Seeking spirituality in mystical Amarkantak in Madhya Pradesh

It is one of the holiest towns in Madhya Pradesh

Chausath Yogini complex in Amarkantak. Credit: Lakshmi Sharath

Ancient temple complex at Amarkantak. Credit: Lakshmi Sharath

There is something surreal about being at a temple in the wee hours of the day. The pearly walls basking in the magical light blind you for a moment. Puddles of water reflect the shimmering white washed shrines as the entire sanctuary is cleansed. As I close my eyes for a moment, I feel purged as well.

Amarkantak is one of the sacred towns in Madhya Pradesh and a hallowed land of myth and legend. The rivers Narmada, Son and Jolila begin their journeys here, adding to the divine aura of the town. Verdant forests carpet the slopes of the Vindhya and the Satpura mountain ranges that are stitched together by the Maikal Hills.

Referred to as the Riksha Parvat from the Puranic era and blessed by deities Shiva and Parvati, seer Adi Shankaracharya had installed a Shiva Linga in this mystical land. Sant Kabir had meditated here while the poet Kalidasa had immortalised the town as the ancient city of Amrakoota in his "Meghadootha." However, the spiritual nucleus of Amarkantak revolves around the River Narmada.

"Har Narmadhe," said the priest as I bowed in reverence in front of a small shrine dedicated to the river goddess. I am at the Narmada Udgam Temple Complex, a cluster of temples built around a little khund or temple tank, where the river springs to life.

"Narmada is the daughter of Lord Shiva," explains the priest. She is worshipped as a deity perched on a crocodile.

As the temple doors slowly open, devotees walk around the khund paying their respects to the goddess while performing ablutions over the Shiva Linga with the holy water.

Rivers are a hotbed of stories, and their legends are etched in the folklore of the tribes of Madhya Pradesh. I hear a mythical tale of lost love and friendship, betrayal and sorrow, around the rivers. According to the myth, Narmada was to marry Son, but Jolila became the bride instead. And the childhood friends went separate ways. While Son and Jolila flow towards the east, the majestic Narmada changes her course towards the west and rebels against the gods and mortals to find her destiny in the Arabian Sea.

It gets a bit nippy as the sun beats a retreat behind the clouds. I walk across the road to see another walled temple complex with more hidden stories. Standing tall amidst manicured lawns is a constellation of ancient temples built by different dynasties between the 10th-15th centuries.

The oldest and most prominent among them were built by the kings of the Kalachuri dynasty and were dedicated to Lord Shiva. Another group, referred to as the Panchmata temples, were made by the Gond kings around the 15th century. Narmada is not the only river goddess worshipped here. A small shrine is dedicated to the River Juhila by the kings of the Buhel dynasty.

The temple complex also includes a khund, designed like a step well. The Suraj Khund, as it's called, is believed to have been consecrated by the Jagadguru Adi Sankaracharya to mark the origin of Narmada river.

Devotees believe that the Shiva Linga here at the Pataleshwara temple was installed earlier by the seer. The sanctum is much lower than the mandapa or pavilion, and perhaps it was part of an older temple. There is another temple dedicated to Lord Shiva called the Machendranath temple.

"Do not miss the Yantra temple," said the watchman as he pointed towards a lane adjacent to the complex. I strolled around for a while, wondering what was unusual. And then I see it, and I am utterly awestruck for a moment.

Four magnificent and massive faces of goddesses crown the shrine, and their eyes bore right into mine. I realise that the heads face the cardinal directions.

The Shri Yantra or Chakra is a mystical design that is a geometric symbol, and the temple is built as a three-dimensional version of the structure. It is a representation of the divine Shakti herself. The entire structure is adorned with larger than life sculptures of 64 yoginis, referred to as the chausath yoginis.

The silence is somewhat overwhelming as I look upon the towering monument, the life-size sculptures, and the mammoth faces. The sun's rays make the sculptures glow. I wonder how many mysterious stories and arcane rituals are hidden here.

(Lakshmi Sharath is a storyteller, travel writer, blogger and a media professional from Bengaluru.)