LAHORE   BY   IAN   TALBOT

                                       

Lahore In The The Time Of The Raj by Ian Talbot and Tahir Karman ; Published by Penguin / Viking ; Pages 267 ; Price Rs 599/-

                                                   ****************************

Ian Talbot is a Professor of modern British History at the University of Southampton who has several books on  Pakistan. The co-author Tahir Karman is a notable Pakistani historian ,author of four books and   founder of  journal 'The Historian' 

 Partition bequeathed the historic city of Lahore to Pakistan. It bursts with life  and for ever outward-looking its “walled” existence. It is according to Talbot a city, eager and capable of effortlessly adapting to the needs of ‘imperial globalisation.’  “Lahore was a city connected through trade and movements of people and ideas centuries before the colonial era.”  Lahore was not a backwater, but indeed had “a long and continuous history of trans-regional and transnational connections.” It was a city of “professional, political and cultural connections that spread across North India.” 

 Lahore’s population burgeoned  during the last six decades of the British rule. It eclipsed Amritsar as the most populous city in the Punjab. A Railway Station, a Civil Line, a GPO, the High Court and other colonial buildings not only reshaped the geographical expanse but also introduced new attitudes and ideas, new patterns of construction and consumption. 

The city underwent a revolution--- new retail shops and grocery stores in Anarkali Bazaar and The Mall; the rich Aroras, Khatris, Aggarwals and other banias moved out of the walled city. To quote the authors , Lahore had twenty bank offices, “more financial institutions than any other Indian city…..The Sunlight Building at 14, The Mall housed the New Bank of India, with its lady assistant to attend to purdah clients.” 

Hindu businessmen like  Lala Lajpat Rai and Lala Harkishen Lal came together and created the Punjab National Bank and insurance companies.

Talbot is eloquent on the Darvazas (the Bhati Gate, Shah Almi Gate, Mochi Gate) and mohallas (Haveli Mian Khan); of Faletti’s Hotel (where “French, Italian and German was spoken”); of mushaira and poets (Mohammad Hussain Azad, Altaf Hussein Hali); of akharas, their patrons, khalifas, ustads and wresters (Gama Pehalwan, Buta Pehalwan) as “Lahore was the wrestling capital of the Punjab”; of cricketers (Lala Amarnath, Jahangir Khan) and cricket rivalries (“the 1944-45 final between the Muslims and the Hindus was witnessed by a crowd of over 200,000”); and, not the least, of Lahore’s “transnational revolutionary networks” and martyrs and revolutionaries (Bhagat Singh, Udham Singh, Madan Lal Dhingra). 

The city rose to its glory because of its cosmopolitan culture. Hindu, Muslim and Sikhs contributed generously in making Lahore a beautiful and truly a secular city.

 Talbot writes on the artistic attainments of Lahore. Himansu  Rai and  Devika Rani, who was  Rabindranath Tagore’s great-grandniece, made “The Light of the Asia “ on the life of Buddha .This is the  first film to be made in Lahore in 1925.  Rai gravitated  to Bombay and started the  Bombay Talkies with Rajnarayan Dube. All India Radio (AIR), Lahore’s All India Radio was the home and hearth of budding  singers and writers.  Mohammad Rafi was discovered here . Noor Jahan and Shamsad Begum were AIR products crooning sweet  tunes over  the Radio station and only later blossomed into eminent playback singers. The highly respected Amrita Pritam  broadcast her own writings along with  recording Punjabi folk songs. Rajinder Singh Bedi was also part  AIR, Lahore .

Lahore was  the glittering star of  North India, an unrivalled  hub of trading,  education, culture, architecture, travel and freedom struggle. It was rightly known as the Paris of the East .

To slightly hark back, Lahore was  part of the Mughal empire in 1536, and was next only to Delhi and Agra in imperial prominence. It had been even the Empire's capital. There is the ancient Ramayana connection that connects  Lahore to Rama's son Lava.

Lahore was the seat of Mughal power  before the East India Company annexed Punjab.The British , however, left a lasting impression on  the city. Lahore’s strategic location at the junction of the roads to Kabul, Multan, Kashmir and Delhi made it a seat of power, but the turning point arrived with the inauguration of the railway station in 1862. It served to transport  troops and goods and also led to the arrival of  a great number of migrants who laid the foundation of the city’s  growth and transformation. 

The British departure from India violently ended the colonial chapter on Lahore’s long history. With Partition, Lahore, a multi-ethnic melting pot, now part of Pakistan, became a Muslim city and lost its cultural and commercial links to the world. Over the years, the city has declined in every sphere that it once excelled in: administration, trade, industry, cinema, tourism, culture and sports, quietly slipping into near-oblivion.

 This pioneering study provides fresh insights and interpretations. The book recounts the changing equation between Lahore and Amritsar, and traces the traumatic and dramatic changes in the two cities in 1947, their sudden transformation from heartland centers into border cities, and, later, their contrasting evolution.Comparing Amritsar and Lahore  there is no doubt that Lahore's intellectual life was clearly richer, yet two of Pakistan's (and the subcontinent's) best-regarded intellectuals, Faiz Ahmad Faiz (1911-1984) and Saadat Hasan Manto (1912-1955), spent their formative years in Amritsar.

 Expressions of nostalgia are heard on both sides of the border, from Hindu and Sikh refugees . Although both Lahore and Amritsar lost their religious minorities, their Punjabi-ness was intact. The refugees settling in the two cities were, like the locals, Punjabi-speaking. By looking jointly and objectively at Lahore and Amritsar and at the two Punjabs, Talbot has enhanced our understanding of the India-Pakistan story. His study is at once instructive, entertaining and packed with information. We have a collection of wonderful photographs and an excellent bibliography.One wishes there will be more such seminal books on cities like Delhi, Kolkata, Karachi and Dacca.

Tit Bits

1.Lahore finds a mention in John Milton’s “Paradise Lost”, Book  X

To shew him all Earth’s Kingdoms and their glory..

City of old or modern Fame, the Seat of mightiest Empire,from the destined Walls

Of CAMBALU..

To AGRA  and LAHOR of great Moghul

2. In the 1930s, the future ‘Melody Queen’  Noor Jehan first sang as a child in a concert at the Mahabir Theatre.

3.The place where Bhagat Singh and his compatriots were hanged was known as Shadman Chowk was  renamed in 2012 as "Bhagat Singh Chowk".

4.We have charming vignettes of  the Tribune Paper, Forman College, the G C College, Rudyard Kipling.

P.P.Ramachandran.

23 / 04 / 2017

   SEVENTH  JYOTIRLINGA--  NAGESHWAR JYOTIRLINGA

                                 

According to the Shiva Purana  Nageshvara Jyotirlinga is in " Darukavana ", which is an ancient name of a forest in India. " Darukavana " finds mention in Indian epics, such as Kamyakavana, Dvaitavana, Dandakavana. This powerful Jyotirlinga symbolizes protection from all poisons. It is said that those who pray to the Nageshwar Linga become free of poison. 

 Shiva Purana recounts the story  of a demon named Daaruka, who attacked  Shiva's devotee  Supriya and imprisoned him in  his city of Darukavana, a city under the sea inhabited by seasnakes and demons. Supriya requested his co-prisoners  to chant the name  of Shiva and immediately thereafter the Lord Shiva appeared and defeated the demon and started residing there in the form of a Jyotirlinga. The demon had a wife named Daaruki who worshipped Mata Parvati. As a result of her penance and devotion, Mata Parvati enabled her to master the forest where she performed her devotions, and renamed the forest 'Darukavana' in her honour. Wherever Daaruki went the forest followed her. In order to save the demons of Darukavana from the punishment of the gods, Daaruka summoned up the power Parvati had given her. She then moved the entire forest into the sea where they continued their campaign against the hermits, kidnapping people and keeping them confined in their new prison under water, which was how that great Shiva devotee, Supriya, had reached there.

Supriya's advent caused a revolution. He set up a lingam and made the prisoners recite the mantra Om Nama Shivaya in honour of Shiva while he prayed to the lingam. The demon's  attempt to kill Supriya failed as Shiva appeared and handed him a divine weapon to save himself. Daaruki and the demons were defeated.The lingam that Supriya had set up was called Nagesha; it is the tenth lingam. Shiva once again assumed the form of a Jyotirlinga with the name Nageshwar, while  Goddess Parvati was called Nageshwari. 

The actual location of the legendary forest of Darukavana is debated.The temple falls within Gujarat’s Dwarka district and in a place called ‘Darukavanam’. The route that runs between the city of Dwarka and the island of Bet Dwarka  has the temple and the region stands along the coastline of Saurashtra.    "Darukavana"  is derived from 'daruvana' (forest of deodar  trees) which is believed  to exist in Almora. Deodar (daru vriksha) is found abundantly only in the western Himalayas, not in peninsular India. Deodar trees have been associated with Lord Shiva in ancient Hindu texts. Hindu sages used to reside and perform meditation in deodar forests to propitiate  Lord Shiva.

The written name of Darukavana could be misread as 'Dwarakavana' which would point to the Nageswara temple at Dwaraka. However no forest is in this part of Dwaraka that finds mention in any of the Indian epics. Legends of  Krishna, mention Somanatha and the adjoining Prabhasa Tirtha, but not Nageswara or Darukavana in Dwaraka.Darukavana might exist next to the Vindhya Mountains. It is south-southwest of the Vindhyas extending to the sea in the west.   

Lord Shiva Temple is in an underground sanctum. A 25 m tall statue of a sitting Lord Shiva and a large garden with a pond are major attractions of this rather serene place. Some archaeological excavations claim five earlier cities at the site.

 A famous legend about this mystical temple:

 'Balakhilyas', a group of dwarf sages worshipped Lord Shiva in Darukavana for a long  time. For testing their devotion and patience, Shiva appeared as a nude ascetic wearing only nagas  on his body. Wives of sages got attracted to the saint and went after him, leaving their husbands behind. Sages were outraged and distraught. They lost their patience and cursed the ascetic to loose his linga . Shiva linga fell on the earth and the whole world trembled. Lord Brahma and Lord Vishnu came to Lord Shiva, requesting him to save the earth from destruction and take back his linga. Shiva consoled them and took back his linga. Lord Shiva promised his divine presence in Darukavana as 'Jyothirlinga' for ever.

 Two other sites in India, one near Audhgram near Purna in Andhra Pradesh and another near Almora in Uttar Pradesh also enshrine temples to Nageswara Jyotirlingam.

 Lord Krishna Himself used to worship it and perform Rudrabhishekam. The Rudra Samhita sloka refers to Nageshwar with the phrase ‘Daarukaavane Naagesham’.

Dvaraka is one of the Sapta-puris or seven holy towns – Ayodhya, Mathura, Haridwar, Kasi, Ujjin, Kancipuram and Dvaraka – and one of the four Dhamas or holy places – Rameswaram, Puri, Badrinath and Dvaraka.

One more legend. The Pandavas came here during their Vanavas to build a hermitage for themselves. Their cows used to go to the same river bank to drink water. After drinking water, milk used to flow automatically into the river as if the cows were offering to the river. One day Bhima saw this miraculous event and told Dharmaraja about the same. Then Dharmaraja said, “Surely, some great God must be living in this river”. Then the Pandavas started removing the water from the river. The middle part of the river was so hot that the water there was boiling. Bheema lifted his mace and hit the river thrice. The water gave way instantly. Lord Shankara’s Linga could be seen as the Jyotirlinga.

The Sivalinga is facing South, with the Gomukham facing East. There is a story for this position. A devotee by name Naamdev was singing bhajans in front of the Lord. Other devotees asked him to stand aside and not hide the Lord. To this Naamdev asked them to suggest one direction in which the Lord does not exist, so that he can stand there. The enraged devotees carried him and left him on the south side. To their astonishment, they found that the Linga was now facing South with the Gomukham facing East.

Another speciality of this Shivalinga is that unlike the other Shivalingas, which are made of black stone and look like a neat pillar rounded off at the top, this one is made of a stone known popularly as Dwarka Shila, which has small chakras on it. The shape of the linga is more or less like a oval 3 mukhi Rudraksha.

                                     

Aurangazeb, the notorious Mughal Emperor, wanted to destroy this Hindu temple. When he tried, thousands of bees came out of the temple and attacked him and his army. He left the demolition work midway and went back. The devotees rebuilt the broken temple.

Nageshvara Jyotirlinga .It was a very small shrine and was built to its present form by the Late Gulshan Kumar and his trust.

Two other sites in India, one near Audhgram near Purna in Andhra Pradesh and another near Almora in Uttar Pradesh also enshrine temples to Nageswara Jyotirlingam.

P.P.Ramachandran.

24 / 04 / 2017

SIXTH  JYOTIRLINGA—BAIDYANATH

                                                      

 

Baidyanath Jyotirlinga is located in Deoghar in Jharkhand. It is a temple complex consisting of the main temple of Baba Baidyanath, where the Jyotirlinga is installed, and 21 other temples.

According to Hindu beliefs, Ravana worshipped Shiva at this temple and  got the boons  which he  used to wreak havoc in the world. Ravana offered his ten heads one after another to Shiva as a sacrifice. Pleased with this, Shiva descended to cure Ravana who was injured. As he acted as a doctor, he is referred to as  Vaidya ("Doctor").

It is believed that, Shiva first manifested himself as a Jyotirlinga on the night of the Ardra Nakshatra, thus the special reverence for the Jyotirlinga. Interestingly, the same shrine of Baidyanath is considered as one of 51 Shakti Peethas, where The  'heart' of Sati  fell. Since the heart of Sati fell here, the place is also called as Hardapeetha.  Tantras mention this holy shrine as a popular Tantrik seat for Sadhakas.

According to the stories narrated in the Shiva Purana, it was in the Treta yuga that the demon Ravana, King of Lanka, felt that his capital would not be perfect and free from enemies unless Shiva stayed there forever. He  meditated on  Mahadeva. Ultimately Shiva was pleased and allowed  him to carry his Atmalinga with him to Lanka. Mahadeva advised him not to place or transfer this linga to anyone. There should not be a break in his journey to Lanka. If he deposited the linga anywhere on the Earth, in the course of his journey, it would remain fixed at that place forever. Ravana was happy as he was taking his return journey to Lanka.

The other Gods objected to this plan; if Shiva went to Lanka with Ravana, then Ravana would become invincible, and his evil and anti-vedic deeds would threaten the world. They never liked to see Lord Shiva as his protector. They devised a plan for outwitting Ravana. They requested Varuna (the God of Water) to enter into the belly of Ravana, on his way back from Mount Kailash. So, on his way back, Ravana felt a severe urge to release water. He began looking for a man to whom he could temporarily entrust the linga. Lord Ganapathi appeared before Ravana in the guise of a Brahmin. Unaware of the mystery, Ravana handed over the linga to the Brahmin. Unfortunately, Ravana could not ease himself soon. Meanwhile, the Brahmin placed the linga at this place which was and which is now Baidyanathdham. Ravana tried hard to remove the linga from the spot where it had been placed. He could not move  the linga even an inch. This made him frustrated. He used violence but he only succeeded in damaging it. Later on he felt guilty and begged for forgiveness. The Gods were happy that the Shiva linga had not reached Ravana's place. He returned to Lanka but visited daily to worship the linga. This continued forever. The place where Ravana descended on the earth is identified with the present Harilajori about four miles north of Baidyanathdham. The place where the linga was kept is now Deoghar and the linga itself is known to all as Baidyanath Jyotirlinga.

The temple  faces the east and is 72 feet tall  and it is lotus shaped. This temple has been built by Vishwakarma, the architect of gods. There are three parts of this temple; i.e., the main temple, the middle part  and the entrance . The main temple is beyond historical dates. It has been visited since the age of Rama, the King of Ayodhya. The top contains three ascending shaped gold vessels that are compactly set. Besides these pitcher shaped vessels, there is a 'Panchashoola ' (Five knives in Trident shape), which is rare. In the inner top there is an eight petalled lotus jewel (Chandrakant Mani).

The main 'Linga' (Lord Shiva) is also very rare. The linga is of a cylindrical form about 5 inches in diameter and projects about 4 inches from the center of a large slab of basalt.

 There are bells fixed in the ceiling and pilgrims are supposed to pull the bell-ropes to announce their approach to the divinity. Parvathi temple is tied up with the main temple, with huge red sacred threads which is unique and worthy of reverence, showing the unity of Shiva and Shakti.

Unlike Somnath or Rameshwaram or Srisailam, here the devotees can offer Abhishek themselves on Jyotirlinga.

                                                       

                                                     Pyramid-shaped Tower  

This whole area of Deoghar was under the rule of the Kings of Gidhaur who were much attached with this temple. Raja Bir Vikram Singh founded this Princely State in 1266. In 1757 after the Battle of Plassey the officers of the East India Company paid their attention to this temple.

 It is famous for the mela of Shravana , between July and August. About 7 to 8 million devotees visit the place from various parts of India and offer holy water of Ganges  .You will find large crowds walking all the way carrying water. An unbroken line of people in saffron-dyed clothes stretches over the full 108 km for the month. The pilgrims are called Dak Bam and they do not stop even once in their journey from Sultangunj, located at Bhagalpur district to Baidyanath.

 The temple of Baidyanath Jyotirlinga has patronage of several sects, castes and communities in the past and even today. Baidyanath is a centre and symbol of Sarva Dharma Sambhava (respect for all religions). We cannot forget the name of Data Saheb. In the religious and cultural history of Deoghar, there is a place on the north-east of Shivganga which was famous as 'Data Ka Jungle'. In the past there was dense forest here. Data Saheb was a Muslim Fakir. He was  a Bhakta of Baidyanath. Every day he used to come in the campus of Deoghar temple and offer flowers to priests and Priests would offer them to the linga. There is still a  Mazar of Data Saheb. Once in a year Urs is offered on the Mazar . A page from Deoghar Jail's history. In British India a jailor was posted at Deoghar. As ill luck would have it he was facing  misfortune. His son was missing in a sea together with his ship. He was upset and  did not pay proper attention to his work. He was advised by his staff to meditate and worship Baidyanath as God is famous for fulfilling one's desires. He began to meditate upon Baidyanath Jyotirlinga. Miracles took place. Suddenly news came that  his son was alive and his ship was alright. Since then he started a tradition in the Deoghar Jail and 'Phool Kaman' was created to gather flowers and Vilva Patras for worshipping Lord Baidyanath.

                               

A Special  Note.

 Vaidyanath Jyotirlinga is believed to exist in four places--

1.Deogarh in Santhal Parganas in Jharkhand.

2.Parli Village in Nanded in Maharashtra.

3.Kiragram in Punjab

4. Dabhol in Gujarat.

Parli Vaijnath is located about 120 kms from Nanded. The Temple is situated on a hill. At the entrance one can see a huge pillar--less hall which is made of sagwan wood. 

This Temple is more famous than Kashi among the pilgrims as Lord Shankara is residing with Parvati. 

Rani  Ahalyabai Holkar renovated this temple. 

The  Sabhamandap and the Garbagriha are on the same level.

 Famous tale of  Satyavan and Savitri is believed to have happened here.

PPR

17/04/2017

BIBEK DEBROY'S  BOOK

************************************************************************

                                             

India  2047--Voices of  The Young  ; Edited by Bibek Debroy; Published by Academic Foundation ; Pages  162 ; Price Rs. 895/-

                                                    *************************

Bibek Debroy, the Editor of the book under review is presently a member of Niti Aayog. He studied in the Delhi School of Economics and Trinity College, Cambridge. He has held exalted positions in the Government—Director of a Ministry of Finance Project on Legal Reforms ; Department of Economic Affairs, the NCAER. He has published  several books and many articles in learned journals. He was awarded Padma Shri  in 2015.

 The Chief Economic Adviser  to the Government of India Shri.Arvind Subramanian in a scintillating Foreword to this book calls it a “ terrific volume” where the contributors have chosen to “ disembark themselves of short view and taken wings into the future” quoting the venerable and redoubtable  J.M.Keynes.

The Niti Aayog which is the successor to the Planning Commission has an initiative known as the Y P P (Young Professionals Programme). Nineteen  YPs—who hail from a diverse and varied background—in terms of region, ethnicity, gender, caste and religion—were asked to write short essays on what interested them personally and individually, cutting away from macroeconomic kind of projection work that they normally do in Niti Aayog. The book under review is the result of this experiment. We find a ubiquitous strand of bullishness and optimism running through all the essays. One gets a refreshingly different take on “India in 2047”—A Century of Freedom.

India is a young country with a median age of around 25 years. Economists call it a           ” Demographic Dividend”. We have a generation born or brought up after 1991—an impatient generation. Arvind Subramanian points out four striking features of the  contributions to this volume. The first is “ social cleavages”—created by class, caste, religion, region, gender, language and sexuality. We have made progress in some respects. The second is the key role assigned to technology to transform possibilities for the future. Third is that all the changes imagined and devoutly wished for by the contributors are not based on revolution or struggle. The young like to see change occurring through the democratic structure rather than through its circumvention. The fourth aspect is that the young think in terms of outcomes and less in terms of how change will be brought about.

We now come to individual contributions. In a moving essay Sara Philips writes on the agony of those becoming victims of human trafficking and their harrowing lives. She pleads for ending this organised international menace.

Lakshmy Parvathy’s subject is “Transgender “. Social intolerance of transgender is embedded in a diverse range of social structures and institutions right from family, marriage, religion, media, workspace, child adoption, inheritance, access to public spaces, health services and social welfare programmes. The LGBT rights movement in India has given political space for transgenders. The Supreme Court also passed a favourable judgement in 2014. The Rajya Sabha passed a Private Member’s Bill in 2015. The NALSA  judgement is a landmark of legal struggle in the right direction.

Ranveer Nagaich writes on “The City of Kanpur in 2047” . We have driverless transport, personalized medicine, an accountable government, clean energy. Public services have been widened to cover the poorest of the poor. Manufacturing and services are growing faster than the national and state averages. The city has expanded vertically rather than horizontally as boundaries have been fixed on urban growth. Kanpur’s quality of life is the highest it has ever been.

Swati Saini studies India as the  “Wellness Capital of the World ”. India is the source of a wide variety of teas, coffees, spices, oils and herbs. In addition to the talented trainers and teachers in the fields of wellness training there are some of the world-renowned places in India that contribute majorly in its booming wellness tourism. Kerala boasts of its world famous Ayurveda and Kairali massages ; Uttaranchal has become  the Yogic and Meditation Capital ; Goa is famous for holistic living and Rajasthan for its heritage living destination.

Simi Thampi presents “ Vision 2047 ”—Smart Living in Megacities of the Future. Such a life requires three tangible components. They are smart public transport system, smart housing and smart waste management. We should have air buses, intra-city elevated buses and electric buses. We should have elevated rapid transport systems and multi-level highways and expressways to facilitate faster movement. There should be no slums in India. Affordable pre-cast technology will make available full apartment in a single day. Transportable houses are also envisaged. Urban waste must be disposed off scientifically and speedily. As Japan has done with great efficiency   in “ Dream Island” in Kyoto we should create artificial islands to contain waste. Effective Planning will ensure success of megacities.

A warm welcome to this volume bursting with great ideas of how to make India a glorious place to be in.Nineteen crisp essays on diverse  subjects guaranteed to buoy up the readers hope and enthusiasm.

P.P.Ramachandran.

16 / 04 / 2017.

JYOTIRLINGAS----PART  FIVE

  

                                              FIFTH JYOTIRLINGA

                                             

                                                    Omkareshwar  

             

Omkareshwar  is on an island called Mandhata or Shivapuri in the Narmada river; the shape of the island is said to be like the symbol “OM”.

There are two main temples of Lord Shiva here. Omkareshwar located in the island and  Amareshwar located on the south bank of Narmada River on the mainland. Many consider both Omkareshwar and Amareshwar equally sacred.

As per legend, Vindya, the deity controlling the Vindyachal mountain range was worshipping Shiva to propitiate himself from the sins committed. He created a sacred geometrical diagram and a Lingam made of sand and clay. Shiva was pleased  and  appeared in two forms--- Omkareshwar and Amareswara. Since the mud mound appeared in the form of Om, the island came to be known as Omkareswar. There is a shrine for Parvati and five-faced Ganapathi in the temple.

Another story relates to Mandhata and his son's penance. King Mandhata  of  Ikshvaku clan worshipped Lord Shiva here till the Lord manifested himself as a Jyotirlinga. Some scholars also narrate the story about Mandhata's sons-Ambarish and Muchukunda, who had practised severe penance and austerities here and pleased Lord Shiva. Because of this the mountain is named Mandhata.

The third story says that once upon a time there was a great war between Devas and Danavas, in which Danavas won. This was a major setback for Devas and hence Devas prayed to Lord Shiva. Pleased with their prayer, Lord Shiva emerged in the form of Omkareshwar Jyotirlinga and defeated Danavas.

 Omkareshwar is said to be the place where Sri Adi Sankara met his Guru Govindapada in a cave. This cave can be found even today just below the Shiva temple where an image of Adi Shankara has been installed.

 Another legend is the story of the Vindhya mountain, who was once provoked by sage Narada, who teased it that Mount Meru was more important. Vindhya was determined to prove Narada wrong and started observing strict penance with the aim of pleasing Lord Shiva.Lord Shiva was greatly pleased by the devotion of Vindhya and granted him his wish of being greater than Meru. The lingam that was worshipped by Vindhya was split into two on the request of the Gods and sages.

 Omkareshwara Temple is located at a distance of about 12 miles from Mortakka in Madhya Pradesh. A special feature of the location of Omkareshwar Temple is that the river Narmada branches into two and forms an island Mandhata or Shivapuri in the center. The shape of the island resembles that of the visual representation of the Omkara sound, Om. 

The Omkareshwar Temple is built in the Nagara style and is characterized by a lofty shikhara. There are also shrines to Annapurna and Ganesha here. Before entering the temple one has to pass through two rooms. The Omkareshwar is not affixed to the ground but is naturally installed there. There is always water around it. The significance of this linga is that the linga is not situated below the cupola. The idol of Lord Shiva is situated on the top of the temple. The temple can be reached by ferry from the banks of the river.

Lord Shiva made two parts of the lings. One half being Omkareshwara and the other Amaleshwara or Amareshwar.

 Numerous recluses like Agastya have performed serious penance at Omkar-Amaleshwaram JyotirLingam.

In 1063 AD, Parmar King Udayaditya introduced four stone engravings with four Sanskrit Stotras and devoted them to the Amaleshwar Temple. Pushpadanta's "Shiva Mahima Stotra" can likewise be seen as a stone engraving.

                                                    

 Interesting facts

Omkareshwar has two lofty hills and it’s divided by a valley, creating a shape of the sacred Hindu symbol ‘OM’ from above.

 It is said that  Lord Shiva  visits here to sleep  or ‘Shayan’ every night and so ‘Shayan Arti’ is performed   here.

  It is believed that  worshipping Omkareshwar is synonymous  to  visiting  and worshipping Kedarnath  and Panch Kedars.

 Archaeologists have guessed that the Jyothirlinga inside  the temple was  originally  located in a  small ancient temple where a large  holy place was  built by and by.

  When the Mughal emperors and Mahmud Gazni attacked several Hindu temples in the 11th century, Omkareshwar temple was one of them that luckily escaped  the attack and  became one of the most popular holy places for Hindu pilgrims.

In  Omkareshwar  you'll get charmed by the stunning architecture and striking mural paintings and carvings of the place.

Walk up 287 steps to the 11th century temple of Gaudi Somnath from where you can go down the hill to the northern part of the island. Explore the elegant sculpted Siddhanatha Temple in Omkareshwar, which is embellished with wonderful elephant carvings around its base

.An annual fair is held at Mandhata in the first fortnight of Karthik which is attended by thousands of devotees.

 WATCH  THIS MAGNIFICENT LIGHTING OF LAMPS. 

CLICK

Attachments area

Click here to Reply or Forward