“Where there is a ruin, there is hope for a treasure.”
Jalaluddin Rumi
Mandhata Parikrama Part – 4, Omkareshwar, Madhya Pradesh, India
The Parikrama route is full of treasures. Bountiful nature has endowed the Mandhata mountain well. It is more appealing in the Monsoon with the hills turning verdant. Here and there, a village springs to life with its rustic charm. And as I savoured the peaceful walk, ahead of the 90-feet Shiva, a spectacular diorama of ruins greeted my sight.
Resplendent Ruins
Broken idols and tableaus, disjointed pillars and chipped figures lay strewn on the entire pathway. Mesmerised, I walked along to find an old ruin that spoke volumes of the past glory. Telltale signs of a temple were not visible, so I assumed it could be an auditorium or a resting place. Even though only the foundation level existed, the craftsmanship and architectural skills were on full display.
The Ups and Downs
Soaked in the history of the Parmar kings who built these spectacles on the Mandhata mountain, I sauntered forward. A steep descent of steps followed by a tortuous ascent brought me to the next landmark – Chand-Suraj Dwar (The Gateway of Sun and Moon).
The Gateway of Sun and Moon
Dedicated to the twin brothers Nakula and Sahadeva, from the epic Mahabharata, this gateway is at the highest point of the mountain. Known to be the northern entry to King Mandhata’s son, Muchkund’s palace. Two decorative arches form the entire gateway. It is said that the first rays of the sunlight touch it in the morning. During sunset, you can view the rise of the moon too. The east wall has the idol of the Sun and the Western facade holds the Moon God.
From here on, it was a flat walk throughout to the jewel in the crown of Mandhata – Siddhanath Temple. Although it breaks the journey’s itinerary, I intend to cover Siddhanath Barahdwari (Temple with twelve Gates) in the next episode to give full justice to this protected monument. Ahead of this temple is the exit gate of King Muchkund’s fort, the gateway of Bheem and Arjun.
Southern exit of the fort, also called Bheem-Arjun Dwar 
Ruin of a watchtower outside the southern exit
Bheem-Arjun Dwar (Gateway)
This last gateway pays obeisance to Bheem and Arjun, two of the five Pandav brothers. Giant statues of the warrior brothers adorn both sides of this southern exit. Spectacular views of the Omkareshwar Dam and Narmada are visible from here, so are more ruins of the fort.
Bheem idol at Bheem-Arjun Dwar 
Arjun idol at Bheem-Arjun Dwar
Unusual, but inspiring. That’s what this journey of around 6 kilometres promises to be.
