Ujjain (Madhya Pradesh): On the first day of Hindu month of Shravan, Lord Mahakal woke-up about an hour early to give darshan and blessings to devotees. The doors of Mahakaleshwar temple opened at 3 am on Tuesday. Thousands of devotees saw the bhasm aarti. Over two lakh people had darshan of the presiding deity throughout the day.
The doors of the temple were opened at 3 am, after which priests performed jalabhishek. During this, bhasm aarti was performed. About 30,000 devotees visited under the ‘chalayman’ (moving) bhasm aarti system without paying anything.
Before morning bhasm aarti, Lord Mahakal was bathed with water, decorated with hemp, abeer, sandalwood and offered tilak, ornaments and new clothes on the head. Ashes were offered by Mahant of Mahanirvani Akhara Vineet Giri.
Paid darshan could be done after procuring the ticket counter for Rs 250 or it could be obtained online from the temple website. Only people with the protocol or special permission would be eligible for darshan from Nandi Hall. The number would be limited during the aarti. The entry of Kavad Yatris would be only from Tuesday to Friday. They will perform jalabhishek. Visitors would be able to visit Ganesh Mandapam and Kartikeya Mandapam from behind the barricades.
From Tuesday, general visitors would get entry to the temple from Mansarovar via Shri Mahakal Lok near Triveni Museum. On other days, along this route, the darshanarthis would be able to enter the temple from Mansarovar via Harsiddhi Chouraha and Bada Ganesh Mandir.
For bhasm aarti darshan online and offline permission is allowed. Moving bhasm aarti permission is given every day. The doors of the temple will open at 2.30 am on every Monday and 3 am on other days. From July 4 to September 11, entry to the sanctum-sanctorum would be closed for 70 days. During this only panda-purohits would be able to worship.
According to collector, around two lakh people had darshan of the presiding deity till Monday evening. They invested about 35 to 45 minutes in queues to reach the permitted area to take a glimpse of the Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlingam.
11L ‘OM NAMAH SHIVAY’ MANTRAS CHANTED DURING ONE HOUR
As the month of Shravan began, the city of Avantika resounded with the chanting of the musical Om Namah Shivay. On the very first day, more than 1,000 devotees chanted more than 11 lakh ‘Om Namah Shivay’ mantra in a quarter of an hour. Ravi Rai and Hari Singh Yadav of the committee said that in the company of Valmiki Dham Peethadhishwar Bal Yogi Umesh Nath, Om Namah Shivay chanting started from Valmiki Dham Ashram on July 4. This religious ritual was started by worshipping Samadhiwale Baba and Kamleshwar Mahadev.
