Eklingji Temple
Dedicated to Lord Shiva, the renowned temple of Eklingji is one of the most famous temples in Rajasthan. It is located about 22 km from Udaipur on national highway 8 in the town of Kailashpuri. The town is also often referred as Eklingji due to the temple. Ekling Nath is considered the King of Mewar and often called Medhpateshwar (lord of Medhpaat). The house of Mewar, which has administered Udaipur for several centuries, has been the hereditary diwans (chief minister) of Eklingji and trustees of Mewar. Eklingji has been the family deity of Mewar dynasty ever since it was built in 734 AD by Bappa Rawal.
The architecture of the two storied temple is nothing short of exquisite. The huge ‘mandap’ (pillared hall) with unique carvings is sheltered by the heavy pyramidal roof.
A silver image of Nandi (bull of Lord Shiva) welcomes you. You can locate carvings of Nandi made out of black stone and brass in the temple too. The most striking feature of the temple is the four-faced idol of Eklingji (Lord Shiva) that has been carved from black marble. The idol is about 50 ft high and the four faces depict the four forms of Lord Shiva.
The east facing part is Surya (Sun), the west facing part is Brahma (Creator), north facing part is Vishnu (Protector) and the south facing part is Rudra or Lord Shiva (Destroyer) himself. The top of the multifaceted idol is known as ‘Yantra’ which stands for the ultimate reality. The Shivlinga in its phallic form with a snake coiled around the idol like a garland is a big attraction among tourists.
The idol of Lord Shiva is in the middle with Goddess Parvati, Lord Ganesha and Lord Kartikeya around him. There are shrines dedicated to Goddess Saraswati and Goddess Yamuna inside the temple complex. Heavy doors, made of silver and with heavy carvings, guard the entrance to the temple. Carvings depict Ganesha and Kartikeya protecting their father, Lord Shiva.
The festival of Shivratri is celebrated with pomp and gaiety. the idol of Lord Shiva is adorned with a variety of ornaments during the festival. Dating back to the 10th century, Natho ka Mandir is another tourist attraction. There is the only Lakulish temple in India dedicated to the Lakulish sect built in the 10th century, the Sas – Bahu Temple made of marble in the 11th century and the Jain Temple of Abhudji made from black marble built in the 15th century near Eklingji Temple.
