7.80 Lakh Devotees Witness Mahakal’s Second Shravan Sawari In MP’s Ujjain

UJJAIN (Madhya Pradesh): On the second Monday of Shravan, Lord Shri Mahakal went on a 'sawari' to bless his devotees and enquire about the well-being of his subjects. He appeared as Shri Chandramauleshwar seated in a palanquin and as Shri Manmahesh mounted on an elephant.

About 7.80 lakh devotees had 'darshan' of Lord Shri Mahakal in the two forms along the entire 'sawari' route.

As the palanquin reached the main entrance of Shri Mahakaleshwar Temple, armed police personnel presented a guard of honour. Leading the 'sawari', the Shri Mahakaleshwar Band, folk art dance performers and Tribal folk dance artists presented performances.

Devotees along the route showered flowers on Shri Chandramauleshwar and Lord Shri Manmahesh while chanting 'Jai Shri Mahakal'.

Thousands accompanied the 'sawari', playing traditional instruments such as 'jhanjh', 'manjira', 'damru' and 'dhol'.

The 'sawari' started from Mahakal Temple and proceeded through Gudri Chauraha, Bakshi Bazaar and Kaharwadi before reaching Ramghat.

There, Shri Chandramauleshwar and Shri Manmahesh were worshipped and offered an 'abhishek' with the waters of the Kshipra river amid the sound of conch shells.

After the rituals and 'aarti', the procession proceeded through Ramanuj Kot, Modh Ki Dharamshala, Kartik Chowk, Khati Ka Mandir, Satyanarayan Temple, Dhaba Road, Tanki Chauraha and Chhatri Chowk before reaching Gopal Mandir.

At Gopal Mandir, as per tradition, the priest performed worship of Shri Chandramauleshwar on behalf of the Scindia State.

The 'sawari' then proceeded through Patni Bazaar and Gudri Chauraha before returning to Shri Mahakaleshwar Temple, where it concluded after 'aarti' and the palanquin was rested.

A different theme has been selected for each 'sawari' to make the procession grander. The Ramleela Tribal Dance Troupe from Chhayan West, Petlawad, Jhabua, presented 'Bhaghoria' folk dance, showcasing the rich Tribal culture and traditions of Madhya Pradesh.

'Bhaghoria', associated with the cultural identity of the Bhil and Bhilala tribes, featured colourful traditional attire, folk music and energetic dance movements.

Artists performed rhythmic steps to the beats of 'dhol' and 'mandal' and created group formations, including 'Pali', 'Chakripali' and pyramid formations.

They also used traditional instruments such as 'dhol', 'mandal', 'thali' and flute, depicting Tribal life, enthusiasm and festive spirit.

Around 50 dancers from Ujjain's Pratibha Sangeet Kala Sansthan and Lokayan Sansthan also performed in front of Shri Mahakaleshwar's palanquin in the Shri Mahakal Temple complex.

Under the guidance of Pratibha Alchi and Pragya Garhwal, they offered a devotional tribute to Lord Bholenath through dance.

A special feature was their performance to the tunes of the Shri Mahakaleshwar Temple band. As rain drizzled and Lord Bholenath was being given an 'abhishek', the dancers simultaneously offered their devotional 'sadhana' through their performance.