Once again seen and revised by OMLN 12/23/2013. Use this.

“That (pure consciousness) is full (perfect); this (the manifest universe of matter; of names and forms being Maya) is full. This fullness has been projected from that fullness. When this fullness merges in that fullness,

all that remains is fullness.”

2

Table of Contents

SN Contents Page Number

01 Preface 02

02 Journey for a holy cause 03

03 Indore – People and Culture 05

04 Indore to Omkareshvara 07

05 Omkareshvara – Story of the struggle with the time and people

08

06 Govindeshvara Cave – Original or Artificial? 15

07 Things that shocked 22

3

Preface

This holy journey begins with the blessings of Dr. Murari Lal Nagar ji as he supported

this holy visit by all means including “tana, mana and dhana” (Physically, mentally

and financially) and because of his vision and aim of

“Recovery and dissemination of India’s Cultural heritage enshrined at Omkara

Mandhata Mukti Dhama: A Holy Hilly Island - A Paradise for Pilgrims “

I took this step to pay a holy visit to Omkareshvara on the holiest day of

MahaShivaratri.

A special thanks to Smt. Sarla Devi ji Nagar, as without her direct and indirect

support and blessings this holy journey was not possible.

Special thanks to Father Geo George for his great kindness and intellectual support

to make this holy visit worthy.

Thanks to Linda Canestraight for her kind support, motivation and personal interest

towards OM.

Thanks to Jeslin as the photographs are taken through her digital camera and

without that it was not possible to complete this document successfully.

This holy visit is dedicated to my venerable guru – Dr. Murari Lal Nagar ji. All is done

because of his blessings and vision.

4

Journey for a holy cause

My contact with Dr. Murari Nagar ji is just 45-50 days old. It was a co-incident that I

found him over the internet as after this contact the internet proved its benefit more

and more.

My first question to Dr. Nagar ji was very simple and his answer for that simple

question was simple. I asked “Who am I?” and Dr. Nagar ji replied that “Read the

Bhagavad Gita – the book of the books.” This is the complete and short answer by

itself.

Later on we discussed our Universal Prayer Hall (UPH) and a dynamic website for it.

It is a great idea to know all kinds of spiritual knowledge at one place. I am really

happy that I am a part of UPH and things are moving in the right direction with the

blessings of OM.

Some days ago Dr. Nagar ji asked me to visit Omkareshvara – a holy hilly island and

I decided to go to the holy island on a holy occasion – Mahashivaratri.

I started from Chennai on Tuesday 4th March and boarded a train. My original

schedule was to go to Indore via Mumbai but the schedule changed quickly. I

decided to go by train via Bhopal. Without any confirmed reservation I boarded a

general coach and reached Bhopal in 25 hours. This was a good journey as the

whole day I was standing at the door of the train and was watching the people and

places of rural India which is an inexpressible experience. People in rural India are

poor, but happy and enjoying every moment of life all the time. In every village there

is a small temple and people are really religious. Religion is in their blood. I saw

various faces of developing India as I found the best part of India is full of God’s

grace and has all the natural resources in it and because of it the economy of India is

booming with high speed.

I reached Bhopal at 9:20 AM on 5th of March and from there I boarded a bus to reach

Indore at 10 AM, which took around 5 hours to reach its destination Indore. Around 3

I was in Indore searching for a guest house or hotel.

5

Indore - People and Culture

When I reached Indore and was looking for a guest house or hotel I met a few local

people and inquired for a guest house or hotel, I was surprised that many people

were trying to make me a fool as they realised that this man is an ‘outsider’, but I

also found a few good people as they directed me to the right location and finally I

found the right place to stay for the night.

Indore is also called a mini Mumbai as it is developing rapidly with the time. People

are more focused for better opportunities. Industrial development is also taking place

very fast and the people from other states are also coming here for better opportunity

which is creating a multi type culture here. People are religious, but at the same time

they don’t want to be left behind in the race of modernisation or globalisation. And

because of this fear of competition people are ready to compromise with moral

values and purity of culture.

Many people and organisations are working for different noble causes in Indore city

and one of them is Satprakashan Sanchar Kendra. Father Geo George is managing

this organisation. Satprakashan Sanchar Kendra is well equipped with latest

multimedia studio and a bookstore.

Digital film and sound studio of Satprakashan Sanchar Kendra is playing a major role

in transformation of society through the user of modern media of communication as

its brochure says “A relentless perseverance and a saadhana to redefine art, music,

literature and culture… committed and creative young talents with vision and

imagination..”

I visited a few churches in Indore in search of Father Geo George and finally I found

him at Satprakashan which I believe is the right place for a right person to produce

intellectual and spiritual art, music and literature for the society which to some

extents is almost defocused from the spiritual goal of life.

Father Geo George helped me by all possible means. He arranged a room to stay

and also gave some important information which was required before visiting the

Holy Hilly Island. I met him around 10 AM on the holy day of Mahashivaratri (6th

march 2008) and after a brief conversation he arranged a digital camera with the

help of Jeslin who has been working with Satprakashan Sanchar Kendra for 5 years.

Finally I started to the holy hilly island – Omkareshvara at 1 AM.

6

Indore to Omkareshvara

As it was the day of Mahashivaratri so all the buses were full and people were going

to Omkareshvara

by trucks or

trolleys. Luckily I

got a bus and

somehow

managed to get to

in it. It was around

2 hour’s journey

from Indore to

Omkareshvara – a

Holly Hilly Island.

There were

around 96 people

travelling in that

bus which was having capacity of 42. People were reciting loudly Omkara and Bum-

Bum Bhole or

hare –hare

Mahadeva

slogans which

was not a new

experience to me

as I have been

hearing these

slogans since I

was born. Finally

I reached to

Omkara

Mandhata

around 03 PM on

the holy day of Mahashivaratri.

7

Omkareshvara Story of Struggle with time and people

Finally I reached a holy

place on the earth –

Omkareshvara. People had

come there from many

Countries, States, Cities

and Villages and many of

them were deeply anxious

to get a glimpse of the Lord

Shiva. Some others were

there for a holiday or were

only in a picnic mood. I

followed the people and

reached a place from where

a bridge starts to span the

river Mother Narmada. I

retraced my feet from the

bridge and decided to cross

the holy river by boat as

very few

people were

crossing the

river by boat.

They were

more

interested to

walk by

bridge.

8

And as I was on fast since last night I was feeling very hungry and tired till that time,

but as soon as I crossed the holy river Narmada by boat and took the holy bath in it, I

got a new energy from inside and I sat on the bank of Holy River Narmada for a few

minutes in a

Samadhi position to

realise that how the

great Sadhus felt

when they were

there and

performing their

sadhana.

After taking the holy

bath I visited the

paradise of pilgrims

– Omkareshvara

but before having

the holy darshana

of Shivalingam I

wanted to view the

whole temple and

wanted to know about it more. So I took few photographs of the temple and asked a

few people about the history of the temple as the people working in the temple were

not sure about the history and account of the temple.

9

After taking a few images I met with Rao Davendra Singh ji (Main Trustee of Omkara

Mandhata) and introduced myself to him. He took me inside the temple through VIP

passage. It’s the blessing of OM that I got Holy Darshana and got a great chance to

get photo of holy Shivalingam and to touch it. It was really an inexpressible moment

of my life. I really feel that I am blessed.

Shivalinga at Omkareshavara (On Mahashivaratri - 05th March 2008)

10

Image : 001

It seems the temple was there without a dome or roof in its early stage and the dome

was built later on as there are 5 temples inside the Omkareshvara temple. This Pillar

tells the story about a fact that in the early stage this temple was having only pillars

or was in a different shape as it looks today.

11

Image : 002

Many stone sculptures are scattered here and there near the temple area without

any care. We can realise the cultural and spiritual value of these sculptures.

12

Image: 003

Another beautiful and valuable stone scripture kept at the eastern side of the temple

– waiting for someone who could pay attention and respect to it.

13

Image : 004

Stone sculptures on the main temple wall, all broken and left without proper care –

painted in one single colour. (It seems like the main God is in the front and the

apsaras are at both sides.)

14

Image : 005

Gaddi of Raja Mandhata – Still preserved by Rao Devendra Singh ji

(Trustee Omkara Mandhata)

May he make efforts to preserve other valuable rare objects those are not further

than 100 feet from the temple.

15

The Cave of Govindeshvara

The main and only entry to Govindeshvara cave which was re-discovered by Kanchi

Kamakoti Peetha and opened for the common people on 21st April 1988. This is not

the original state of this cave, but it is modified by Kanchi Kamakoti Peetha Seva

Trust. And there is many more to be done inside this holy cave as it’s not

discovered/recovered completely in its original state.

16

Image: 007

Murti of Shri Govinda Bhagavatpadacharya installed by Kanchi Kamakoti

Peetha Seva Trust inside Govindeshvara Cave.

17

Image: 008

This stone sculpture is installed behind Govindbhagavadpada’s Murti and Dr. Murari

Lal Nagar ji described this sculpture as:

During an exceptionally strong monsoon, water started to flood the ashram and to

penetrate Govindabhagavadpada cave, immersed in the bliss of the samâdhi*.

Immediately, Shankaracharya placed a stoneware pitcher at the entry and,

miraculously, the uncontrolled river changed its direction. When the master learned

what had occurred, he blessed his disciple in these terms: “My son, your fame will be

imperishable. Just as you could contain tumultuous water in a jug, you will be able to

write a book of commentaries containing the essence of all the Vedas.” Then he

initiated his disciple; the name Shankaracharya was given to him. He advised him,

when he would judge it proper, to spread the wisdom which he had acquired in

Kashî, which is now Bénarès. He had arrived there at the age of twelve.

Image: 009

18

A stone sculpture at the back of Shri Govindeshvara is mounted by Kanchi Kamakoti

Peetha which is showing Shri Adi Shankaracharya and his holy guru in the cave.

19

Image: 010

Shri Adi Shankaracharya (Stone Sculpture at the back side of Shri Govindeshvara’s

Murti, inside the Govindeshvara cave)

20

Image: 011

The above image illustrates a section inside the Govindeshvara cave. Kanchi

Kamakoti Peetha Seva Trust rediscovered this holy cave which was an appreciable

effort but unfortunately the cave was not discovered completely. Whatever is visible

today is not the complete form of Govindeshvara cave but it is just a part of it. When I

visited there personally then I realised that whatever is done inside the

Govindeshvara cave is not enough and there is much more to be done in or around

this particular cave as it is important from spiritual and cultural point of view.

21

Image: 012

These anonymous aged leaves are kept inside the Govindeshvara cave and left

without care. It is believed that these leaves belong to Govinda Bhagavatpadacharya

(Guru of Shri Adi Shankaracharya).

An intense research is required to reveal the historic authenticity of these leaves.

22

A shocking truth!

These valuable sculptures (Lord Shiva on the top) are not more than 100 feet away

from the Omkareshvara temple, but there is no one to care or protect them.

23

Images are describing the whole story:

Just 50 feet away from main temple. Will

someone come someday to protect these

valuable historical, spiritual and cultural

assets?

To forget our history and culture in the

race of globalisation and modernisation

is not a good sign for the future of an

ancient civilisation.

24

These images are of an old temple which

is approx. 30 feet from main temple.

Interesting fact is - It was Mahashivaratri

and thousands of people were there in

Omkareshvara but none of them even

thought about this one. There are many

Trusts/NGOs or Organisations working

to protect our heritage in Omkareshvara

and taking donations in the name of OM

but none of them is really interested to

protect this cultural heritage. However

one of such organisation created a gate

at the bank of mother Narmada and

pasted cement on historical sculptures

with their names on marble signboards.

25

Pataleshwar Mahadeva –

This ancient and significant temple

of Lord Shiva is situated Inside the

Omkareshvara temple premises.

Among thousands of people those

who visited Omkareshvara on

Mahashivaratri mahaparva was

not even aware about this temple.

This temple is divided in two

chambers and there are 3-4 stairs

to reach each of them. There was

a pin drop silennce inside the

second chamber where the

Shivalingam is mounted. Above

image describes the rest of the

story.

26

I met Shri Rao Devendra Singh ji (a Trustee of

Omkara Mandhata Seva Trust) and briefed him about

the Universal Prayer Hall with Museum which will

preserve all the sculptures scattered here and there

without care. I also gave him an idea about e-UPH

and got a positive response from him. As he was

quite busy with the arrangements because of

Mahashivaratri parva so I collected his personal

contact number and told him that I would visit again

with clearer and firm idea and to discuss about

Universal Prayer Hall and Museum.

I also met Shri Ashok Mahajan (ACEEO of Omkara

Mandhata Seva Trust) and discussed same ideas

with him. Also got his personal number and assured

him that we

would fix a meeting in near future and would

work out to realise our dream of Universal

Prayer Hall.

Things are promising and I am confident and

happy that I am a part of this dream.

May Om provide us the strength and courage

to come forward to protect the highly valuable

historical, cultural and spiritual asset of

Omkareshvara – a Holy Hilly Island.

By blessings of Guruji,

Ashish Dabral Phone: +91-9940127437 Email: garhwaltigers@gmail.com