Maheshwar is a town in Madhya Pradesh’s Khargone district. It’s on State Highway-38 (Barwaha-Bandheri Highway), 13.5 kilometers east of National Highway 3 (Agra-Mumbai Highway), and 91 kilometers from Indore, the state’s commercial center. The settlement is located on the north bank of the Narmada River. It was the domain of Kartavirya Arjuna, a Heheya ruler, Chaktavartin Samrat Sahastraarjun. It was the capital of Malwa for many years under the control of Maratha Holkar until 6 January 1818, when Malhar Rao Holkar III transferred the capital to Indore.
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Maheshwar is thought to have been built in the ancient city of Somvanshya Shastrarjun Kshatriya, the capital of king Kartavirya Arjuna (Shree Shastrarjun), who is referenced in the Sanskrit epics Ramayana and Mahabharata. According to popular tradition, King Sahasrarjun and his 500 wives went to the river for a picnic one day. When the women demanded a large play space, the King used his 1000 arms to block the great Narmada River. Ravana swooped past in his Pushpak Vimana while they were all having fun.
When he observed the empty river bed downstream, he believed it would be a perfect spot to worship Lord Shiva. He sculpted a Shivalinga out of the sand and proceeded to worship.
He let the rivers run once Sahasrajuna’s women had done playing and departed the riverbank. The enormous torrent poured down, dragging Ravana’s Shivalinga with it and interfering with his prayers. Ravana grew infuriated and chased and challenged Sahasrajuna. The giant Ravana, fully armed, was in for a tremendous surprise. The powerful Sahasrarjuna and his 1000 limbs pinned Ravana to the ground. Then he placed 10 lights on each of his heads and one on each of his hands.
Sahasrarjuna took Ravana home after tying him up and binding him to his son’s cradle pole. Ravana was humiliated and kept imprisoned till his release. Jamadagni rishi, Renuka Devi, and Lord Parashurama, all described in Kartavirya Arjuna’s story, all lived here.
Maheshwar echoes Varanasi!
This Shiva city is maybe as old as Benares and as rich in legend as the ‘everlasting city.’ Maheshwar means different meanings to different individuals. It is the city of the famed ‘Maheshwar Silk Saris’ for ladies and the country of Shiva for the spiritually oriented. And if you’re a devotee of India’s old mythology, Maheshwar is the place to go. Fortunately, Maheshwar is not as congested as Varanasi.
The ordinary Indian visitor has yet to discover this dusty Madhya Pradesh town. Consider Maheshwar as your next unusual location if you want to spend a few days in silence and introspection.
Maheshwari sarees
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This region’s legendary Maheshwar Saris have traditionally enchanted Indian ladies. This well-known commodity ranks with Benarsi Silk, Mysore Silk, and Kota Sari. Ahilyabai Holkar’s great creativity resulted in Maheshwar Saris. She has imported weavers and artisans from Surat in Gujarat and introduced Maheshwar to these saris.
These cotton saris have the appearance of silk while being composed of cotton. Each sari has its own ‘pallav,’ consisting of five stripes, two white and three colorful. Geometrical motifs cover the field area of the saris.
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The Holkars were rulers and patrons of the fine arts and handicrafts. The lovely saris of this town are the product of the Holkars’ strong desire to give back to their historic country.
Other places to see
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More than 100 temples may be found in Maheshwar. Some are genuinely quite ancient, although their structure appears to be relatively new. Locals, for example, say that the Sahastrarjuna Temple is around 5,000 years old. Other temples include the Chabutra of Ahilyabai, the Chhatri of Vithoji, the Kashi Vishwanath Temple, and others. A Chabutra is essentially a memorial to the area’s King or queen.
A visit to Maheshwar would be incomplete without you having an Ahilya Fort tour. From the walls of this 16th-century fort, watch the Narmada run leisurely as the sunsets.
Best time to visit Maheshwar
We strongly advise you to visit Maheshwar during February and March. In this manner, you may combine your vacation to Ujjain with your visit to Maheshwar. Ujjain is the birthplace of Lord Mahakal (Lord Shiva) and a significant religious center for many Indians. Because Maheshwar is nearby, including both places on your itinerary is better. Most pilgrims visit Ujjain and Maheshwar in the spring because the summers are quite hot.
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How to Get to Maheshwar
It is extremely simple to go to Maheshwar. All you have to do is take a train or a flight from your city to Indore and then a cab to Maheshwar. It takes 4 hours to go from Indore to Maheshwar (91 kms). We recommend bringing enough food and drink with you when driving to Maheshwar. Trains link Indore to major Indian cities such as Delhi, Chennai, Bengaluru, and Mumbai. There are regular flights between Indore and Delhi, and Mumbai.
Finally, if you’re thinking about visiting Madhya Pradesh, make Maheshwar one of your stops. This small town is similar to Varanasi. It has a lot of history, tradition, and art to offer, and the best thing is, wait for it, it’s far less touristic! We are confident that you will be pleased with this choice!