India is known for its temples and faith. There is more than one temple in the country, some of which are known for their magnificence and some for their miracles. One such temple is the Mahakaleshwar Temple of Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh, which is the third very special Jyotirlinga among all the 12 Jyotirlingas. This temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva whose fame is spread all over the country and abroad. There is a huge crowd of devotees here throughout the year, people from all over the world come here to visit Jyotirlinga. South-facing Mahakaleshwar Mahadev Lord Shiva is worshiped in this temple. This place is considered to be the holy abode of Lord Shiva. Today in this episode we are going to tell you about important information related to Mahakaleshwar Temple which will compel you to come here. Let's know about it...
History of Mahakaleshwar Temple
Talking about the history of Mahakaleshwar, let us tell you that from 1107 to 1728, Ujjain was ruled by the Yavanas. During this reign, almost the ancient traditions of Hindus were almost destroyed. After this Marathas attacked in Malwa region in 1690. Then on 29 November 1728, the Maratha rulers took over Malwa. After this the lost glory and shine of Ujjain came back again, after that it remained the capital of Malwa Malwa from 1731 to 1728. During the rule of Marathas, 2 big incidents happened here. The first event was that the Mahakaleshwar temple located here earlier was rebuilt and the Jyotirlinga regained its lost prestige. Apart from this, the Simhastha festival bath was established here which was a very special achievement. Later this temple was expanded by Raja Bhoj.
Legend of Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga
According to the legend of the Shiva Purana, Ujjayini was ruled by a king named Chandrasena, who was a devotee of Shiva. He was friends with Manibhadra, one of Lord Shiva's ganas. One day Manibhadra presented a priceless Chintamani to the king, by wearing which Chandrasena's dominance started increasing. Fame and fame started spreading far and wide. The kings of other states woke up longing to get that gem. Some kings attacked Chandrasen. King Chandrasen fled from there and came to the shelter of Mahakal and got engrossed in his penance.
The architecture of the Mahakaleshwar Temple
The Mahakaleshwar Temple is a beautiful and artistic amalgamation of the Maratha, Bhumij, and Chalukya styles of architecture. This holy temple is situated near a lake which is situated in a huge courtyard surrounded by huge walls. Please tell that this temple has five floors, one of which is located inside the ground. Here the colossal idol of Mahakaleshwar is located in the sanctum sanctorum (underground) and it is Dakshina-murti, which means the idol faces the south direction. These special things are found only in the Mahakaleshwar temple.
The lingas of Omkareshwar and Nagachandreshwar are installed in the middle and upper parts of this beautiful temple of Mahakaleshwar. But you can visit the idol of Nagchandreshwar only on the occasion of Nag Panchami because it is open for public viewing only on this special occasion. There is also a big tank on the premises of this temple, which is known as Koti Tirtha. Outside this large tank is a large verandah, which has an entrance to the path leading to the sanctum sanctorum. Small-size images of Ganesha, Kartikeya, and Parvati are also seen in this place. Here the enigmatic silver covering of the ceiling of the sanctum sanctorum adds to the magnificence of this pilgrimage site. The temple has a hall in the northern part of the verandah where the images of Lord Sri Rama and Goddess Avantika are worshipped.
Bhasma Aarti of Lord Mahakal
Only one gets the golden opportunity to see Bhasm Aarti of Lord Mahakal. It is believed that all the sorrows and pains of those who participate in this aarti go away. Bhasm Aarti and Mahakal Shringar are done every morning. Along with having a darshan of Mahakal, one must also see his Bhasm Aarti. You will get the opportunity to see this type of Aarti only in Ujjain. You can also make an online booking to attend the Aarti. For booking visit the website of the temple. However, booking of Bhasma Aarti can also be done from the ticket counter of the temple, but a long line can be found there. Keep in mind that you also have your ID proof with you.
Process of Bhasma Aarti
Every Monday Bhasma Aarti is performed in the Mahakal temple by the sages and saints of Nirvani Akhara. First Lord Mahakal is bathed with cold water after which he is anointed with Panchamrit. Ashes are prepared by burning peepal leaves, dung cakes, ber tree leaves, and Palash, by which Lord Mahakal's aarti is performed.
Rules of worship in the temple
According to the rules of the Mahakaleshwar temple, women cannot watch the Bhasma Aarti. If they are involved in this aarti then they have to cover themselves. Please tell me that before Bhasma Aarti, Jalabhishek is done on the Shivling here. Here you can wear any kind of dress to participate in Bhasma Aarti, but if you want to perform Jalabhishek, then for that men have to wear only a dhoti and women only have to wear a saree. Wearing other types of clothes is not allowed to perform Jalabhishek here.
No king could spend a single night in Ujjain
Mahakal is called the king of Ujjain, so apart from him, no other ruler or king can stay in this city. According to mythology, after the rule of Vikramaditya, no king could stay here overnight, the history of this temple is that the person who did this audacity was surrounded and killed, so even today no chief minister or prime minister spends the night in Ujjain.
How to reach Mahakaleshwar Temple?
If you want to visit Ujjain's Mahakaleshwar Temple and start your journey from Delhi, then you can easily reach Ujjain. Bus, rail service, and flights are easily available from Delhi to Ujjain. If you wish, you can also leave for Ujjain in your private car. The distance from Delhi to Ujjain Mahakaleshwar Temple is about 831 km. It is about 15 hours away. If you want to travel to Ujjain for less money then the train is the cheapest option. If you are traveling by a normal train then it may take around 22 hours. Will reach Ujjain in less time by superfast train. The distance of Mahakaleshwar temple from Ujjain railway station is about two kilometers. You can easily reach the temple via local taxis, cabs, or rickshaws. There are many hotels, including Dharamshala on the way from the railway station to the temple. According to your budget, you can book a room in Hotel or Dharamshala. Go for darshan after bath etc.
(PC: Lifeberrys)
