Description
Eklingji is a lord Shankar temple complex situated in Kailash puri, in Udaipur district of Rajasthan. It is one of the most prestigious temples of Western India, and the dynasty temple of princely state of Mewar. Eklingji Shiva temple is located 22 km north of Udaipur, and the complex comprises of total of 108 temples. It is beautifully carved out of sandstone & marble. The main temple is enclosed by a very long wall made of hard rock. It is located 390 km away from capital city of Jaipur. The deity worshipped in the temple is Shri Enkling Ji, the kul devta (clan God) of rulers of Mewar.
History
The Eklingji Shiva Temple was built by the founder of Mewar dynasty, Bappa Rawal, in 8th century. The legend says that Bappa Rawal received his religious education at the present site of the temple, under the guidance of Harit Rishi. The learned Rishi lived in cave nearby, where the present Shiv Lingam exists. This was the place where Bappa received the code of conduct and guidance. The Guru's blessings have always been instrumental in shaping the Mewar dynasty. Thus, the temple holds very important position as a symbol of pride for Mewar rulers. Maharana Raimal (1473-1509) completely rebuilt the temple, as was the case with many other Maharanas. The present day temple is a result of constant refurbishing and renovating by past Mewar rulers, thus original 8th century old architecture is not completely preserved today.The caretakers of this temples are the deewans, who are entrusted the responsibility to look after the after the temples. The Maharanas are considered the trustees (or deewans) of the Eklingji Temple. Thus, even today, Maharana of Udaipur pays visit to the temple every Monday evening.
Importance/Significance
The place is termed as the “spiritual capital” for Mewar dynasty. This temple is a rare example in world history, where the powers of universe vests in the hands of Lord Shiva. The Maharanas of Mewar consider themselves as a representative of Shree Ekling Ji. Thus, the existing clan of Mewar dynasty have formed Shree Eklingji Trust that deals with the larger ecosystem of the Eklingji Temple. Although the entire temple is one of its own kind, the important characteristic of this temple is its 50 feet high Shiva statue & it depicts four forms of lord Shiva namely –Surya, Brahma, Vishnu & Rudra.The present day temple is a venerated artwork of traditional architecture that attracts thousands of visitors just to see the extravagance of the 1600-year old temple.
Facts/Mythology
As per a famous legend, Shri Eklingji was present from the times of Satyug. During Satyug, Shri Eklingji was worshipped by Indra. In Tretyug, Kamdhenu was an adherent follower of Shri Ekling Ji. She worshipped to Ekling Ji, which resulted in defeat of Vishwamitra. It is found in books that Shree Ekling Ji, the form of Lord Shiva, was worshipped with pure devotion all times in Mewar history.
Festivals/Events/Gatherings
This is not basically a public temple, it is especially for the royal family. However, it attracts lot of visitors during major Hindu festivals like Shivratri, Navratri, and Makar Sankranti etc. The morning timings are 4.30 am to 7.00 am & 10.30 am to 1.30 pmThe evening timings are 5.00 pm to 7.30 pm.
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