Photo: Anchal lilhare (CC BY-SA 4.0) via Wikimedia Commons
Presiding Deity
Lord Shiva (as Mahakaleshwar)
Typical Timings
4:00 AM – 11:00 PM (Bhasma Aarti around 4:00 AM)
Main Festival
Maha Shivaratri
Significance
One of the twelve Jyotirlingas and the only one facing south, in the ancient city of Ujjain on the banks of the Kshipra river.
What Makes It Special
The Bhasma Aarti performed before dawn, in which the deity is offered sacred ash — one of the few such rituals in India open to pilgrims.
Address
Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga, Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, India
Timings and festival dates shift by day, season, and local calendar — please confirm with the temple or a regional source before you travel.
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