Ujjain: Shivnavratri to begin from Monday

Ujjain: Shivnavratri will begin from Monday in Mahakaleshwar temple and Mahashivratri will be celebrated on February 13.

In the 9 days of Shivnavratri, Lord Mahakal will be decorated with dupatta, mukut, mundmal, mekhla, chatra, jewellery and clothes. The navratri will end with worship of Mahashivratri. On the first day of Shivnavratri, Lord Chandramauleshwar, Koteshwar Mahadev and Lord Mahakaleshwar will be worshiped and a pledge of worship for nine days will be taken. Under the guidance of government priest Pt Ghanshyam Sharma, abhishek of Lord Mahakal will be done by 11 brahmins every day by ekadash-ekadashni rudra paath and new clothes will be worn by Lord Mahakal after evening worship.

Devotees will be able to see Lord Mahakal in various forms after the evening worship. The bhasm aarti which is done in afternoon only once in a year will be done on February 14. On the occasion of Mahashivratri the doors of Mahakaleshwar temple will be open for 44 hours.

During Shivnavratri, service of harikeertan will be given by Kanadkar family of Indore which is doing this from 1909. Pt Ramesh Kanadkar will do harikeertan at marble platform near Navgrah temple. Two days after Mahashivratri, Lord Mahakal will be attired in form of Manmahesh, Shiv Tandav, Chhabina, Holkar and Umamahesh together. This happens only once in a year when devotees see Lord Mahakal in five forms together.