On the occasion of the fifth ‘Shravan Somvar,’ a sizable crowd of devotees flocked to Madhya Pradesh’s Ujjain district’s Mahakaleshwar temple to pray. Early in the morning, devotees began lining up outside the temple to ask Lord Shiva for his blessings. They also attended a special “Bhasma Aarti” of Baba Mahakal that was being performed there at the time.
‘Bhasma aarti’ (offering with ashes) is a famous ritual here. It is performed during the ‘Brahma Muhurta’ around 3:30 and 5:30 in the morning.
According to the priest of the temple Gaurav Sharma, before the Bhasma Aarti, the holy bath of Baba Mahakal with water and Panchamrit Mahabhishek were performed in which the Lord was anointed with milk, curd, ghee, honey, and fruit juices. After that Baba Mahakal was decorated with bhang, sandalwood, and then dressed in clothes. Thereafter, Bhasma Aarti was performed amid the beating of drums and blowing of conch shells.
The fifth month of the Hindu lunar calendar, “Sawan,” also called “Shravan,” is regarded as one of the holiest months. During this time, every Monday is regarded as a very auspicious day to fast and ask Lord Shiva’s blessings. Shravan is regarded as Lord Shiva’s favorite month in terms of religious doctrine. People who worship Lord Shiva during this time are said to experience immediate relief from their problems. Sawan will last 59 days this year, from July 4 to August 31.
Besides, there is a tradition of taking out Baba Mahakal’s sawari (ride) on Mondays in the month of Shravan-Bhado. Therefore today Baba Mahakal’s ride will also be taken out. It is believed that in order to find out the condition of the people, Baba Mahakal goes on a tour of the city. The devotees wait for hours on the roadside to witness the ride and consider themselves blessed to get a glimpse of Mahakal.