-: Hindu Temples :-
Mahakaleswar
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Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga is one of the most
famous Hindu temples dedicated to Lord Shiva and is one of the twelve
Jyotirlingams, which are supposed to be the most sacred abodes of Shiva. It
is located in the ancient city of Ujjain in the state of Madhya Pradesh,
India. The temple is situated on the side of the Rudra Sagar lake. The
presiding deity, Shiva in the lingam form is believed to be Swayambhu,
deriving currents of power (Shakti) from within itself as against the other
images and lingams that are ritually established and invested with mantra-shakti.
Name: Shri Mahakaleshwar Jyotirling
Primary deity: Mahakaleshwar (Shiva)
Location: Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, India
The temple
The idol of Mahakaleshwar is known to be dakshinamurti, which means that it
is facing the south. This is a unique feature, upheld by the tantric
tradition to be found only in Mahakaleshwar among the 12 Jyotirlingas. The
idol of Omkareshwar Mahadev is consecrated in the sanctum above the Mahakal
shrine. The images of Ganesh, Parvati and Karttikeya are installed in the
west, north and east of the sanctum sanctorum. To the south is the image of
Nandi, the vehicle of Lord Shiva. The idol of Nagchandreshwar on the third
storey is open for darshan only on the day of Nag Panchami. The temple has
five levels, one of which is underground. The temple itself is located in a
spacious courtyard surrounded by massive walls near a lake. The shikhar or
the spire is adorned with sculptural finery. Brass lamps light the way to
the underground sanctum. It is believed that prasada (holy offering) offered
here to the deity can be re-offered unlike all other shrines
The presiding deity of time, Shiva, in all his splendor, reigns eternally in the city of Ujjain. The temple of Mahakaleshwar, its shikhar soaring into the sky, an imposing façade against the skyline, evokes primordial awe and reverence with its majesty. The Mahakal dominates the life of the city and its people, even in the midst of the busy routine of modern preoccupations, and provides an unbreakable link with ancient Hindu traditions. On the day of Maha Shivaratri, a huge fair is held near the temple, and worship goes on through the night.
History of Jyotirlingam
According to the Puranas, the city of Ujjain was called Avantika and was
famous for its beauty and its devotional epicenter. It was also one of the
primary cities where students went to study holy scriptures. According to
legend, there was a ruler of Ujjain called Vrishabhsen, who was a pious
devotee of Lord Shiva and worshipped him all the time. One day, a farmer's
boy named Shrikhar was walking on the grounds of the palace and heard the
King chant the Lord's name and rushed to the temple to start praying with
him. However, the guards removed him by force and sent him to the outskirts
of the city near the river Kshipra. Kings of the neighboring kingdoms
decided to attack the Kingdom and take over its treasures around this time.
Hearing this, Shrikhar started to pray and the news spread to a priest named
Vridhi. He was shocked to hear this and upon the urgent pleas of his sons,
he started to pray to Lord Shiva inside the river Kshipra. The Kings chose
to attack and were successful; with the help of the powerful demon Dushan,
who was blessed by Lord Brahma to be invisible, they plundered the city and
attacked all the devotees of Lord Shiva.
Upon hearing the pleas of His helpless devotees, Lord Shiva appeared in his
Mahakal form and destroyed the enemies of King Vrishabhsen. Upon the request
of his devotees Shrikhar and Vridhi, Lord Shiva agreed to reside in the city
and become the chief deity of the Kingdom and take care of it against its
enemies and to protect all His devotees. From that day on, Lord Shiva
resided in His light form as Mahakal in a Lingam that was formed on its own
from the powers of the Lord and His consort, Parvati. The Lord also blessed
his devotees and declared that people who worshipped Him in this form would
be free from the fear of death and diseases. Also, they would be granted
worldly treasures and be under the protection of the Lord himself
Transport
The temple is located in the heart of Ujjain, at a distance of 2 kilometers
from the Ujjain railway station and is accessible by state operated buses or
private taxis.