According to the Shiva Purana, there was once a great war between the devas (celestial beings) and the asuras (demonic forces). The asuras were gaining the upper hand. The devas gathered together and prayed to Shiva. Shiva, pleased by their collective appeal, appeared here in the form of a Jyotirlinga.
In this same region, King Mandhata had also performed rigorous tapas. The Shiva Purana tells us that Shiva, pleased by his austerities, promised to reside on this island forever.
The island, when seen from above, resembles the shape of Om (ॐ). This is how the place came to be called Omkareshwar. Omkar itself means the sound of Om.
The temple stands on the Mandhata island in the Narmada river. Here, one Jyotirlinga is worshipped as Omkareshwar and another nearby, on the opposite bank, as Amaleshwar.
Seen from above, the Mandhata island takes the shape of Om (ॐ) — which is why this place is called Omkareshwar.
The Omkareshwar Jyotirlinga has an unusual geography. It sits on a natural island in the middle of the Narmada river, with the river splitting into two channels that flow on either side of the island. The sight is quite unlike anything else.
The Narmada river has been held as deeply sacred in the Puranic tradition. The Puranas speak of the great merit of circumambulating (parikrama) the Narmada. Omkareshwar has long been a principal resting stop on that parikrama route.
- The temple is open throughout the year, and devotees come daily for darshan.
- Tradition holds that devotees take a bath in the Narmada before entering the temple for darshan.
- A parikrama path runs around the island, passing several smaller temples along the way.
- Visiting Amaleshwar on the opposite bank is also a traditional part of the pilgrimage.