Indore to Omkareswar

Please click on the highlighted ones to see the photos( not taken by me).
Omkareshwar is a place where the actual jyotirlingam is located. The other real Temples are of Mamleshwara, and of Omkareswara. Both are very famous. In addition there are other ashrams like Anadamai ashram which attract many Western tourists. On the banks of the river, I met several French and Germans who were bathing and some were meditating on the banks.

Omkareshwar Road is about 77 km (48 mi) from Indore on the Indore–Khandwa highway. It is about 12 km (7 mi) from the Omkareshwar road station. There are steamboats across the Narmada river and also two connecting bridges.

As we reached the outskirts of the town, we were greeted by the pandas (those self appointed guides) and started quoting prices for their services. Our taxi moved on. As we arrived at the small Choultry, Kshatriya choultry it was 5 p.m. For 175 rupees, we got a room with 3 beds, lot of dust, no hot water. We needed rest and hence went to bed early.
Woke up early in the morning, had cold shower, washed some clothes and hung them in the room on the portable ropes that we carried in our bags. As soon as we stepped out, the aggressive pandas were waiting for us. They promised personal and special pooja, rudram etc. included. They wanted 700 rupees for their services and in spite of my resistance, when they said that we can decide on the amount after the services, Rao assumed that he could pay 300 rupees and agreed to follow them. He had a dip in the river Narmada and we all met at the Temple.
Now it got interesting. One priest became three priests. They agreed to all of Rao's conditions. One being that Rao should be allowed to recite Rudram with them. We could sit close to the Lingam etc. The agreed fee was between 250 rupees and 500 rupees. It was too good to be true. So, I added that I would be happy to pay the agreed upon fee only if I am fully satisfied with their services. Now we face the realty. We sat outside the actual shrine and the pooja items we were asked to purchase from their chosen store was not even opened, did not even lit the incense, they did not even recite the Rudram. They had the guts to ask me (very respectfully, of course) for a donation of 3000 rupees!!! Anyway we got frustrated with the whole issue and got rid of them by paying 735 (600 for the pooja+10 Rs each as dakshina for the 3 priests+105 for the pooja items)rupees. I hope Rao learned his lesson about the Pandas.
We went inside the Temple on our own and had great darsan. With the ill feeling that I carried about the guides, I don't recall much about the inside of the Temple. The outside is very picturesque, with a huge 'OM' written in Samskrit in the top of the hill.
The walk and the climb of the elevation made me a little bit breathless. Nirmala's knee joints bothered her.
We may have to visit this place again to really get some benefit out of the visit.
We arrived at Khandwa by 2 p.m and let the Taxi go and waitindgin the Railway waiting room till our train Pushpak arrived at 5:15 p.m. I felt bad that I hurried him and vetoed his request and Rao could not do the parikrama around the hill and visit the Anandamai ashram.
Now we are headed to Lucknow.