Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga, Ujjain
महाकालेश्वर ज्योतिर्लिंग, उज्जैन
📍 Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh
On the banks of the Shipra in ancient Ujjain, Mahakal is the only Jyotirlinga that faces south. Here Shiva is the lord of time and death, worshipped every dawn with the famous Bhasma Aarti.
शिप्रा तट पर उज्जैन के महाकाल — एकमात्र दक्षिणमुखी ज्योतिर्लिंग, जहाँ प्रातः भस्म आरती होती है।
इतिहास History
Ujjain, the ancient Avantika, is one of the seven Moksha-puris. The temple was destroyed by Iltutmish in 1234–35. Under the Maratha general Ranoji Shinde (Scindia), the present multi-level temple was rebuilt in the 18th century.
The Shri Mahakal Lok corridor opened in 2022. It gives the temple a grand approach lined with murals and statues from Shiva's stories.
कथा The legend
The demon Dushana tormented the devotees of Avanti until the sons of the Brahmin Vedapriya prayed for help. Shiva burst from the earth as Mahakal and destroyed him. At their request, he stayed on as a self-manifested (swayambhu) linga.
दर्शनीय Don’t miss
- Bhasma Aarti before dawn (book in advance on the temple's official website)
- Nagchandreshwar shrine on the top level, opened only on Nag Panchami
- Harsiddhi Shakti Peetha and Ram Ghat nearby
- Ujjain hosts the Simhastha Kumbh Mela every twelve years
उत्सव Festivals
मंदिर दर्शन Temple story
The secrets of Mahakaleshwar, from our YouTube series.
▶ Watch all 18 Temple Stories on YouTube
Jyotirlinga yatra · next (4 of 12)Omkareshwar Jyotirlinga→Photo: Ashverse · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons