Lord Mahakaleswar is one of the most important among the 12 Jyotirlingam temples due to its utmost sacredness among devotees. It is located on the banks of the River KShipra, Ujjain, Maharashtra. The most significant aspect about it is the presiding deity who is also known as Lord Dakshinamukhi, is facing south. It is one of the 12 Jyotirlinga temples and is very important to Shaivitees due to this fact. In a Jyotirlinga temple Lord Shiva himself as a column of light, which gives the shrine special mystics powers like none other, so worshiping the Lord here is said to absolve one of sins.
The most interesting aspect of the temple is its idol which is beautiful and striking. Facing south, it is immensely decorated and prayed to by devotees who throng here from all parts of the country. The temple is a beautiful structure, grand and majestic and is adorned by the most artistic sculptures. People come here in huge numbers during Navaratri and Mahashivratri to seek blessings of the Lord for a peaceful and prosperous life. Such is the loveliness and importance of this temple that the poet Kalidasa mentions it in his works Meghaduta. What he brings out in this work, is the beauty of the rituals that was followed in this temple, giving particular importance to dance and art, which gives insight into the kind of techniques used in prehistoric periods in this ancient temple.
This lovely temple simply comes alive during Mahashivratri and coming here during this time is a fabulous experience. So many devotees sing, light lamps, bring flowers and enjoy a peaceful and wonderful time seeing the Aarti, listening to bhajans and praying to their heart’s content. Such is the majestic beauty of this sprawling temple complex that you will be completely mesmerized by its beauty and loveliness. The huge fair that is held during Mahashivratri is simply massive with so many artifacts being sold. Worship of the Lord goes on throughout the night. It is the Bhasma Aarti of this temple that is hugely important and attracts people from all over the country.
Beautiful, ancient and full of the most interesting and intricate imagery and sculptures, the Mahakaleshwar temple is a paradise for a devotee seeking to drench himself in the powers of Lord Shiva. Such is the magnetic appeal of the Linga that you will want to stay on for hours together. Visiting this particular temple can be a transforming experience because of the huge power of Lord Shiva that is experienced by devotees. It is also considered as a Shakti Peetha, one of the locations in which Goddess Sati’s body fell when it was cut by Lord Vishnu’s discus. As a result, it is a place of immense spiritual importance and a location that is a must to visit for those seeking salvation, liberation from cycle of birth and death and also freedom from the harm of sins. Such is the massiveness of the temple structure and its many storeys… that exploring it is as much an adventurous experience and experiencing divinity by praying to the Lord here.
History of Mahakaleshwar Jyotirling
In Ujjain there lived King Chandresena, who was an ardent devotee of Lord Shiva. When he was worshiping the Lord, a farmer’s son by name Shikara heard him when walking on the palace grounds. He rushed to where the king was in the palace temple and started praying with him, however the guards forcibly removed him from the place. He was then sent to the city outskirts where he heard the plot of King Chandresena rivals - King Ripudamana and King Singhaditya wanting to attack his kingdom and take over its treasures.
Shikara prayed to Lord Shiva and this news went to the local priest Vridhi. He also started to pray to Lord Shiva, but at this time the King Ripudamana and King Singhaditya had already started their attack and they were successful. When Lord Shivs’s devotees were attacked, the Lord could not tolerae it and appeared in his Mahakala form to destroy the enemies of King Chandrasena. Upon ardent requests from devotees Shrikhar and Vridhi, Lord Shiva decided to reside in the city and protect it against its enemies. After that the city became the place where he resided in the form of a column of light. Lord Shiva blessed his devotees and also stated that whoever worshiped him in this temple would be free of diseases and death, will gain peace and prosperity under his immense protection.
Architecture of Mahakaleshwar Temple
Such is the marvel of the temple’s structure that it is simply beautiful, breathtaking and massive. People who come here cannot but help wonder at the impressiveness of the structure and how even… over a period of time, it has remained intact and how much it reflects ancient traditions. However, over the past 1000 years the temple complex and its linga have faced severe disruptions and damages. In 1234 to 1235, Shasms-ud-din Iltuish raided the temple and actually dismantled the Shiva Linga, throwing it into the pond nearby. It was in 1734, Maratha General Ranoji Shinde built the structure that we see today,. Members of his dynasty further contributed to the temple and now it is the municipal corporation of Ujjain that looks after it.
Its Shikara soaring into the air and with the majestic look of some of the most beautiful carvings and exquisite sculptures, this temple is indeed one of a kind. It building material is one that is a mix of various materials which make it wonderfully strong such that it was able to withstand the ravages of weather and time. One of the most mesmerizing features here is the images that showcase the temple’s original structure which existed between the 9th and the 14th centuries.
When you enter the courtyard here, what you will notice is how huge it is and how many people it can accommodate at the same time. Immersed in sculptural beauty, it depicts the work of expert masons who painstakingly carved some of the mos lovely images of Lord Shiva. The temple is spread over five levels which make it immensely beautiful and majestic. At every level you will find something interesting and unique, which makes this temple so different and interesting for all to see and experience.
Many studiers of ancient temple architecture will find this temple to be an architectural marvel, simply because it is so huge and is a combination of different building styles. Inside you can see a combination of Chalukya, Maratha and Bhumja styles which give it an ethereal look and make it such a beauty to enjoy for devotees. Spread across the three floors of the temple is the Linga of Mahakaleswar, Omkaaeswar and Nagachandreswar. There is a lovely tank close by which enhances the attractiveness of the place, making it more divine and godly. This tank is called the Koti Thrirtha and is built in the Sarvotobadra style.
Exquisite craftsmanship, use of some of the most ancient principles of building structure and infusing of eye-catcing sculptures is the key feature of the temple. Such is the glory of ancient craftsmanship that you cannot help wonder at how immensly beautiful the place is and its vastness in terms of the five storeys over which it is spread. Divinity in combination with earthy beauty is the best way to describe the expricne of walking through this lovely temple and getting darshan of the most wonderful, revered Lord Shiva.
Mahakaleshwar Temple Facts
- The idol in the temple is caled Dakshinamurthi, meaning that it faces the South. This tantric shivnetra tradition is found only in Makaleshwar temple.
- It is a one of a kind multi tier temple which makes visiting it a unique and interesting experiences for devotees
- It is also calld the Ujjain Temple or the Ujjain mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga temple
- Alongside the Shiva Linga, the temple also has images of Goddess Parvati, Lord Ganesha and Karthikeya
- A unique feature here is the idol of nageshwar on the third story of the temple which is open to the public only on Nag Panchami
- The beautiful Shikari or spire is beautiful and majestic, adorned with lovely sculptures.
- Prasad offered once to the Lord in this temple can be re-oferred to him, unlike the tradition seen in other temples
- Tamil Saint Nayanar Appar sang about this particular temple in the vaippu Sthalams
- Temple is also considered one of the Shakti peethams and is visited by many for this purpose
How to Reach Mahakaleshwar
Ujjain is well connected by a series of roads, trains and flights to key cities closeby. You can book tickets to the city online through travel portals else using a travel agency service.
Air – Get to the Devi Ahilyabai Holkar Airport Indore and thenr each the temple by bus or taxi
Train – Book tickets to Ujjain railway station and from ehre reach the temple via bus or taxi
Road – Buses ply to the temple from Ujjain, which is well connected through road network to various cities close-by and you can also hire taxis to reach it via Ujjain.
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