When Gods Walk Among Us: Lord Shiva's Nightly Sojourn at Omkareshwar Temple - He Plays Ludo (Chausar or Pachisi) and Sleeps Here
The Living Presence of the Divine
Hinduism possesses a remarkable quality that distinguishes it from many spiritual traditions—the intimate, accessible nature of its deities. The gods are not distant, austere figures removed from worldly existence. Instead, they embody the full spectrum of life itself, including the need for rest, play, and companionship. This profound understanding manifests beautifully at the Omkareshwar Jyotirlinga Temple in Madhya Pradesh, where Lord Shiva, the supreme consciousness and destroyer of evil, is believed to arrive each night for respite and recreation.
The Nightly Return of Mahadev
According to ancient beliefs cherished by devotees for centuries, Lord Shiva completes his cosmic duties by traversing all three worlds—heaven, earth, and the netherworld—before retiring to Omkareshwar each evening. This sacred temple, nestled on an island shaped like the holy Om symbol in the Narmada River, serves as the divine resting place for the Lord of the Universe.
The Shayan Aarti, or bedtime ritual, conducted at this temple holds extraordinary significance. Devotees gather to witness the ceremonial preparation for Shiva's rest, treating the deity with the same care and reverence one would show an honored guest. The priests perform elaborate rituals, offering milk, flowers, and prayers, before symbolically putting the Lord to sleep. This practice reflects the Hindu understanding that divinity permeates every aspect of existence, including the mundane acts of daily life.
Divine Play: Chausar Under the Moonlight
Perhaps even more enchanting is the belief that Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati visit Omkareshwar to engage in Chausar, an ancient board game similar to modern Ludo or Pachisi. Each night, temple priests carefully lay out the Chaupar board with its dice, and remarkably, devotees claim that by morning, the dice are found scattered across the board—evidence of the divine couple's nocturnal play.
This tradition beautifully illustrates how Hindu religious thought humanizes the divine without diminishing their transcendent nature. The image of Shiva and Parvati playing a simple board game reminds devotees that spirituality embraces all of life's experiences, from the profound to the playful.
The Symbolism of Divine Recreation
The concept of gods engaging in recreational activities carries deep symbolic meaning. When Shiva plays Chausar, it represents the cosmic game of life itself—the interplay of fate, choice, and divine will. The scattered dice found each morning symbolize the unpredictable nature of existence and the element of chance that governs mortal affairs, even as divine consciousness oversees the grand design.
Furthermore, the act of rest itself holds spiritual significance. In the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna speaks about the importance of balance, stating in Chapter 6, Verse 17: "He who is temperate in his habits of eating, sleeping, working and recreation can mitigate all sorrows by practicing the yoga system." Even the gods demonstrate this principle—Shiva's nightly rest at Omkareshwar teaches that rejuvenation and recreation are not antithetical to spiritual life but essential components of it.
Hinduism's Unique Approach to Divinity
What sets Hindu religious understanding apart is this seamless integration of the sacred and the ordinary. Gods are not merely objects of distant worship but participants in the rhythm of daily life. They eat, sleep, play, marry, experience emotions, and engage in relationships—all while maintaining their cosmic functions and transcendent qualities.
This approach makes spirituality accessible and relatable. When a devotee sees Shiva resting or playing games, it validates their own need for rest and recreation. It removes the guilt sometimes associated with worldly pleasures in other traditions, instead sanctifying the entirety of human experience.
The Temple as Sacred Home
The Omkareshwar Temple's treatment of Lord Shiva reflects the Hindu concept of the temple as the deity's actual dwelling place rather than merely a symbolic structure. The deity is bathed, dressed, fed, entertained, and put to rest according to a daily schedule that mirrors household routines. This practice, known as "seva" or service, transforms worship into an act of loving hospitality.
The morning ritual of finding the Chausar dice scattered speaks to the living presence believed to inhabit sacred spaces. For devotees, these are not metaphors or symbolic gestures but tangible evidence of divine visitation. This faith transforms the temple from a monument into a home, and worship from duty into relationship.
Lessons for Modern Devotees
The traditions at Omkareshwar Temple offer profound lessons for contemporary spiritual seekers. They remind us that the divine is not separate from daily life but intimately woven into its fabric. The gods' need for rest teaches us to honor our own physical and mental limitations. Their engagement in play reminds us that joy and recreation are spiritually valid pursuits.
Moreover, these beliefs emphasize that spirituality need not be solemn or austere. The image of Shiva and Parvati playing Chausar late into the night presents a vision of spirituality infused with companionship, joy, and lightheartedness—qualities often missing from more rigid religious frameworks.
The nightly sojourn of Lord Shiva to Omkareshwar Temple thus stands as a beautiful testament to Hinduism's unique character—a tradition that celebrates the full spectrum of existence and finds the sacred in every moment, from the cosmic to the commonplace.
About the temple
The Omkareshwar Jyotirlinga is established on the Omkar
Parvat (Omkar mountain) in the middle of the Narmada River in the Khandwa
district of Madhya Pradesh. This island is shaped like the syllable 'Om'. The Mamaleshwar
Temple is also situated here.
There are a total of 68 Tirthas (places of pilgrimage/holy
sites) located around the Omkareshwar Jyotirlinga. The atmosphere around this
temple can enchant anyone.
It is considered to be of special significance to visit the Omkareshwar Jyotirlinga after having a darshan (viewing/visit) of all the other Tirthas. When pilgrims bring water from all the Tirthas and offer it at Omkareshwar, only then are all the pilgrimages considered complete; otherwise, the devotee remains deprived of the full benefit.