Ek Mukhi Datta Temple

Ek Mukhi Datta Temple is a small Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Dattatreya in Maheshwar, Khargone district, Madhya Pradesh, situated on the banks of the Narmada River near Maheshwar Fort and Ahilya Ghat. It is notable for its rare single-faced (Ek Mukhi) idol of Dattatreya, unlike the usual three-faced form. Built during the Holkar period, the temple is a revered pilgrimage spot and part of the Maheshwar temple circuit along the Narmada.

Visitors can expect a small, serene shrine located on the Narmada riverfront ghat area of Maheshwar, close to Maheshwar Fort. The temple houses a rare single-faced idol of Lord Dattatreya. The setting is quiet and devotional, with stone steps leading to the ghat, views of the Narmada River, and nearby temples and ghats that can be explored on foot. The area is typically visited for darshan, photography of the riverfront, and short walks along the ghats.

The temple is associated with the Holkar period of Maheshwar, when Ahilyabai Holkar (reigned 1767-1795) developed Maheshwar as her capital and restored and built numerous temples and ghats along the Narmada. The Ek Mukhi Datta shrine reflects this 18th-century temple-building activity and the town's long-standing importance as a Shaiva and Vaishnava pilgrimage centre on the Narmada.

The temple is culturally significant for devotees of Lord Dattatreya, an incarnation combining Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. The single-faced form is considered rare and highly revered, as Dattatreya is usually depicted with three faces. Pilgrims visiting Maheshwar for Narmada darshan and parikrama include this temple in their worship circuit.