Narmada Aarti at Omkareshwar

Getting there

• By air

  Devi Ahilyabai Holkar Airport in Indore is about 77 km away, with flights from Delhi, Mumbai and other cities.

• By train

  Sanawad station is 12 km away, with MEMU trains to Khandwa. Khandwa Junction, 72 km away, has express trains from across India.

• By road

  Taxis run from Indore and Khandwa. Mortakka bus stand, 12 km away, has regular buses to Indore, Ujjain, Khargone and Khandwa.

Rules to know

• Booking is needed only to perform the aarti yourself; anyone can stand on the ghat and watch.
• If you book, bring the printed ticket and a valid photo ID to the temple counter and report before 6 PM.
• A booking covers two people; more family members can join for an extra charge set by the trust.
• Bathe only at the railed ghats, where the trust keeps iron railings and safety boats.
• Inside the Omkareshwar sanctum, touching the Shivalinga is strictly prohibited; only water may be offered.

Why devotees come here

Every evening, priests offer aarti to the Narmada at Koti Tirth Ghat in Omkareshwar, Madhya Pradesh, right in front of the Jyotirlinga temple. Watching is free and open to all. Families who wish to perform the aarti themselves can book it through the Shri Omkareshwar Mandir Trust.

The Narmada, also called Rewa or Mekal Kanya, is the largest river of central India. With the Ganga, Yamuna, Godavari and Kaveri, it is counted among the five holiest rivers. The Puranas tell that the Ganga, burdened by the sins of so many bathers, took the form of a black cow and bathed in the Narmada to become pure again. The Narmada is also the only river that devotees walk around. The Narmada Parikrama covers about 2,600 km, and Omkareshwar is the only Jyotirlinga on its route.

At Omkareshwar the river splits into two streams around an island, the Vaidurya Mani Parvat, where the Jyotirlinga stands. The wide, shallow northern stream is seen as the Kaveri. The narrow, deep southern stream is the Narmada.

Koti Tirth Ghat, directly in front of the main temple, is the most important ghat here. A dip at this spot is believed to bring the merit of a crore of pilgrimages. Each evening the priests offer aarti to the river, and devotees set small lamps afloat, a practice called deepdaan.

Festivals

• Magha Shukla Saptami, January or FebruaryNarmada Jayanti

  The island is lit with thousands of lamps, with an evening aarti and fireworks.

• October to NovemberKartik Utsav

  A 10-day festival with the Panchkroshi Yatra from Gomukh Ghat and a big fair.

• New moon days falling on a MondaySomvati Amavasya

  The busiest bathing days in the Narmada at Omkareshwar.

• February or MarchMaha Shivaratri

  Special pujas at the temple, with flower decoration in the sanctum.

Tips for your visit

• Narmada pujan, with path and aarti, can be booked for the same day and done any time before sunset.
• The aarti booking must be made a day in advance on the trust's website or app, or at the temple office.
• If Koti Tirth Ghat is crowded, Chakra Tirtha, Gaumukh, Sangam and Abhay ghats are other important ghats.
• Book only through the trust's site, app or counter, and give donations only through those channels.
• On Somvati Amavasya and Narmada Jayanti the ghats are packed, so choose an ordinary evening with an elderly parent.

Questions people ask