State PCS
The ancient name of the island town of Omkareshwar, on the Narmada river, was:
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Answer: Option D — Mandhata
Detailed Solution
Omkareshwar, the famous pilgrimage town on the Narmada river in Madhya Pradesh, was known in ancient times as "Mandhata" (also called Shivapuri). The island on which the main temple stands is still called Mandhata island.
About Omkareshwar:
- It is located in the Khandwa district of Madhya Pradesh, about 75 km from Indore.
- It lies on an island formed by the Narmada and its tributary, the Kaveri, which divide around it.
- The island is said to be shaped like the sacred symbol "Om", which gives the place its name ("Omkara" + "ishwara", lord of the Om).
- The Omkareshwar temple is one of the twelve Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva.
- The Mamleshwar (Amareshwar) temple, on the southern bank of the river, is also regarded as part of the Jyotirlinga.
The Legend of Mandhata:
- According to legend, the island is named after King Mandhata, a famous king of the Ikshvaku (solar) dynasty, an ancestor of Lord Rama.
- He is said to have performed severe penance here to please Lord Shiva, who appeared before him as the Jyotirlinga.
- Another legend says that the Vindhya mountain worshipped Shiva here.
Other features:
- The town has many temples, ghats and old buildings, including the Siddhanath temple and a fort.
- It is an important centre for pilgrims, especially during Mahashivaratri and Kartik Purnima.
- The Omkareshwar Dam and a large floating solar power project on the Narmada are located nearby.
The twelve Jyotirlingas include:
Somnath (Gujarat), Mallikarjuna (Andhra Pradesh), Mahakaleshwar (Ujjain, MP), Omkareshwar (MP), Kedarnath (Uttarakhand), Kashi Vishwanath (Varanasi, UP), Vaidyanath (Deoghar, Jharkhand) and Rameshwaram (Tamil Nadu), among others.
Madhya Pradesh has two of them: Mahakaleshwar and Omkareshwar.
About the Narmada river:
- It rises at Amarkantak (Madhya Pradesh) and flows westwards through a rift valley into the Gulf of Khambhat.
- It is regarded as one of the holiest rivers of India.
Why not the other options?
- ✗Mahishmati was an ancient city on the Narmada, often identified with Maheshwar.
- ✗Avanti was an ancient Mahajanapada, with its capital at Ujjayini.
- ✗Dashapura is the ancient name of Mandsaur.
Quick tip
Remember: Omkareshwar = ancient Mandhata (island on the Narmada, Khandwa district, MP; Om-shaped island; Jyotirlinga); MP's two Jyotirlingas = Mahakaleshwar and Omkareshwar.
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This topic covers India's important monuments, temples, mosques, churches, gurudwaras and pilgrimage sites, who built them and when, their architectural styles, and India's UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Questions ask who built a monument, where it is located, or which dynasty or style it belongs to. For example, the Qutub Minar was begun by Qutbuddin Aibak, and the Sun Temple at Konark was built by the Eastern Ganga king Narasimhadeva I. Revise the UNESCO World Heritage Sites as a list, noting the most recent additions. Practise the monuments and religious places questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.