Shree Mahakaleshwar History

When did the Mahakala temple first come in existence, is difficult to tell. However, the event may be assigned to the Pre-historic period. Puranas narrate that it was first established by Prajapita Brahma. There is reference to the appointment of prince Kumarasena by king Chanda Pradyota in 6th c. BC for looking after the law and order situations of Mahakala temple. The punch-marked coins of Ujjain, belonging to 4th-3rd c. BC, bear the figure of Lord Siva on them. Mahakala temple is also mentioned in several ancient Indian poetic texts. According to these texts, the temple had been very magnificent and magnanimous. Its foundation and platform were built of stones. The temple rested on the wooden pillars. There had been no sikharas on the temples prior to the Gupta period. The roofs of temples had mostly been flat. Possibly due to this fact, Kalidasa in Raghuvansam described this temple as ‘Niketana’. The palace of the king had been in the vicinity of the temple. In the early part of the Meghadutam (Purva Megha), Kalidasa gives a fascinating description of the Mahakala temple. It appears that this Chandisvara temple might have been a unique example of the then art and architecture. It may be ascertained that how splendid had been the temple of the main Deity of that town which possessed multi-storeyed gold-plated palaces and buildings and the superb artistic grandeur. The temple was enclosed by high ramparts attached with the entry-gates. At twilight the lively rows of glittering lamps enlightened the temple-complex. The whole atmosphere echoed with the sound of various musical instruments. The charming and well-decorated damsels added a lot in the aesthetic beauty of the temple. The echo of the Jaya-dhvani (Let the Lord be victories) of the assembly of the devotees was heard far and wide. Priests remained busy in worshipping the Deity and chanting eulogies. The Vedic hymns were recited and Stutis were sung, the painted walls and well-carved images projected the artistic heights of the day.

After the downfall of the Gupta empire, several dynasties including the Maitrakas, Chalukyas, Later Guptas, Kalachuris, Pusyabhutis, Gurjara Pratiharas, Rastrakutas etc. dominated the political scenerio in Ujjain one after the other. However, all bowed down before Mahakala and distributed endowments and alms to the deserving. During this period a number of temples of various gods and goddesses,Tirthas, Kundas, Vapis and gardens took shape in Avantika. Several Saivite temples including those of 84 Mahadevas existed here. This fact should specifically be underlined that when every nook and corner of Ujjain was dominated by religious monuments housed by the images of their respective deities, the development and progress of Mahakala temple and its religiocultural milieu was not at all neglected. Among many of the poetic texts composed during this period, which sung the significance and glamour of the temple, Harsacharit and Kadambari of Banabhatta, Naisadhacharit of Sri Harsa, and Navasahasamkacharit of Padmagupta are noteworthy.

It so appears that during rhw Paramara period, a series of crisis prevailed over Ujjain and the Mahakala temple. In the Eighth decade of Eleventh c. AD, one Gazanavide commander invaded Malwa, looted it brutally and destroyed many temples and images. But very soon the Paramaras rejuvenated every thing. A contemporary Mahakala Inscription testifies the fact that during the later Eleventh c. and early twelfth c., the Mahakala temple was re-built during the reign of Udayaditya and Naravarman. It was built in the Bhumija style of architecture, very favourite to the Paramaras. Remains available in the temple-complex and the neighbouring places authenticate this fact. The temples of this style had been either Triratha or Pancharatha in plan. The main feature of identification of such temples had been its star-shaped plan and the sikhara. So far as the sikhara is concerned, urusrngas (mini-spires), generally of odd numbers, gradually decreasing in size in rows between the well-decorated spines (haravali or lata) rose up at the cardinal points from the Chityaas and the Sukanasas ultimately surmounted by the Amalaka. Every part of the temple was glutted with decorative motifs or images. Horizontally, the shrine from front to back was respectively divided in entrance, ardhamandapa, sanctum, antarala (vestibule) garbhagrha and Pradaksanapatha. Upper components of the temple rested on the strong and well-designed pillars and pilasters. Such temples, according to the contemporary Silpa-sastras contained the images of various god and goddesses, Nava Grahas (Nine planets), Apsaras (celestial damsels), female dancers, anucharas (attendants), Kichakas etc. The sculptural art of the temple had been very classical and multifarious. Besides the Saivite images of Nataraja, Kalyanasundara, Ravananugraha, Gajantaka, Sadasiva, Andhakasura-slayer, Lakulisa etc., the temples were adorned with the images of Ganesa, Paravati, Brahma, Visnu, Surya (Sun-god), Sapta Matrkas (Seven mother-goddesses) etc. These images had been very proportionate, well-decorated, sculpturally perfect and carved according to classical and Puranic texts. The worshipping and the conduct of rituals continued in some way or the other. Prabandha Chintamani, Vividha Tirtha Kalpataru, Prabandha Kosha all composed during 13th-14th c. reveal this fact. Similar mention is made in Vikramacharit and Bhojacharita composed in 15th c. AD. According to the epic Hammira Mahakavya, Hammira, the ruler of Ranathambor worshipped Lord Mahakala while his stay in Ujjain.

A few Sanads issued by the Sultans of Malwa and Mughal emperors have come to light in Ujjain which testifies that during the mediaeval period these Islamic rulers contributed some donations to priests for conducting worship, lighting the lamps and offering the prayers to Divinity for the safety of their reign. Thus it is evident that these Islamic rulers also had a respect for Mahakalesvara and they issued financial assistance for the appeasement of Hindu subjects too.

Maratha regime was established in Ujjain in the fourth decade of Eighteenth c. The administration of Ujjain was assigned by Peshwa Bajirao-I to his faithful commander Ranoji Shinde, The diwan of Ranoji was Sukhatanakar Ramchandra Baba Shenavi who was very wealthy but unluckily issueless. On the suggestions of many learned Panditas and wel-wishers, he decided to invest his wealth for religious purposes. In this connection, he re-built the famous Mahakala temple in Ujjain during the 4th-5th decades of Eighteenth c. AD.

---

Shree Mahakaleshwar Temple

The temple is three-storeyed. In the lowest middle and uppermost parts are respectively installed the lingams of Mahakalesvara, Omkaresvara and Nagachandresvara. The pilgrims and the visitors can only have the glimse of Nagachandresvara on the festive of Naga Panchami. A very large-sized Kunda named Koti Tirtha also exists in the temple-complex. The Kunda is built in the sarvatobhadra style. The Kunda and its water both are treated as very celestial. On the path adjoining the stairs of the Kunda, may be seen many images representing the sculptural grandeur of the temple built during the Paramara period. In the east of the Kunda is a large-sized Veranda in which there is the entrance to the path leading to the garbhagrha. In the northern side of the verandah, in a cell, the images of Sri Rama and goddess Avantika are worshipped. In the southern side of the main shrine, there stand many small Saivite temples built during the shinde regime among these the temple of Vrddha Mahakalesvara, Anadi Kalpesvara and Saptarshi are prominent and are the remarkable pieces of architecture.

The lingam of Mahakalesvara is colossus. The silver plated Naga Jaladhari and the inscribed and esoteric silver-plate covering the roof of the garbhagrha add extra grandeur to the shrine. Besides Jyotirlinga, attractive and small-sized images of Ganesa, Kartikeya and Paravati can be seen in the garbhagrha. All around the walls classical eulogies in the praise of Lord Siva are exhibited. The Nanda Dipa always remains lit. In the exit-path, there is a wide hall in which a most attractive metal

Shree Mahakaleshwar Temple Daily Pooja Schedule       From month Chaitra to Ashwin   From month Kartik to Falgun Matmarti early morning 4 am. Shree Biji's Jagar upto Bhasmarti Poornima before sunrise Shree Biji's Jagar upto Bhasmarti Poornima before sunrise Morning Pooja 7.00 am. to 7.30 am. 7.30 am. to 8.00 am. Mid-dayPooja 10.00 am. to 10.30 am. 10.30 am. to 11.00 am. Evening Pooja 5.00 pm. to 5.30 pm. 5.30 pm. to 6.00 pm. Aartli Shree Mahakal 7.00 pm. to 7.30 pm. 7.30 pm. to 8.00 pm. Closing Time 11 pm. 11 pm.

Shree Mahakaleshwar Working Purohits List

Sr. No.   Name of Purohit 1   Shree Shradchandra Ganu 2   Shree Satyanarayan Nageshwar 3   Shree Radheshyam Manishankar Shatri 4   Shree Kaushal Premnarayan Vyas 5   Shree Chandrashekar Kanhailal Sharma 6   Shree Subhash Sharma 7   Shree Balakrishna Chintamana Joshi 8   Shree Dawulal Vasudev Sharma 9   Shree Suryanarayan Shivanarayana Joshi 10   Shree Prakashchandra Satyanarayan Sharma 11   Shree Anantnarayan Someshwar Upadhyay 12   Shree Vishwanath Laxminarayana Sharma 13   Shree Ashok Chandrashekar Sharma 14   Shree Suryanarayan Mannalal 15   Shree Deepak Bhat 16   Shree Manishankar Chintaman 17   Shree Ganeshnarayan Govardhanlal 18   Shree Surendra Chaturvedi 19   Shree Gopal Laxman Vyas 20   Shree Deepak Sharma 21   Shree Gopal Sharmal 22   Shree Vishwas Karadhkar

Shree Mahakaleshwar Temple Trustees

Sr. No.   Name   Position   Telephone 1   Collector Ujjain District   Collector &   President   0734-2514000 2   Mahant Prakash Puri   Member   0734-2556955 3   Shree Rajesh Sharma   Member   9827247652 4   Shree Mahesh Sharma   Member   9826046180 5   Shree Vibhash Upadhyay   Member     9425332585 6   Mayor Muncipal Corporation, Ujjain   Member   2551541   2513521 7   Commissioner Muncipal Corporation, Ujjain   Member   5013106 8   CEO, Ujjain Development Authority   Member   0734-2524024 9   Principal, Sanskrit Mahavidyalaya Ujjain   Member   0734-2855451 10   Temple Administrator   Administrator &   Member   0734-2550563   9827085676

Mahakaleshwar Parva Panchanga

No Month Fortnight Tithi Particulars 1 Chaitra Dark Fifth Ranga Panchami, Phaga and Dhvaja - Pujana 2 Chaitra Bright First New Samvatsara celelbration and Panchanga - pujana 3 Vaisakha Dark First Jaladhara for continuous two months 4 Vaisakha Bright Third (Akshay – Trtiya) Jala-mataki Phala-dana 5 Jaishtha Dark Naksatra Parjanya Anusthana for eleven days 6 Ashada Bright Guru Purnima Special Srngara on the advent of month. Chaturmasa Begins 7 Sravana Dark Every Monday Sawari 8 Sravana Dark Amavasya Dipa-pujana 9 Sravana Bright Naga-Panchami The Darsana of Naga Chandresvara 10 Sravana Bright Purnima(the full-moon day) Raksha-sutra Parva, Bhoga and Srngara 11 Bhadrapada Dark Every Monday uto Amavasya Sawari 12 Bhadrapada Dark Eighth (astami) Janmastami celebrations after evening arati 13 Asvani Dark Eleventh(Ekadasi) Uma-Sanjhi festival begins 14 Asvani Bright Second (dvitiya) Final day of Uma-Sanjhi festival

Shree Mahakaleshwar Temple Festival

The Puja-archana, abhisheka, arati and other rituals are regulalrly performed all the year round in Mahakala temple. Some particular aspects are as under –   1 Nitya Yatra: A Yatra to be conducted is narrated in the Avanti Khanda of the Skanada Purana. In this Yatra, after taking bath in the holy Sipra, the Yatri (Participator) respectively visits Nagachandresvara, Kotesvara, Mahakalesvara, goddess Avanatika, goddess Harasiddhi and Agastyesvara for darsana.     2 Sawari (Procession): On every Monday of the Sravana month upto the Amavasya in the dark fortnight of the Bhadrapada and also from the bright fortnight of the Kartika to the dark fortnight of Magasirsha, the procession of Lord Mahakala passes through the streets of Ujjain. The last Sawari in Bhadrapada is celebrated with great pomp and show and draws attendance of lakhs of people. The procession of Mahakala on Vijaydasami festival visiting the celebrations at Dashahara Maidan is also very attractive.     3 Harihara Milana: On Baikuntha Chaturdasi, Lord Mahakala visits Mandir in a procession to meet Lord Dwarakadhisa (hari) during the mid-night. Later on in a similar procession on that very night Dwarakadhisa visits Mahakal temple. This festival is the symbol of one-ness between the two great Lords.

Stay

Ujjain City History Places to visit How to reach? Accomodation Hotels and Rest Houses in Ujjain Rest House (L. N. V.) 2516505 Sheetal Rest House, Gaughat 2551576 Rest House Forest Dept. 2521210 Alakhadham Dharmshala,Friganj 2561194 Guest House Tilhan 2560605 Anis Villa, Devas Road 2514222 Guest House M.P.V.M. 2551483 Agrasen Parisar, Ramghat 2555316 Guest House L.S.Y. 2551576 Kelakar Parisar, Bahadurghanj 2554194 Yatrika Hotel 2551139 Mahaveer Jain Dharmshala, Navipeth 2550353 Hotel Surya 2560747 Hotel Kabir 2559161 Hotel Ajay 2550856 Chaturvedi Dharmshala, Bhagasipura 2561580 Hotel Ayodhya 2551102 Hotel Vikram 2562220 Hotel Atlas 2560473 Darji's Dharmshala, Brahmangali - Grand Hotel 2560942 Hotel Shreemaya 2515362 Hotel Ramkrishna 2557012 Jain Dharmashala, Doodh Talai 2555227 Shipra Hotel 2551495 2551496 Agrawal Panchayat Dharmashala, Golamandi 2554716 Gujrati Samaj Dharmshala, Nankheda 2510783 Gujrati Samaj Dharmshala, Nankheda 2553511 Digambar Jain Dharmshala, Namakmandi 2557746 Gujrati Samaj Dharmshala, Navi Sadak 2550683 Dhadak Samaj Dharmshala, Anantpet 2554229 Jaisawal Dharmshala, Nikas Chowk 2550459 Hotels and Rest Houses in Ujjain Shreeji Lodge 2561335 2560077 Bombaywalas Dharmashala, Ramghat Road. 2554015 Madhuri Hall, Teenbatti Chowk, Madhav Club Road 2514675 Meda Kshatriya Samaj Swarnakar Dharmshala, Dhaba Road 2559943 Mahakaal Dharmshala Pravachan Hall, Harsiddhi 2551714 Mewada Kalal Hehya Kshatriya Samaj Malavi 21, Narayanpura 2557838 Panch Oswal Badesaath Dharmshala, Nayapura 2557838 Parasram Puriya Dharmshala, Kotwali Road 2554363 Patidar Kadva Kulmi Samaj Dharmshala, Kushalpura 2561137 Parinaya Mangal Parisar Ankpat Marg Nikas 2550459 Meena Samaj Dharmshala, Kajipur 2558612 Rajput Dharmashala, Anantpet 2552327 Sankhyaraje Dharmshala Station Road 2552327 Shreeram Dharmshala, Station Road 2552385 Shree Dashanima Panchayati Dharmshala, Ksheersagar 2557586 Sreeram Mandir Dharmshala, 24 Kambha Marg 2551396 Scindhi Sakkar Panchayat Dharmshala, Bhagasipura 2553073 Shree Sainath Dharmshala Magalik Bhavan, Rajendranagar 2513832 Faganiya Mangalik Bhavan, Amarsinhamarg 2514803 Gokul Hall, Opp. Control Room 2559963 Yadav Dharmshala, Mahakaal Ground 2552511 Vidhyanagar Community Hall, Vidhyanagar 2515719

How to reach

Airway : Nearest airport is Indore (53 K.m.). Flights arriving from Mumbai, Delhi, Ahmedabad, Gwaliar. 2 Railaway : Ujjain is directly connected by railway line to Ahmedabad, Rajkot, Mumbai, Fouzabad, Lucknow,Dehradun, Delhi, Banaras, Kochin, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Howrah and many more. 3 Roadway : Ujjain is directly connected by road to Indore, Surat, Gwaliar, Pune, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Udaypur, Nasik, Mathura.