Menduk (Frog) Mandir is among the unique temples in the country and holds a 200-years old history. According to Tantra (Tantric Custom), the frog is a symbol of prosperity, luck and fertility, hence the strong belief among the followers. Built by the rulers of Oel, the region where this temple is located was earlier part of the Oel Kingdom. However, what’s most interesting is that the presiding god here is Shiva and not the frog, which is also why the temple is known as the Narmadeshwar Temple.

There is a very interesting legend behind this temple. Raja Bakht Singh, who was the zamindar of Oel, during early 19th century CE . He did not have a male heir and was craving for a son. A Tantric priest asked him to build a temple to Shiva, but first he had to sacrifice a frog as per tantric traditions, as the frog is considered a symbol of fertility. The temple was built on the spot of this ‘frog sacrifice’. That is why the temple is built in such a way that it appears that a giant frog carries the temple on his back.

Behind the frog is the shrine of Shiva built in a square shape with a dome, several feet higher and can be reached by the steps. As per the Tantric Vidya, the temple is built on a Yantra (an octagonal lotus) and the walls are etched with carvings of Tantrik Gods and Goddess! 

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