Omkareshwar Temple / Omkareshwar Jyotirlinga - History, Timings & Entry Fee

At a distance of 1 km from Omkareshwar Bus Station, Omkareshwar Temple is a revered Hindu temple located in the Omkareshwar town of Madhya Pradesh. Perched on an enticing island of Mandhata or Shivapuri in the Narmada river, it is one of the holiest temples in India, and among the must include places in Omkareshwar tour packages.

Dedicated to Lord Shiva, the Omkareshwar Jyotirlinga is one of the 12 revered jyotirlinga shrines of Lord Shiva in India. According to legend, Vindhya, the deity controlling the Vindhyachal mountain ranges was worshipping Lord Shiva to cleanse his soul of the sins committed by him. He created a sacred Lingam with sand and clay. Impressed by his devotion, Lord Shiva appeared before him in two forms- Omkareshwar and Amareshwar. The island is said to be in the shape of the Hindu 'OM' symbol which makes this land even more divine.

The temple boasts Nagara-style architecture with detailed and intricate carvings. This 5 storied temple has a grand Sabha Mandap (prayer hall) standing on about 60 huge elaborately carved pillars. One can see the Mahakal temple on the first floor, Omkareshwar Temple on the second floor, Siddhnatha temple on the 3rd floor, Gupteswar temple on the 4th floor, and Rajeshwar Mahadev temple on the 5th floor. All these temples are dedicated to Lord Shiva and these are different names of Lord Shiva. Inside, the Omkar Shivlinga is established along with Goddess Parvati and Lord Ganesh. Jyotirlinga is always surrounded by water. Besides, the circular path around Omkar hill (Parikrama path) has several temples and ashrams. The path is about 6 km long and takes 2-3 hours to complete.

There are three regular 'Pujas' in the temple. The morning one is 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. During holidays and Shravan month, there will be a huge crowd in the temple. Maha Shivratri is one of the main and important festivals celebrated here with great enthusiasm. One can reach the temple via the long bridge across Narmada or by boat.

Timings: 5 AM - 9.30 PM

Jalabhishek Timings: 5.30 AM - 12.25 PM

Evening Aarti: 8.20 PM - 9.05 PM