The chants of “Bam Bam Bhole” reverberated across the country as lakhs of devotees gathered at Shiva temples to celebrate the sacred festival of Maha Shivratri. From the revered Kashi Vishwanath Temple to prominent shrines nationwide, an overwhelming surge of faith marked the occasion. Among the most significant celebrations took place at the historic Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga in Ujjain, where special rituals began in the early hours of the morning.
Special Bhasma aarti performed at 3 AM
At around 3 am, priests conducted the sacred Panchamrit Abhishek and the iconic Bhasma Aarti. The deity was ceremonially bathed with Panchamrit a holy mixture of milk, curd, ghee, sugar, and honey followed by sandalwood paste and fragrant offerings. Lord Mahakal was then adorned with white garments and decorated with his प्रिय “Vijaya” (bhang).
The ritual of applying sacred ash (bhasma) was performed amid the resonating sounds of cymbals, drums, conch shells, and devotional chants. Devotees from across the country gathered to witness the spiritually charged ceremony.
Temple doors to remain open for 44 hours
In a major highlight of this year’s celebrations, the temple doors will remain open continuously for 44 hours. Authorities estimate that nearly 10 lakh devotees are expected to visit during this period. Security and crowd management arrangements have been intensified to ensure smooth darshan for the massive influx of pilgrims.
Nine-Day Shiv Navratri festival adds to festivities
In Ujjain the city of Baba Mahakal Maha Shivratri is celebrated with unique grandeur. The festival is preceded by the nine-day Shiv Navratri Mahotsav, during which the deity is adorned daily in different forms. For nine days, Lord Mahakal is dressed as a groom with haldi and chandan applied ceremonially.
On the day following Maha Shivratri, the deity’s sehra (ceremonial headgear) is decorated like that of a bridegroom. Notably, this is the only day in the year when a Bhasma Aarti is performed in the afternoon. The sehra is later distributed among devotees as prasad, and it is believed that keeping its flowers at home brings prosperity, peace, and abundance throughout the year.
Lord Mahakal is worshipped in his fierce yet benevolent form in Ujjain. Among the twelve Jyotirlingas of India, Mahakaleshwar is the only south-facing (Dakshinmukhi) Jyotirlinga, making it uniquely significant.