Madhya Pradesh CM unveils Adi Shankaracharya statue at Omkareshwar: Its story, significance

Last Updated24/09/2023

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister unveiled the 108-foot-tall ‘Statue of Oneness’ of Adi Shankaracharya at on the Mandhata island of Khandwa Omkareshwar
It will form an important tourism circuit, along with Ujjain, Maheshwar and Mandu religious towns.

Adi Shankara, who is believed to have lived between 788 and 820 AD, was born in Kerela’s Kaladi, situated on the bank of the Periyar River.
He became a sanyasi at an early age and left his Brahmin household, where he is said to have made his way to Omkareshwar.
he studied under his guru Govinda Bhagavatpada and soon became a proponent of Advaita Vedanta
- It challenges prevailing philosophical traditions – including Buddhism and Jainism.
He is said to have authored 116 works.
The most notable among them are the commentaries on the 10 Upanishads, the Brahmasutra and the Gita.

The Mandhata island, nestled on the Narmada River
It is home to two of the 12 Jyotirlingas – Omkareshwara (located on the south side of the island) and Amareshwara.
The area is close to Mahakaleshwara Jyotirlinga at Ujjain, located 110 km to the northwest.
The name ‘Omkareshwar’ is derived from the shape of the island, which resembles the sacred syllable ‘Om’, and its name means ‘the Lord of Omkara’.

The statue will be accompanied by Ekatma Dham, which will include the Advaita Lok museum,
It is built to “showcase the life and philosophy of Acharya Shankar through exhibits reflecting the message of Advaita Vedanta,”
The Ekatma Dham will feature a mosaic of architectural styles, including “Nagara, Dravidian, Oriya, Maru-Gurjara, Hoysala, North Indian-Himalayan, and Kerala” styles
The museum will include a “3D hologram projection gallery,