Omkareshwar Jyotirlinga, Khandwa (Mandhata island)
- Stotram list
- No. 4
- Season
- Oct to Mar
- Railhead
- Omkareshwar Road
- Not checked yet
- Airport
- Indore
- about 77 km
Official website: Shri Omkareshwar Mandir Trust (shriomkareshwar.org)
The emblem here is our own drawing. The trust uses no image logo, and its copyright policy bars showing its material on other websites.
The map loads when it scrolls into view.
The story of Omkareshwar
On the Narmada in Madhya Pradesh, 77 km from Indore and 13 km from Mortakka, where the river splits around Mandhata island, about 4 km long and 2 km wide, also called Shivpuri.
The trust account has the Vindhya mountain performing penance and worshipping Shiva as a physical lingam, and Shiva appearing and blessing it as the Pranav Lingam. In one version the lingam then divides in two, one half becoming Omkareshwar and the other Mamleshwar, also called Amreshwar. In another version King Mandhata of the Ikshvaku dynasty meditated here and was blessed.
The jyotirlinga stands at Omkareshwar and the physical lingam at Mamleshwar across the water, which is why the two are done as a pair on the same visit.
- Trust main temple page, temple trust, read 19 Oct 2026
Darshan at Omkareshwar
Omkareshwar is an active temple with a daily ritual schedule, not a monument. The free queue is the default: it costs nothing and on a normal weekday it moves well. Paid darshan, if the trust offers one, buys a shorter line rather than a different view of the linga. On festival days the paid line is often suspended entirely.
Aarti is the part worth planning around. Slots are limited, some are booked days ahead, and walk-ins are turned away once the hall is full.
The temple day runs from the 4:30 AM Mangal aarti to the Shayan darshan that ends at 10:30 PM.
Source: shriomkareshwar.org, read 19 Oct 2026.
Free darshan runs through the day except during the aartis and the evening shringar, and the trust sells Shighra Darshan for a shorter line. The full clock is on this site's darshan page for Omkareshwar.
The trust keeps its own festival page, and Mahashivratri and the Shravan Mondays are the days the island fills.
- Trust FAQ, darshan and booking, temple trust, read 19 Oct 2026
- Trust festivals page, temple trust, read 19 Oct 2026
When the crowds arrive
Two periods are heavy at every one of the twelve: Mahashivratri and the month of Shravan. What is specific to Omkareshwar is the part this site has not sourced yet.Data check pending
What Mahashivratri changes at all twelve →Where to stay
Three ways people stay at Omkareshwar, cheapest and closest first.
What is around Omkareshwar
Bridge and boats both reach the island. Most visitors give the temple a few hours and leave the same day, which is a miss: the places worth half a day sit within a short drive, and going early or late avoids the crowd that arrives with the coaches.
- Mamleshwar (Amreshwar)
- Annapurna Temple
- Gurudwara
- The island and the Narmada ghats
Rules and practicalities
Phones and cameras are not allowed inside the sanctum area at any of the twelve. Lockers and deposit counters sit at or near the gate.
The trust states there is no official dress code and advises regular, modest attire for darshan.
Wheelchair access, the length of the barefoot stretch and the shoe stand are checked at the gate rather than assumed.Data check pending
Omkareshwar on Mahashivratri and during Shravan runs on a different schedule with far longer queues. See the festival pages for what changes.
- The trust warns that offerings such as bilva leaves, flowers and coconuts are sometimes not allowed into the sanctum.
- Omkar Prasadalaya serves meals from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM and khichdi from 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM.
Sources for this temple: shriomkareshwar.org, shriomkareshwar.org. What each one covers, and the date it was read, is on the darshan and booking page.
Common questions about Omkareshwar
What are the Omkareshwar temple timings?
How do I reach Omkareshwar?
Where should I stay near Omkareshwar?
When is the best time to visit Omkareshwar?
Also in the Central group
The other temples in the Central group, malwa and the narmada valley.
The Central group: stations, airports and links to the other groups →