Omkareshwar is a popular pilgrim destination, dedicated to lord Shiva in Madhya Pradesh state of Central India. It is in western part of state on the bank of holy Narmada river. The eternal god Lord Shiva is one of the three main gods of Hindus – Brahma, Vishnu & Mahesh. Here Mahesh refers to lord Shiva. He is worshiped most in Hinduism, known to be a god of destruction who activates his power to destroy evil powers. Omkareshwar, is a sacred island of Lord Shiva, called Mandhata or Shivapuri, situated 80 km from Indore, the financial capital of state Madhya Pradesh. 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. Their are 12 revered Jyotirlinga shrines in India in which 2 are in Madhya Pradesh. Here in state jyotirlingas are in Omkareshwar & Ujjain towns. Here in Omkareshwar, jyotirlinga is in Mamaleshwar Temple. 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 4 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. Thousands 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’.