Omkareshwar is a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is located on an island called Mandhata, also known as Shivapuri in the river Narmada. It is said that the shape of this temple resembles the shape of the hindu symbol om.
There are two Shiva temples on this island,omkareshwar, and Amareshwar. According to the jyotirling stotra, this Amareshwar jyotirling is also called Mamleshwar jyotirling.
There are many legends on how the temple came into existence. One of them says that Vindhya, the deity in charge of Vindhyachal mountain range prays Lord Shiva to forgive him for all the sins he had committed. In this process, he made a geometrical structure and a lingam using sand and clay. Pleased by his sincere prayers, it is said that Lord Shiva appeared in two different forms, Omkareshwar and Amaleshwar. Since the mud structure appeared in the form of om, since then, the island was called omkareshwar. The temple is also home for a shrine of Parvati and Panchmukhi Ganpati.
Another interesting fact about this temple is that Adi Shankara met his guru Govindapada in a cave near this temple and the temple can be found even today with an image of Adi Shankara in it. Geographically, the temple is situated on Mandhata island, on the banks of river Narmada and is 2.6sq.km in the area. Boats are used in transporting devotees from the banks of the river to the island. It is in Khandwa district of Madhya Pradesh state.
The sculpture of this temple is a feast to the eyes and it is impossible to describe the beauty of this place during the dawn and dusk when the rays of sun reflect on the water of river Narmada and our ears will be filled with the magical `Om Namah Shivaya` chants of devotees. This temple is definitely on the bucket list of devotees of Lord Shiva all over the world
