At the Mahakaleshwar temple in Ujjain, a devotee offered a 2.350 kg silver crown after fulfilling his vow. Devotee Pradeep Gupta from Gujarat offered this offering during Bhasma Aarti. This crown was worn on Baba Mahakal on Monday.
Ujjain: On Monday, a devotee offered a 2 kg 350 gram silver crown with a crescent moon to Baba Mahakaleshwar at the Shri Mahakaleshwar Temple in Madhya Pradesh’s Ujjain district. A devotee named Pradeep Gupta, resident of Jamnagar, Gujarat, presented this crown after his vow was fulfilled. He participated in the Bhasma Aarti of Baba Mahakaleshwar and during this he offered a silver crown to Lord Mahakal.
During the Bhasma Aarti on Monday, the temple priest presented this new crown to Baba Mahakaleshwar.
Pradeep Gupta said, “I am feeling very good and we had made a vow during our last visit. Baba fulfilled our vow in just three months. I have come here with the entire team because Baba completed our (wind power) project in 3 months instead of 6 months. So we all have come to seek blessings of Baba and make this small offering to him. The weight of the crown is 2 kg 350 grams.”
Bhasma Aarti, which is performed with sacred ashes, is one of the most revered rituals of the Mahakal temple. It is performed during Brahma Muhurta, between 3:30 and 5:30 in the morning, which is considered a very auspicious time in Hindu tradition. According to religious beliefs, devotees who attend Bhasma Aarti have their wishes fulfilled and get the divine blessings of Lord Mahakal. As per temple traditions, the ritual begins with the opening of the temple doors early in the morning, after which the deity is bathed with Panchamrit, i.e. the sacred mixture of milk, curd, ghee, sugar and honey. After bathing, the Shivalinga is decorated with hemp and sandalwood paste, which symbolizes purity.
The ritual proceeds with the unique Bhasma Aarti and Dhoop-Dip Aarti, accompanied by the beating of drums and the sound of conch shells. This aarti symbolizes the cycle of life-death and shows that Lord Shiva is always present, the destroyer of evil and the god of time. Shri Mahakaleshwar is one of the twelve sacred Jyotirlingas of India, which have great significance in Hindu spirituality. People from across the country visit the temple throughout the year to witness the Bhasma Aarti, as they believe that attending this sacred ritual brings divine blessings, protection and fulfillment of wishes.