India is famous for its religious and ancient temples filled with spiritual value. Every temple holds a different story. Here are 2 temples in Madhya Pradesh, which are believed as swayambhu means, self-born idols. According to Mythologies, lord Shiva has turned himself into lingas at particular places of worship. There are 12 jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva, in which 2 are in the central state of India, Madhya Pradesh. They are Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga at Ujjain and Omkareshwar temple at Omkareshwar.
MAHAKALESHWAR JYOTIRLINGA, UJJAIN
Mahakaleshwar is one of the twelve Jyotirlingas and temples dedicated to Lord Shiva. The temple is situated on the banks of Rudra sagar lake. According to mythology, after lord Shiva killed a demon called Dushana, who used to torture people of the Ujjain city. The lord Shiva took the form of jyotirlinga and residing in this city. The uniqueness of the temple is the lingam faces south and has Shree yantra inscribed on the ceiling above the garbhagriha. Yet another unique feature is the images of Lord Ganesh, Kartikeya, and Goddess Parvati are installed in the west, north, and east of the sanctum. The main highlight of the temple is Bhasm-Aarti, performed every morning, bathed the lingam with ash from the fresh funeral pyre. The most celebrated festivals are Mahashivratri, Sawan, and Nag Panchami.
Best time to visit: The best time to visit the Mahakaleshwar Temple is during Mahashivratri, which falls between the months of February and March.
How to reach: Located in Ujjain, the temple is easily accessible to the rest of the state and country by rail and roadways, connecting with major cities such as the capital city Bhopal, Delhi, Mumbai. There are well-connected trains both long and short distances from the city’s main railway station. To reach Ujjain by air, Devi Ahilyabai Holkar Airport at Indore is the nearest airport to Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga temple.
OMKARESHWAR TEMPLE, OMKARESHWAR
As Omkareshwar city is known for its pilgrimage center and home for one of 12 Jyothirlanga’s. The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva that represents one part of the fourth jyotirlinga. It stands on the Mandhata in the Narmada river. Located on Omkareshwar island which is in the shape of ‘OM’ and also derives its name from the sacred word. In this temple, one can touch and do the rituals to the Jyotirlinga. The temple sanctum also consists of a bed and a palna, which is believed that lord Shiva sleeps at night. The main highlight of the temple is Shayan Aarti, that takes place around 8 in the evening. The famous festivals that are celebrated at Omkareshwar: Mahashivratri, Ganesh Chaturthi, Anant Chaudas, Holi, and Diwali.
Best time to visit: The best time to visit the temple is during the winter season, in between the months of October to March. The climate is pleasantly cool to visit the temple and also for sightseeing.
How to reach: The island is 4 KM long and can be reached by boats and bridge. The temple and the city is easily accessible by road, public and private transports, which are available from most of the cities and towns of Madhya Pradesh. It has its own railway station, known as Omkareshwar Road (Mortakka) Railway Station. Devi Ahilyabai Holkar Airport at Indore is the nearest airport.
Thus, there are many more famous temples in Madhya Pradesh, known for its religious and cultural values that are worth a visit while you are travelling to MP. Namely Bada Ganesh ka mandir, Kal Bhairav temple, Chaturbhuj temple, Bharat Milap mandir, and more.
