Rajasthan Pilgrimages - Eklingji Shiva Temple
The Eklingaji temple is half an hour drive from Udaipur through green meadows and alluring romantic spots. True to one's belief, the stairs of heaven are not easy. You have to leave all your gratified and unfulfilled wishes behind, before you offer your prayers to the ultimate reality or Parabrahma. The main deity was regarded as the virtual ruler, by the Maharajahs of Mewar - who considered themselves to be regents (Dewans) under Eklingji. Built in 734 AD to propagate the blessings of Lord Shiva, this sacred shrine is now a favored pilgrimage destination in India. This awe-inspiring exquisite temple precinct is dotted with 108 shrines, concomitant with the number of beads in the rudraksh necklace used for meditation in Hinduism. Nowhere in India is Lord Shiva worshiped with so much care and indulgence. The walls of the temple also act as an information bank on the history of Mewar. The walls have an inscription of a hundred couplets, engraved by Rana Raimal, that gives an insight into the history of the region as well as of the temple.
One of the legends relating to Eklingji is that after killing Vrakshasur, Indra had meditated and prayed to Eklingji in penitance and to get rid of the curse. According to another legend, Bappa Rawal, the founder of Mewar regime, had seen the Shiva lingam in his dream when he was in trouble. When the problems were solved, he approached a sage called Harita Rishi, who advised him to build the temple as a gratitude.
The presiding deity of Lord Shiva has a four faced black marble effigy; Brahma facing west, Vishnu facing North, Maheshwar facing South and Surya (Sun) facing the east. The flat top of the divine idol is embellished with a Yantra, a mystic symbolic drawing, standing for the ultimate reality. Shiva here is worshiped as the Ultimate Reality, the cardinal power, and the supreme consciousness - Parabhrama. This temple is said to have been founded by Acharya Viswarupa, a contemporary of Adi Sankaracharya and is linked with the Sharada Math at Dwarka.
The temple is established on an area of about 2500 sq. feet and rises to about 65 feet in height. The temple area is fortified and a strong wall runs around it. The main entrance to the temple on the western side greets its visitors into a big hall raised on exquisitely carved pillars. The hall is embellished with a beautiful silver structure of Nandi. Besides, there are 2 more images in the temple, one made of black stone and the other of brass metal.
