About Mahakaleshwar

One of the 12 Jyotirlingas in India, the lingam at the Mahakala is believed to be swayambhu (born of itself) deriving currents of power shakti) from within itself as against the other images and lingams which are ritually established and invested with mantra-shakti.

Maha Kaaleshwar' also stands for King of Time. Vikram samvat followed by Hinduism got it’s root from Ujjain started by Vikramadity; a famous king of Ujjain. Apart from being one of the 12 Jyotirlingas, the shrine is also revered as one of the 18 Maha Shakti Peetham. The deity of Mahakaleshwar is known to be dakshinamurti, which means that it is facing the south; a unique feature, to be found only in Mahakaleshwar among the 12 Jyotirlingas. Considered among topmost tantra temple, Mahakaleshwar still practices Bhasm-Aarti (ash from funeral pyres) one of its kind in the world. According to the mythological legend Mahakal(Lord Shiva) is the king of Ujjain, no human king of the area has ever spent the night in the city, and those who did, did not live to tell the tale. Celebrated as one of seven holiest cities in India, Ujjain has been as the center of political, religious and education hub in history described in ancient scriptures and travelogues.