Ujjain (Madhya Pradesh)

A devotee offered a silver crown weighing 2 kg 350 grams, adorned with a crescent moon, to Baba Mahakaleshwar at the Shree Mahakaleshwar Temple in Madhya Pradesh's Ujjain district on Monday.

Devotee identified as Pradeep Gupta, a resident of Gujarat's Jamnagar, presented the crown as an offering after the fulfilment of his vow. He attended Baba Mahakaleshwar's Bhasma Aarti (offering with ashes ritual) and offered a silver crown to Lord Mahakal during the ceremony.

The priest of the temple adorned Baba Mahakaleshwar with this new crown during the Bhasma Aarti on Monday.

Speaking to ANI after the Bhasma Aarti, Pradeep Gupta said, "I am feeling quite good and we had made a wish during our last visit. Baba fulfilled it for us in just three months. That's why I have come here with the entire team, because Baba completed our (Wind Power) project within three months instead of the expected six months. So we have all come to seek Baba's blessings and to offer this small gift to him. The crown weighs 2 kg 350 grams."

The Bhasma Aarti, an offering made with holy ashes, is one of the most revered rituals of the Mahakal Temple. It is performed during the Brahma Muhurta, between 3:30 and 5:30 am, a time considered highly auspicious in Hindu tradition.

According to religious beliefs, devotees who attend or participate in the Bhasma Aarti are believed to have their wishes fulfilled and receive the divine blessings of Lord Mahakal.

As per temple traditions, the ritual begins with the opening of the temple doors in the early hours, followed by a holy bath for the deity using Panchamrit, a sacred mixture of milk, curd, ghee, sugar, and honey. After the bath, the Shivling is adorned with hemp and sandalwood paste, signifying purity and sanctity.

The ritual continues with the performance of the unique Bhasma Aarti and Dhoop-Deep Aarti, accompanied by the rhythmic beats of drums and the resonant sounds of conch shells. The aarti symbolises the cycle of life and death, representing the eternal presence of Lord Shiva as the destroyer of evil and the embodiment of time.

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Shri Mahakaleshwar, one of the twelve sacred Jyotirlingas in India, holds immense significance in Hindu spirituality. People from across the country visit the temple throughout the year to witness the Bhasma Aarti, believing that attending the sacred ritual brings divine blessings, protection, and fulfilment of desires.