The Mahakaleshwar temple is located on the banks of the river Kshipra, Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh. The temple is one of the 12 Jyotirlingas. Unlike other jyotirlingas, Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga is Dakshinmukhi Swayambhu which means south-facing self-manifested, while other lingas are installed. The Mahakaleshwar temple is also revered as one of the 18 Maha Shakti Peetham. The Upper Lip of Sati Devi is said to have fallen here and the Shakti is called Mahakali. The temple's architecture has a seamless blend of Bhumija, Maratha, & Chalukya styles. The temple has five floors/levels. Here we bring to you some lesser-known facts about the Mahakaleshwar Temple :
According to the Hindu Puranas, there was a five-year-old boy Shrikar who was amazed by the devotion of King Chandrasena of Ujjain towards Lord Shiva. So Shrikar took a stone and started worshipping it as Shiva. Many people tried to stop him with different tactics, but his devotion kept growing. Pleased by his devotion, Lord Shiva assumed the form of a Jyotirlinga and resided in the Mahakal forest.
Located in Ujjain, the temple is one of a kind, where the aarti of Lord Shiva is performed with ashes of a freshly cremated body.
The Jyotirlinga in this temple is Dakshinamukhi Swayambhu “self manifested” which derives power within itself unlike others where lingas are installed.
Talking about its architecture- the temple has been built in Maratha, Bhumija and Chalukya architectural styles.
The uppermost floor has the lingam of Nagachandresvara and is only opened for Darshan on Nag Panchami. On the second floor, Omkareshwar lingam is there which is open for visitors around the year.
Koti Tirtha or a large Kunda is also there in the compound. The idols of Ganesha, Kartikeya, and Parvati are located near Koti Tirtha.
The Koti Teertha is believed to contain celestial water, and devotees are expected to take a dip here.
Most importantly, if you are an early riser, you should participate in the Bhasma aarti that takes place at 4.00 am although a pass is required for this, a day in advance.
