Mahakaleshwar Temple, Ujjain, is a prominent temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is one of the famous Dwadasha Jyotirlingas, situated on the banks of the Kshipra river in the state of Madhya Pradesh, India. Lord Shiva in Mahakaleshwar Temple is worshiped in the form of linga.
The Jyothirlinga of Mahakaleshwar Temple is Dakshinmukhi Swayambhu Linga, which means facing south. Mahakal is a combination of two Sanskrit words, Maha and Kaal. Maha means “great,” and Kaal means “time and death.” Lord Shiva is known as the conqueror of death and time. Hence, Lord Shiva is called Mahakaleshwar or Mahakal. Any devotee who worships Mahakal is saved from untimely death and enjoys a long, everlasting life.
There is a mention of Mahakaleshwar in Varaha Purana; it states that Mahakaleshwar is positioned at the center of the earth, called nabhi.
The beauty of Mahakaleshwar Temple, its significance, importance is mentioned in many Vedic Sanskrit texts. The 7th century Sanskrit poet Bana Bhatta in the court of Harsha, has mentioned about glory of Mahakal in his literature Kadambari. Even Mahakavi Kalidasa glorifies Lord Mahakaleshwar in his work Meghaduta.
Vedic History of Mahakaleshwar Temple
According to the Koti Rudra Samhita of the Shiva Purana, once there lived a brahmana named Vedapriya in the city of Avanti (Ujjain). He was an ardent devotee and worshiped Lord Shiva regularly. He had four sons named Devapriya, Priyamedhas, Sukrta, and Dharmavahana, who were also Shiva’s devotees. The good character of the Vedapriya and his sons, also their devotion to Lord Shiva, pleased the people of Avanti.
At the same time, there lived a demon named Dusana over the hill Ratnamala. He was a very powerful king of the Daityas and hated religious poojas. He had been granted several boons from Lord Brahma, which made him unconquerable. He banned all the religious activities. When Dusana learned about the city of Avanti, and its people’s devotion to Lord Shiva, he attacked the city and began destroying it.
But this did not hinder Vedapriya’s worship of Lord Shiva. He was steadfast in his devotion which enraged Dusana. He instructed his army to carry out dreadful atrocities against the people of Avanti. To save their lives, the citizens of Avanti requested Vedapriya to stop the worship.
However, Vedapriya continued having firm faith on Lord Shiva’s protection. The army of Dusana captivated Vedapriya and his sons and then sent them to prison. This also didn’t stop them from worshiping Lord Shiva. They made a Shivalinga from mud and started their regular worship.
Fumed by this act, the demon chief commanded his warriors to kill them. When they were about to kill them, Lord Shiva appeared in a ferocious form with a thundering sound near the spot where the Shivalinga was being worshiped.
Lord Shiva reduced Dusana to ashes with the uttering of Omkara. He addressed Vedapriya to ask for a boon, and they requested Lord Shiva to stay at that place and protect the people of Ujjain.
Lord Shiva manifested as Mahakaleshwar linga and continues to protect the citizens of Ujjain and the world.
Architecture of Mahakaleshwar Temple
The Mahakaleshwar Temple in Ujjain is a unique five-level structure renovated by King Vikramaditya. It is an exquisite blend of 3 styles of architecture, i.e., Bhumija, Chalukya, and Maratha style of architecture. This Nagara-style architecture temple has tall shikhara, carvings, and gigantic walls. The temple complex consists of a large courtyard where devotees gather to offer their prayers and seek blessings.
Here’s a detailed look at each layer:
The Mahakaleshwar Jyothirlinga in this temple exists in three forms; Tarakeshwar in Akashaloka, Hatakeshwar in Patalaloka and Mahakaleshwar in Bhooloka.
Ground Level: It is at this ground level that Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga is enshrined. All the rituals and prayers are performed here.
First Floor: This floor is dedicated to Lord Omkareshwar, another form of Lord Shiva. Other deities like Ganesh, Parvati, and Karthikeya are also present, which enhances the spiritual ambience of the temple.
Second Floor: This floor is also dedicated to Lord Shiva, worshiped as Nagchandreshwar. The unique feature of this floor is that the darshan of Lord Nagchandreshwar is allowed only on the day of Naga Panchami. Lord Shiva is worshiped in the form of Nagaraj (the king of serpents).
Invasions at Mahakaleshwar Temple
The Mahakaleshwar Temple in Ujjain has faced several attacks by the Mughals. It has been destroyed and re-built many times. But the temple withstood the onslaughts, and it was renovated on several occasions.
In 1234 AD, Sultan Shams Ud-Din Iltutmish destroyed this temple and leveled it to the ground.
Despite the destruction of the temple from the Mughal invasion, there are many sincere devotees of Lord Shiva who built the current structure. This temple was reconstructed by Maratha ruler Ranoji Shinde in the 18th century.
Rituals at Mahakaleshwar Temple
Bhasma Aarti
Bhasma Aarti is the sacred ritual performed after Jalabhishek to Lord Mahakal. It is performed using Vibhuti (Ashes/Bhasma), which is brought by burning cow dung. It is performed every morning before sunrise around 4 am. The Bhasma Aarti ritual lasts for 2 hours, along with chanting of Vedic mantras, and ends with an aarti. Tantric (Shivashakti) type of worship is followed here.
Rudrabhisheka
Rudrabhisheka is performed by pouring sacred water, milk, yogurt, honey, ghee, and sugar while chanting Vedic chants and hymns. It is carried out all throughout the day.
Sandhya Aarti
This is conducted in the evening during the sunset. Temple priests offer lamps, incense, and flowers to the deity.
Shayana Aarti
This is the last aarti of the day performed just before closing Mahakaleshwar temple. This is the resting time for Lord Mahakaleswar. Before closing the temple, the priest offers prayers and seeks blessings.
Festivals of Mahakaleshwar Temple
Maha Shivaratri – This is one of the most significant festivals celebrated with great grandeur. Throughout day and night, special poojas and aartis are offered to Mahakal. On this day, the marriage of Lord Shiva and Parvati Devi is performed. Devotees visit this temple, offer their prayers, and seek blessing. They observe a full-day fast and stay vigil in night by engaging in bhajans, prayers, and meditating.
Mahakal Shravana– In the month of Shravana and Bhadrapada, a vibrant and majestic procession of Lord Shiva takes place. Every Monday in the month of Shravana and the first two Mondays in the month of Bhadrapada, the procession of Lord Shiva takes place across the city of Ujjain to bless his devotees. Devotees gather here to witness this magnificent procession from across India and all over the globe.
Naga Panchami – Devotees gather here to worship Lord Nagchandeshwar. Devotees gather here to worship Lord Nagchandeshwar. The Lord gives darshan to devotees only on the day of Naga Panchami. Throughout the year, the temple remains closed and opens only on this day.
Kartik Purnima – On this auspicious day, devotees gather here to take a dip in the sacred Kshipra River to wash out their sins and get liberation.
Kumbha Mela/Simhastha – This auspicious celebration begins in the month of Chaitra, and continues until the month of Vaishakha. It is conducted once every 12 years. Lakhs (hundreds of thousands) of devotees gather here to take a holy dip in the sacred river Kshipra.
Temple Timings of Mahakaleshwar Temple
The darshan timings of Mahakaleshwar temple are as follows:
Morning Darshan: 4:00 AM to 3:00 PM
Evening Darshan: 6:00 PM to 11:00 PM
Best time to Visit Mahakaleshwar Temple
October to March is the best time to visit Mahakaleshwar temple, since the weather is cool and pleasant.
How to Reach Mahakaleshwar Temple
If you plan to visit the Mahakaleshwar Temple, Ujjain and other sacred places, consider taking Tirtha Yatra’s Ujjain Yatra. All arrangements are well taken care of.
If you prefer to travel by yourself, here are few options.
Air – The nearest airport is Ahilya Bai Holkar Airport in Indore and then hire a bus or taxi to reach the destination.
Train – The nearest Railway station is Ujjain Railway Station. From here one can reach the Mahakaleshwar Temple via bus or taxi.
Road – There are frequent buses available to Mahakaleshwar Temple, from nearby cities. One can also hire a taxi to reach.
Places to Visit Inside the Mahakaleshwar Temple
While the Mahakaleshwar Temple is the main attraction, it offers several other places of interest for devotees.
Koti Tirtha: It is present inside the temple complex. Sacred water from the Koti Tirtha is taken for daily Jalabhisheka for Lord Mahakal and also taken for other ceremonial rituals. This structure is built in Sarvatobhadra style of architecture, featuring doors in four directions for accessing from every side. It is built by Lord Hanuman and surrounded by the deities of Ganesh, Subramanya and Parvati devi.
Avanti Devi: Avantika is the presiding deity of the temple. This is the place where Lord Rama and Lord Sri Krishna got their formal education. Avanti Maa is worshiped in the form of Mahakali and Shiva is worshiped as Lambakarna.
Annapurna Temple: Annapurna is another avatar of Parvati devi. She is dedicated as the goddess of food. She nourishes all living being with good health.
Ganesha Temple: Before having darshan of Lord Mahakal, one must take the blessing of Lord Ganesh first. He is remover of obstacles and blesses the devotees with success, wealth wisdom and more.
Kartikeya Temple: It is present inside temple complex, is dedicated to Lord Kartikeya, the elder son of Lord Shiva and Parvati Devi.
Siddhi Vinayak Temple: This temple is present inside the temple complex. Devotees visit this temple to seek success in personal and professional life.
Hanuman Temple: Situated inside the temple complex, dedicated to Lord Hanuman, an ardent devotee of Lord Sri Ramachandra.
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