrance wall has eight small shrines and a gopura, precursor to the main gopura. At some later stage, the mandapa and the sanctuary were joined by an intermediate hall called the ardhamandapa, which is reported to have marred the beauty of the temple to some extent. The temple is enclosed within walls in a rectangular layout.The main shrine has a 16 sided Shivalinga in black granite stone deified in the sanctum sanctorum. Within the walls of the main shrine there is padabhanda adhisthana (main pedestal) with very elegantly carved images of gods with a sculpted Nandi, a little distance away giving guard to the deity. On each face of the outer walls of the main shrine there are many carvings of gods and goddesses. In the south facing wall the sculpture depicts Shiva as Umamaheshavara with Varaha (incarnation of Vishnu as a boar) raising the linga, flanked by Brahma and Vishnu and flying amaras at the lower level.The west facing hall has sculptures of Shiva in the form of Sandhya Tandavamurti and Urdhava Tandavamurti and the ensemble is completed with images of ganas in dancing poses and also with images of Brahma, Vishnu, Nandi and Parvathi. The carving of Shiva on the north facing wall is a composition of Tripurantaka flanked by three ganas, goddess Durga with three ganas, &Bhairavi, Kaushiki & Jyestha. The exterior faces of the vimana (tower) have images of Bhikshatana,Somaskanda and Shiva in Samhara-Tandava (destructive dancing) pose.In the inner walls of the prakara (circumambulatory passage) there is galaxy of images of Durga, Skanda, Bhavati, Tripurantaka, Garudarudha - Vishnu, Asura Samhara (slaying of demons), Narasimha Vishnu (Vishnu in the incarnation of lion faced man), Trivikrama, Shiva Tandava (Shiva in a dancing pose), Shiva severing the fifth head of Brahma, desecration of Yagna of Daksha, Brahma and his wife, Gangadhara, Urdhava tandava, Vishnu flanked by Bhudevi & Sridevi, Lingodhbava (emergence of linga), Bhikshatana, Ravana, and Vali offering prayers to Atmalinga Chandikesvara. Vimana's south facing wall has very elegant image of Shiva in a sitting posture of peace and quietude known as Dakshinamurti, and its west wall has Shiva in the form of Lingodhbava.The tower has multiple shrines embodied on all its external faces which have the appearance of miniature shrines. These shrines have three features, the sala (rectangular), kuta (square) and panjara (apsidal) styles. Eight small shrines also decorate the entrance wall. The 58 small shrines are built into the niches of the compound wall that encloses the main shrine; they depict Somaskanda reliefs of Shiva and his consort Parvathi in many dance forms.The outstanding feature of sculptures is the profusion of depiction of the erect lions projecting out in several directions. There are two sculptures of Shiva here which are seen holding the Veena (musical string instrument) in the hand. There is a lot of difference between the Veena found in the said sculptures and the present day Veena. There are also beautiful sculptures of Mathahvialasa Prakshanam. The temple also has the earliest stone inscription records of the twenty eight Saivagamas (Shaiva saints) in which the Pallava King Rajasimhavarman states his faith inShaivism. The murals on the inner walls are well preserved.There are inscriptions in Pallava Grantha on temple walls and including the various titles of Narasimhavarman II proving that the temple was built during his reign. Though the construction of the Kailasanathar Temple was started by Rajasimha Pallava, it was his son Mahendra Varma Pallava who completed the construction. A unique example of Dravidian style of architecture this temple is seen mostly in sandstoneThe Inscriptions left by Chalukyan King Vikramaditya II on the temple Pillar stands as testimony for the same. This particular inscription describes how the invading Chalukyan king was overwhelmed by the Grandeur of the Structure and returned all the "booty”. With this he avenged his earlier humiliation by the Pallavas and engraved one of the oldest existing Kannada inscriptions.Also he took famous sculptors from Kanchi and built a similar structure in his capital Pattadakal. It is amazing to note that the Chalukyan king saw the real value or wealth in art rather than the booty which speaks volumes about the skills of Pallavan Craftsmen.Fragments of 8th century’s mural art are still a vivid reminder of the temple’s architecture. The walls and the Vimanam of this temple are filled with great art works in form of paintings and sculptures. One of the most beautiful temples in Kanchipuram this temple is regarded more as an architectural wonder rather than as a holy place. Currently the temple is well maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India.The temple is adorned with many interesting sculptures of Lord Shiva in 64 postures which presents a picture of different aspects in mythology. The fresco paintings are beautifully embellished in the inner walls of the shrine. It is not mere walls that fringe the corridor. Small shrine-like cells have been constructed along the entire length of both sides and filled with the various exploits of Lord Shiva not found anywhere else.Its other unique feature is the 58 devakulikas or mini-shrines that run round the main temple. They had frescoes that portrayed scenes from the Sivalila and sculptures of Uma Mahesvara, Parvati, Ganapati and Kartikeya, among others. The temple is unique in its architecture and is viewed more as an architectural wonder than as holy place.Shiva Lilarnavam, Sambu Nadaname and such other literatures have exquisitely described the dances of Lord Shiva. Come straight to this temple and walk around the corridor and see the dance of Shiva in sculptures. The cells on the periphery are small while on the inner wall they are big with big wonderful images. It is learnt the Shiva Lingam has flat stripes inside the temple which is a specialty of this Lingam.The Lord Shiva here is Kailasanathar. His consort here is Kanakavalli Thayar. The specialty in the Avudaiyar (Avudaiyar is the base of the Shiva Lingam) is having inscriptions on Avudaiyar. It is the only temple with inscriptions on the avudaiyar itself.  The base of the maha mandapam has a 3 line inscription throughout. At certain places they have been painted red recently to enable easy reading of the inscriptions.The ardha mandapam has some exquisite bronzes - Shiva Parvathi with Somaskanda with a small Nataraja idol, Standing Vinayaka, Ambal etc. The Maha Mandapam has 3 shrines of 3 Vinayakas - Kubera Vinayaka, Vijaya Vinayaka & Siva Sakthi Vinayaka. The mandapam that housed Navagraha was visibly very old and almost dilapidated with roots of creepers all over them. A circumambulatory passage, with a symbolic meaning is situated along the compound wall. In order to make the circumambulation, there is a narrow entry passage which devotees must crawl through. Seven steps must be climbed in order to reach the passage. Passing through the narrow passage is indicative of passage through life. After the circumambulation, the exit is through a pit or another narrow passage symbolic of death. It is believed that making the circumambulation round the various deities would usher the same blessings as visiting paradise.

Gnana Saraswati Temple

Basara Temple is situated 200 Kms from Hyderabad, AP. Sri Gnana Saraswathi temple at Basara on the banks of river Godavari is the only temple in South India dedicated to the Goddess of learning.

The legend has it that after the Mahabharata war, sage Veda Vyasa embarked on a pilgrimage in search of peace. He reached the serene Kumaranchala hills on the banks of river Godavari and meditated and propitiated the Goddess who eventually appeared before him and granted her presence in the form of the divine trinity.

The Goddess ordered the sage to place three handful of sand at three places everyday. Miraculously these sand dunes transformed into the idols of the divine trinity i.e., Saraswathi, Lakshmi, & Kali.

These are the presiding deities of Basar today. Despite the presence of the trinity,the temple is dedicated to Goddess Saraswathi.

Children are brought here for the ceremony of Akshara puja to start their education with the blessings of the Goddess of Knowledge.The Vedavathi Sila, the Ashtateertha are other places of interest around Basar. Thousands of devotees bath in the river Godavari & seek the blessings of the Goddess during the Mahashivarathri, Dassera navratris and Vasantha panchami.Four Utsavams are performed at Basara temple during the year.

Vasanta Panchami

Vasanta Panchami heralds the advent of spring. This festival marks the first day of spring.Vasantha means the spring. Magh-Shukla Panchami, which generally falls in the month of February is celebrated as Vasanth Panchami. The fields are mustard yellow with the ripening of crops. Yellow is a auspicious color - a color of spirituality.

Saraswathi is the consort of Lord Brahma and is the Goddess of Wisdom and Knowledge. She is the personification of knowledge - arts, science and crafts. She represents Shakti, creativity and inspiration and presents herself when the weather is complacent and Nature is in its full grandeur.

It is a season of inspiration and passion.

The most significant aspect of this day is that Hindu children are taught reading and writing their first words on this day - as it is considered an auspicious day to begin a child's education. Educational institutions organize special prayers for Saraswati on this day. The great Indian guru Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya laid the foundations of the world-class academic institution, Kashi Hindu Vishwavidyalaya on Vasant Panchami.

Saintly people and people inclined towards spiritual progress attach great importance to the worship of goddess Saraswati. As a practice, only educated people and men of principle worship goddess Saraswati for spiritual enlightenment. In their opinion, there can be no comparison between the king and the learned or the spiritually advanced. They believe that the king is honoured within his kingdom, whereas the learned are respected or worshiped throughout the world.

For more details about the Vasantha Panchami Utsavam at Basara Temple contact Basara Devasthanam.

Maha Shiv Ratri

Maha shivaratri is on Magh Bahula trayodashi generally falls in the month of February. Maha Shivratri Utsavam is perormed evry year at Basara Temple.

For more details about the Maha Shivratri Utsavam at Basara Temple contact Basara Devasthanam.

Vyasa Pournima

Vyasa paurnima Utsavam is celebrated on Ashada Paurnima. As the legend of the temple says the Deity of the temple was esatablished by Veda Vyasa, hence Utasavam is performed in a large scale.

For more details about the Vyasa Paurnima Utsavam at Basara Temple contact Basara Devasthanam.

Dassera Navratri

On Ashwayuja Shudda Dashami or popularly known as Dassera Navratri Utsavams are performed for Nine nights. Various poojas and are performed during these Nine days.

Saraswathi Vandanam

Yaa Kundendu tushaara haaradhavalaa, Yaa shubhravastraavritha Yaa veenavara dandamanditakara, Yaa shwetha padmaasanaa, Yaa brahmaachyutha shankara prabhritibhir Devaisadaa Vanditha (poojitaa) Saa Maam Paatu Saraswatee Bhagavatee Nihshesha jaadyaapahaa

May that Goddess - Bhagavathi - the blessed Saraswathi presiding deity of learning and remover of our lethargy, laziness and ignorance, protect us. She is pure and white like the jasmine, the full moon and the garland like formation of dewdrops. She is dressed in a spotless robe. She has in her hand, the auspicious instrument veena. She is seated on a white lotus. She is the one who is always respected by Brahma the creator, Vishnu the preserver, Shankara the annihilator and other Gods.

Saraswathi - Before Study

Saraswathi Namasthubyam, Varadey Kaamarupinee! Vidhyarambham Karishyami, Sidhir bhavathu mey sada !

Oh ! Goddess, Saraswathi, my humble prostrations unto Thee, who are the fulfiler of all my wishes. I start my studies with the request that thou will bestow Thy blessings on me

Saraswathi Shloka Gnanananda Mayam Devam Nirmala Spatika Kruthim Aadharam Sarva Vidyanam Hayagrivam Upasmahe

promise myself before Hayagriva, the Deva who is the personification of Jnana(knowledge) and Happiness(Ananda), who is very pure, and who is the basis of all learning.) The other important sloka is one to Goddess Saraswati, the God of learning.

Manikhya veenam upa laalayanthim, Madalasam manjula vag vilasam, Mahendra neela dyuthi komalangim, Mathanga kanyaam manasa smarami.

I meditate on the daughter of sage Matanga, Who plays on the jewel studded Veena, Who is most pretty and who speaks sweetest words, Who is worshiped by Indra , the king of devas, And who has perfectly pretty form.

An Insight Into the Spiritual Significance Of Gnana Saraswati Temple Basara

The Gnana Saraswati Temple is located in the census town of Basara in Adilabad district of the Indian state of Telangana. This temple dates back to the era of the Hindu religious epic Mahabharata. According to historical shreds of evidence, Bijialudu, a Kannada king of Nandagiri province in the sixth century, built this temple.

Cultural and religious significance

This temple is one of the two temples in India dedicated to the worship of Goddess Saraswati, the Hindu Goddess of knowledge and learning. This is the only Saraswati temple in Southern India. It has immense historical importance. The religious significance of this basara temple is also associated with the ritual of Akshara Abhyasam that has a great value among the devotees of Goddess Saraswati. Thousands of pilgrims from many parts of India throng the temple for this ritual. The remarkable feature of this ritual is that devotees bring their children, who are starting to read and write to seek the blessings of the Goddess of Learning.

The presiding deity

The great Hindu scholar and sage Ved Vyasa had worshipped the trinity of Goddesses Saraswati, Mahalakshmi and Mahakali here. Because of the penance performed by the sage, three deities emerged from heaps of earth. Hence, the temple has three presiding deities and Basara is considered as the abode of the trinity. However, the temple became a renowned pilgrimage for the reverence of Goddess Saraswati. Many devotees consider Gnana Saraswati as the main presiding deity.

The different idols

Three idols are worshipped in the temple, which are made of sand. Sage Ved Vyasa had made the idols from sand in the ancient times. Hence, devotees have carried the legacy forward through the centuries. The idols are relatively simple and not much big in size. Though, the idols went through significant changes across many centuries, the basic structure remains unchanged. The present idols were made during the rule of the Chalukyas. The idol of the Goddess is depicted as sitting on a swan with a veena in her hand.

Other deities worshipped

Besides, the worship of the primary deity Gnana Saraswati, the two other revered deities are Mahalakshmi and Mahakali. The temple does not have any other shrines. However, Lord Shiva is worshipped with immense devotion. Sage Ved Vyasa is also revered as a great scholar and sage.

Methods of worship

It is important to know the basara temple timings. Worship starts at 4 AM in the morning every day with performance of the ritual of Abhishekam, which takes an hour. After the conclusion of Abhishekam, the ritual of Alankara takes place. Alankara involves the adornment of sarees to the trinity of Goddesses. At around 6 AM, with the rays of the morning sun, the ritual of Aarti is performed. Once the Aarti gets over, Prasad, a devotional offering made to the Gods that consists of food items, is distributed among the devotees. The ambience fills up the entire vicinity with a devotional air and devotees offer obeisance to the Goddesses.

Occasions of religious significance

Apart from the regular worship of the trinity of the Goddesses, several other fairs and festivals take place in the temple. Vyasa Pournami, also known as Ashada Shudda Pournami is one of the major religious events that are celebrated in the temple. This celebration is an obeisance offered to sage Vyasa, the founder of the Gnana Saraswati Temple. Another important event is Dasara Navarathrulu or 9 Days Ashveeja Shudda Pratipada Dashimi. This event is also known as Dassera Navratri Utsavams.

The most important festival is perhaps Vasantha Panchami or Maga Shudda Panchami that is celebrated as the birthday of Goddess Saraswati. The occasion of Vasantha Panchami is also celebrated as the onset of spring. The ritual of Akshara Abhyasam takes place during this festival. Mahashivratri is also celebrated in temple every year with great pomp and zeal. Amusement fairs are also held.

Omkareshwar

Omkareshwar Jyotirlinga a shiv temple on Omkar mountain an island in mid Narmada, revered Hindu temple is the center of extreme faith. There are 12 jyotirlinga temples in world and omkareshwar is one fo them. 
Another temple named as Mamleshwar on thr south bank of narmada is also of very importance as stated in the dwadash jyotirling strotra "omkar mamleshwaram" sounds as if the jyotirlinga in Omkareshwar is Mamleshwar temple. the ancient name of Mamleshwar is "Amareshwar". 
Most of the visitors consider both the temples as equally sacred jyotirlinga and visit them. (as these temples are not far away.). 

On completion of pilgrimage all the Hindus come to Omkareshwar and offer the holy water to Omkareshwar only then there visit to other pilgrimage is considered to be completeThe temple has a grand Sabha Mandap (meeting or prayer hall) standing on about 60 huge brown stone pillar (14 feet high), elaborately carved with a curious frieze and fillet of satyrlike figures. Many of them have broad shoulders and meditating foreheads.The temple is 5 storeyed each having a different deity. There are three regular ‘Pujas’ in the temple. The morningone done by the temple trust , the middle one by the priest of Scindia state and the evening one by the priest of the Holkar state.The temple is always crowded with pilgrims, coming after a bath in the Narmada and with pots full of Narmada water, coconuts and articles of worship, many of them performing Abhishek or special worships through the priests.

Mahakaleshwar at Omkareshwar Jyotirlinga

Mahakaleshwar temple at Omkareshwar Jyotirlinga is on the first floor has beautiful look of maa narmada.

Siddnath ,Gupteshwar and Dhwajeshwar temples

Gupteshwar and Dhwajeshwar temples are located on the 3rd, 4th and 5th floor of Omkareshwar Jyotirlinga

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

It can only be termed as a blessing, by Lords and mother nature, that Omkareshwar, the sacred island, is shaped like Om - the holiest symbol of Hinduism. Not surprising then that this serene town is also one of the 12 Jyotirlinga shrines in India. Pilgrims in unimaginable numbers visit the shrine every year, seeking the blessings of Lord Shiva.

Omkareshwar is adorned with lofty hills, between which the river Narmada forms a serene pool. Above this pool runs a cantilever type bridge which further enhances the scenic beauty of this island.

The beauty and divinity that reside in this town work like a magic spell, transporting you back to childhood moments of sheer wonder.Omkareshwar, the ancient land has beautiful caves that highlight the history of the place. Kajal Rani Cave is one such cave that offers not just a view into the past history but also a breathtaking view of long stretches of land that spreads before you and seemingly extending up to the horizon. Located 9 km away from Omkareshwar, Kajal Rani Cave is a must visit tourist destination here.One does not need to have a keen sense of architecture to appreciate the incomparable performance of craftsmanship involved in the making of Siddhanath Temple. Influenced by Brahminic architectural style, the temple attracts followers and others alike. The exquisite carvings on the ceilings awe-inspire you. So do the carved elephants seen at the outer boundary of the temple.

There are more temples to visit in Omkareshwar in Madhya pradesh. However, owing to lack of details on hand at the time of my visit, I had to make a quick run through the important destinations here. Do share any information available with you to make my next visit more focused.There are two main temples of Lord Shiva here, one to Omkareshwar (whose name means "Lord of Omkaara or the Lord of the OmSound") 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.Omkareshwar  is popular as Jyotirlinga site due to which it is visited by thousands of devotees. Here Mamaleshwar Temple is the actual place where devotees can find Jyotirlinga. The eternal god, Lord Shiva is being worshiped most in Hinduism, known to be a god of destruction. Omkareshwar, is a sacred island of Lord Shiva, called Mandhata or Shivapuri, situated 78 km from Indore, the financial capital of central Indian state Madhya Pradesh, on the bank of holy Narmada River. The island got a shape of “OM’ by the two lofty hills, divided by a valleys, ‘OM’ which is a sacred Hindu symbol, also known to be a sound which given the birth to this whole universe and living being. Omkareshwar is second Jyotirlingam of Madhya Pradesh State after Mahakaleshwar in Ujjain and one in out of twelve Jyotirlingam across the India. This is another abode Heaven of Lord Shiva, Thousands of devotees comes here everyday, let alone the figure of millions which increases at festive time like ‘Mahashivaratri’. This place has a very old history of being its pilgrimage, which relate from an event during 10th of century AD. According to it, Parmar King Udayaditya installed here four stone inscriptions with some holy couplets on it, then the temple were known as Amaleshwar Temple, some ‘Shiva Mahima Couplets’ can also be seen on those inscriptions. Lord Shiva, the name alone is everything in itself, he considered to be the most powerful & destructive god amongst all Hindu deities, he is the one who believed to be born of itself, simultaneously he is also very innocent god, who never need any special worship, customary rituals or dedication from his devotees, an utterance of Mantra ‘Om’ or couple of tri-leafs of Bael (Aegle marmelos) or if nothing then to only recall him from a pure heart can be enough to conquer his heart. There are many names & tags that he owns, one of them regarding him as the ‘lord of Death’, the one who has the control over birth and death, which is why he is most adorable amongst Hinduism, he rules over whole universe, giving ‘Moksha’ to Living being, which meant to be ultimate door of getting off to the cycle of birth and death, Mahashivaratri (Grand night of Shiva) is a biggest celebration and festival of this temple and city. Millions of visitors around the world come here at the occasion of Mahashivaratri to feel the celebration with god, to realize the immense power of Lord Shiva (the creator of Universe). The term ‘Jyotirlingam’ derived from the first appearance of lord shiva on earth, which was resembled as the Lingam ‘the piller of light’. OmkAreshwar is a beautiful self manifest (swayambhu) linga. From the Vindhyanchal mountain range in Madhya Pradesh, river Narmada, turns westward and meanders in that direction. The deep wide river looks like it has assimilated into itself all the sins and sorrows of the humans and releasing them from these. This river Narmada, which flows rippling from the mountains, is also known as “Reva”. The smooth, round pebbles found in this river are called “BanaLingas”.

“Narmada ke Kankar, UtteShankar” is the belief of the devotees. That is how, Narmada is also known as “Shankari” river.

On the banks of river Narmada, there is a huge island on which the fourth of the JyotirLinga “Omkaram Amaleshwar” is situated. This island and the river are shaped like “OM” and that is how it derives its name. It is a natural phenomenon. The devotees who go round the temple consider themselves blessed because they are doing a Parikrama or Circumambulation of Omkara itself and Darshan of the holy JyotirLinga. The Narmada banks and the island are extremely beautiful. The beauty of Nature here is seen to be believed. The houses perched on the terraced green, strong mountains, the temple, KotiTeerth located in the waterfalls and valleys like Chakrateerts are some of the places to be seen. One can see very big fish and also crocodiles in these waers. There are many trees with beautiful creepers all over them. Groups of monkeys live on these trees. There are a variety of birds. The temple towers look bright and shiny in between. The whole atmosphere echoes with the the sound of “Om Namah Shivaya”. It is here that Lord Sankara has taken the forms of “Omkareshwara” and “Amaleshwara”, as JyotirLinga.

In the ancient times the Demons defeated the gods or divines. Indra was worried. The Danavas or Demons have wrecked havoc in all the three worlds, i.e., Trilokas. In order to empower the Devas once again, Lord Shiva assumed the form of Jyotirmaya Omkararoop. He came out of the nether world or Patala. Lord Shankar came out in the form of Linga on the banks of river Narmada. The gods or Devas have worshipped the Linga which made them powerful once again. This time they were able to destroy the demons and re-acquiesced their empire in Heavens.

Brahma and Vishnu also lived in the same place as Omkar Amaleshwar. That is why on the banks of Narmada Brahmapuri, Vishnupuri and Rudrapuri are built which are known as Tripuri Kshetra. The Amareshwar JyotiraLinga is situated in Rudrapuri.

Later on, in the mythological era or Purana Kala, Yavanaswa Putra Mandhata came into power here with the blessings of Indra. He served Lord Shankara with great devotion. Lord Shankara was pleased with him. The waters of Narmada emanated from the Arghya (holy water) or Jalahari of the Omkar JyotirLinga and flown through the mountains, downward and later on flow unseen. Narmada joins the deep-water spring located near the Linga idol of Omkareshwar. It flows there eternally. When some bubbles appear at the bottom of this spring, it is said, that Lord Shankar is pleased.

King Mandhata made this holy place his capital. Therefore, this place is also known as Omkar Mandhata. The descendents of Mandhata live here even today. The Vindhya mountain also performed a severe penance and pleased Omkar-Amareshwar. As a result of which, the whole place turned beautiful. Many hermits like Agastya have performed severe penances and japas at Omkar-Amaleshwaram JyotirLingam. They had built their hermitages.

This place of pilgrimage became famous in the historical times too. In 1063 AD, Paramarking Udayaditya installed four stone inscriptions with four Sanskrit Stotras and dedicated them to the Amaleshwar Temple. Pushpadanta’s “Shiva Mahima Stotra” can also be seen as a stone inscription.

Initially aboriginals used to live here on Omkareshwar island as a settlement. It belonged to Kalika devi. Devotees of this goddess were known as Bhairavgan and used to harass pilgrims. They used to sacrifice them. After sometime, a saint by the name Dariyayinath took charge of that place and stopped the atrocities of the Bhairavgan. Since then, pilgrims started moving there freely.

After that, Bhil reign began there. In 1195 AD, King Bharat Singh Cahuhan won over the Bhils and improved the grandeur of the Omkar Mandhata. Even today the palace ruins of Raja Bahrat Singh Chauhan can be seen. The heirs of Bharat Singh Chauhan call themselves the ‘Kings’ of Omkar island, even now staking their right.

The temple was renovated by Peshwa Baji Rao, the second. After Peshwa, Punyashlok Ahilya Devi Holkar, has made several improvements in this ancient shrine. She built strong, expansive and beautiful ghats. The important one among there is the KotirLingarchana schedule.

This shrine of Omkar Mandhata Shiva pilgrimage is most beautiful. According to Shankaracharya. It is:

kAverikAnarmadayoH pavitre samAgame sajjanatAraNAya |
sadaiva mAndhAtRipure vasantamoNkAramIshaM shivamekamIDe ||

Meaning:
I pay my obeisance to the One Who is the savior of the good people and the great One Who always resides at the Holy merging point of Kaveri and Narmada, i.e., Omkar Shiva