ujjain
Shiva marriage festival will start from 17th February in Jyotirlinga Mahakal temple. Lord Mahakaal will become the groom and will appear to the devotees in different forms for nine days till Mahashivratri.
Among the 12 Jyotirlingas, Mahakal is the only Jyotirlinga, where the nine-day Mahashivratri festival is celebrated as Shivnavaratri. Due to the special sequence of Abhishek and worship for nine days, there will be a change in the timings of the daily Bhog Aarti and evening worship of the Lord.
Shivnavratri will start on 17th February
In the worship tradition of Jyotirling Mahakal temple, Shivnavratri festival is celebrated for nine days from the fifth day of Krishna Paksha of Phalgun month to Trayodashi. These nine days are said to be special for worshiping Shiva. This time Shivnavratri will start with the worship of Shiv Panchami on 17th February.
At eight in the morning, the priest will anoint and worship Lord Shri Koteshwar Mahadev located near Kotitirtha Kund and apply turmeric to him. After about an hour of special worship, Lord Mahakal will be worshiped in the sanctum sanctorum of Mahakal temple from 9.30 am.
Special puja will be held for nine days till Mahashivratri
The priest will start the worship by doing Panchamrit Abhishek of Lord Mahakal. After this Rudrapath will be performed by 11 Brahmins. This sequence of special worship will continue till 1 pm. After this, Bhog Aarti will be offered to God. Evening worship of the Lord will take place at 3 pm. This sequence of worship will continue for nine days till Mahashivratri.
Will be adorned in these forms for nine days
First day: sandalwood makeup
Second day: Sheshnag makeup
Day 3: Overcast makeup
Fourth day: Chhabina Shringar
Fifth day: Holkar Shringar
Day 6: Manhesh Shringar
Day Seven: Uma Mahesh Shringar
Eighth day: Shivtandav adornment
Ninth day: Saptadhya Shringar
Aarti and puja time will change
Temple priest Pandit Mahesh said that in the Mahakal temple, Bhog Aarti is held every day at 10 am and evening puja at 5 pm, but due to the special sequence of Abhishek and worship on the nine days of Shivnavratri, Bhog Aarti will be held at 1 pm, while evening puja will be held in the afternoon. Will be done at 3 o’clock. After this the Lord will be decorated in a special form.
Priests and Shiva devotees will keep fast
Pandit Vijay Pujari told that the devotees of Goddess Durga observe fast for nine days during Shardiya and Chaitra Navratri to worship Goddess Durga. Similarly, the priests of Mahakal temple keep fast for nine days of Shivanavratri. On the next day of Shivratri, Parana is conducted by the temple management committee.
Bhasma Aarti will be held on 27th February at 12 noon
Bhasma Aarti of Lord Mahakal is performed once a year on the next day of Mahashivratri. This time on 27th February, as per tradition, Bhasma Aarti will be performed at 12 noon.
