Ujjain (Madhya Pradesh): A nine-day Mahanavratri festival began at Ujjain’s Mahakaleshwar Temple on Friday ahead of Mahashivratri 2023. On this occasion, priests performed ‘Ekadash Ekadashini Rudrabhishek’ on the Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga.
The festival is celebrated with much zeal in the city and the Jyotirlinga is adorned like a bridegroom. The priests applied ‘chandan ubtan’ on the Jyotirlinga and offered new clothes to Baba Mahakal after the ‘Rudrabhishek'. After this, the priests and devotees sang prayers to Lord Shiva. For nine days starting today, Baba Mahakal will be dressed in new clothes and adornments everyday.
Devotees fast for nine days
During the Mahanavratri festival, devotees observe a nine-day fast. On the last day, a wedding procession of Lord Shiva is taken out and devotees end their fast only after praying and eating Baba Mahakal’s ‘prasad’.
