- PrabhakarPrabhat@SanatanYatra
Frog Temple! Long ago, in a gathering of friends, there was a mention of a place of worship with this name. It was also revealed that this #frogtemple is in Lakhimpur Kheri district of Uttar Pradesh. At that time it came to my mind that whenever I get an opportunity, will definitely go here. Long time after retirement from the bank, one day while chatting with my brother-in-law Pankaj Gangwar, this #MendhakMandir (#frogtemple) was discussed. I also told how this years old wish is still unfulfilled. On this, Pankaj, a wanderer by nature and always eager to learn something new, hastily decided to go to Oel. Yes, Oel, a small town in Lakhampur Kheri district of Uttar Pradesh, is where this huge #MendhakMandir (#frogtemple) built by Raja Bakhsh Singh of Chahamana dynasty is situated.
Narmadeshwar Shivalinga (Frog Temple)
Finally, one day during Sunrise period, Pankaj and I along with our family set out for oel. From Bareilly via Gola Gokarnath, after traveling a distance of about 163 kilometers, he first reached Lakhimpur and from there reached Oel, 12 km away on Sitapur road. When we got down from the car, the cool breeze made us shiver but the heat of the sun, which had already risen a lot by now, brought a lot of relief within a few moments. In front was the #FrogTemple, a wonderful example of Indian architecture. Where Lord Shiva sits in a huge temple standing on a structure resembling the back of a frog i.e. Manduk or Mendhak. The Shivalinga here is very beautiful. It is seated on a pedestal made of marble which has beautiful carvings. This Shivling brought from Narmada river is famous by the name of Narmadeshwar whose color keeps changing.
Here the idol of Nandi is in a standing position whereas in other Shiva temples the idol of Nandi is in a sitting position generally. One special thing about the Frog Temple is the well here. There are sculptures of funeral procession engraved on the outer walls of the temple, which confirms its connection with the Tantra school.
Mendhak Temple (#frogtemple) has two entrances. The main gate opens towards the east while the other one opens towards the south. The canopy over the temple is made of gold in which the dancing idol of Nataraja is present inside the circle. This wheel is now in a damaged state but earlier it used to rotate according to the direction of the Sun.
#Oel was once the main center of Shaiva sect and its rulers were ardent worshipers of Lord Shiva. It is said that the architectural concept of this temple was done by a great Tantrik of Kapila. There is also a belief that this temple was built to protect against natural disasters like drought and flood. This area was under the Chahamana rulers from the 11th to the 19th century. Raja Baksh Singh, who built this temple, belonged to this dynasty. The construction period of this #Mendhakmandir is said to be 1870.
Although devotees keep coming to this temple throughout the year, a large number of devotees arrive on Diwali and Mahashivratri. According to the Tantras (Tantric lore), the frog is a symbol of prosperity, good luck and fertility. The frog is considered a symbol of good luck and fertility. Probably for this reason, the number of newly married couples who come here is highest, who come here with the wish of good luck and healthy children.
How to reach Frog Temple
By Air: Lucknow’s Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport is about 149 kilometers from Lakhimpur. To reach here from Civil Cave of Bareilly, one has to cover a distance of about 168 km.
By Train: The nearest railway station to Oyal is Lakhimpur. Lakhimpur is a B class station of Indian Railways from where only a few trains pass. The oil is about 12 km from Lakhimpur district headquarters on Sitapur road.
By Road: Uttar Pradesh Road Transport Corporation buses run to Lakhimpur from Lucknow, Sitapur, Hardoi, Shahjahanpur, Bareilly etc. After reaching Lakhimpur, one can reach Oyal by taking tempo, taxi etc. While coming from Lucknow, Oil falls about 12 km before Lakhimpur. In such a situation, devotees/tourists can land here.
Attractions Nearby #frogtemple
Dudhwa National Park: Protected forest area Dudhwa National Park is in Lakhimpur Kheri district. This is the largest and richest biodiversity area of Uttar Pradesh. This national park is world famous for tigers and reindeer. It is a part of the Dudhwa Tiger Reserve spread across Lakhimpur Kheri and Bahraich districts.
Gola Gokarnath: Located about 47 kilometers from the Frog Temple, Gola Gokarnath is also called “Chhota Kashi”. Shri Gokarnath Mahadev Temple is situated here on the banks of a big lake. It was named Gokarnath because of the Shivalinga in the shape of a cow’s ear.
