Mahakaleshwar temple is a Jyotirlinga temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, situated in the ancient city of Ujjain, India. It’s a self-manifested (swayambhu) lingam of Lord Shiva, located on the side of the holy river Shipra. It is one of the oldest known cities and was a devotional epicenter in India.
About Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga Temple
Mahakaleshwar is a fierce form of Lord Shiva which means ‘lord of time’. In Sanskrit, ‘kaala’ means time. Here, mahakal means someone who is beyond time. Every living being is controlled by time. Only Lord Shiva helps in going beyond time and body consciousness.
Mahakaleshwar temple is one of the only three temples in India, where both jyotirlinga and shaktipeth is worshipped (Varanasi and Srishailam are the other two temples). The significance of this place is it is one of the twelve jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva and also one of the eighteen shaktipeethas of Goddess Parvati. According to tantric shivanetra tradition, it is the only jyotirlinga facing south direction.
What is Jyotirlinga
Jyotirlinga means a column of light. Lingam signifies the infinite nature of Lord Shiva, without the beginning and the end. Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga is one of the 12 jyotirlingas in India, where it is believed that the supreme deity of Hinduism, Lord Shiva himself resides in different manifestations in the form of linga.
Read more on Jyotirlinga and legends
Shaktipeeth
The temple is also worshipped as one of the 18 Maha Shakti Peetham dedicated to Goddess Sati (a form of Goddess Parvati). It is believed that the upper lip of Sati had fallen in this place when Lord Shiva was carrying the body of Sati.
The unique feature about the temple is that the idol of Mahakaleshwar is Dakshinamukhi, which means it is facing the south direction. Because the south direction is governed by Lord Yama, who is the lord of death, and Lord Shiva facing south direction symbolizes victory over death
Mahakaleshwar Temple Architecture
The architecture of the main temple is seen to be a mixture of Bhumija, Chalukya, and Maratha styles. The Mahakaleshwar temple has five levels, one of which is underground. The mahakaleshwara lingam is on the ground level. Omkareswara lingam is on the middle floor. Above all is the Nagachandreshwara lingam and its darshan is available only on Nagapanchami day. There are small shrines dedicated to Parvati, Ganesha, and Kartikeya in the north, west, and east of the sanctum sanctorum. And as per the tradition of Shiva temples, the statue of Nandi is installed at the entrance.
There is a huge pond called ‘kotitheertha’ inside the temple premises. It is built as per ‘sarvatobhadra style’ and its water is believed to be divine. There are small shrines dedicated to Lord Rama, Devi Avantika, Saptarshis also within the complex.
History of Mahakaleshwar Temple, Ujjain
Like other temples of India, the Mahakaleshwar temple also went through destruction from Mughal invaders. During the 1234-35 period, Sultan Shams-ud-din destroyed the temple, dismantled the jyotirlinga, and threw it into a nearby pond. The present structure was built by Maratha General Ranoji Shinde in 1734 CE. Later, his descendants played a key role in the extensions of the temple.
The legend behind Mahakaleshwar Temple, Ujjain
In the Puranas, Ujjain was named Avantika and it was an educational hotspot at that time. Students from all over the world used to come here for education. It is believed that Krishna and Balarama also did their education here.
There are many stories related to the temple. Once lived a king in Ujjain called Chandrasena, who was a great Shiva devotee. Once, enemy kings named Ripudamana and Simhaditya invaded Ujjain. With the help of a demon called Dushan, who was blessed by Lord Brahma to be invisible, they ransacked the city and attacked all the Shiva devotees. There were two Shiva devotees named Shrikara and Vriddhi - who worshipped Lord shiva. Upon hearing the pleas of the devotees, Mahadeva appeared and destroyed the enemies. At the request of devotees, Lord Shiva decided to stay there forever in the form of a lingam.
The temple is famous for ‘Bhasma Aarti’, which means aarti with vibhuti (sacred ash). Earlier, ash from the funeral pyre was used for the aarti. But, now it is made from cow dung.
Mahakaleshwar Temple Timings
Darshan Timings: 4:00 AM to 10 PM
Entry Fee: Free; VIP Darshan: Rs. 250/-
Special Poojas: Bhasm Aarti, Jalabhishek
For Bhasm Aarti - Advance online booking to be done by paying Rs. 250. You have to be present before 2 AM.
Jalabhishek happens at 4 AM before Bhasm aarti. If you are entering garbha-ghih (Sanctum sanctorum), then you must wear a dhoti (for male devotees) and sari (for female devotees). However, if you are not entering the garbha-grih, there are no dress restrictions and you can also watch the aarti on the TV outside. You can buy/rent dhotis from the shops outside the temple.
Mobile phones are not allowed. They will provide a locker facility to keep the valuable items.
Kumbha Mela at Ujjain
Once in twelve years, Kumbha Mela is celebrated in Ujjain. Most of the actions of Kumbh Mela take place in the surrounding areas of the Mahakaleshwar temple. There is a story as to why Kumbh Mela takes place here. It is believed that, after Samudra Manthan (churning of the ocean), Gods and Asuras (demons) fought for the Amrit. However, to prevent the demons from taking control of the nectar, Lord Vishnu, in the form of Mohini, whisked the pot (Kumbh) containing the nectar. It is said that the celestial bird Garuda was carrying Amrit to heaven and accidentally spilled a few drops at four places on earth, where the Kumbh Mela is celebrated. The four places are Haridwar (Brahmakund), Ujjain, Nashik, and Prayag. It is believed that it took twelve divine days (which is equivalent to twelve human years) for Garuda to carry the nectar to heaven. Therefore, the Kumbh Mela is celebrated once every twelve years at a given place.
Places to visit near Mahakaleshwar Temple
Kalabhairav Temple
Harsiddhi Temple
Mangalnath Temple
Ramghat Aarti
How to reach Mahakaleshwar Temple
The nearest airport is Indore Airport, located 51 km from the temple. The nearest railway station is the Ujjain railway station, 1 km from the temple. Also, Bus service is available from Bhopal (188 km), Mumbai (648 km), and Delhi (776 km) to Ujjain.