Mahashivratri is the greatest night of Lord Shiva, and Ujjain observes it on a scale few places match. The Mahakaleshwar temple stays open through the night, and devotees arrive from across the country for darshan and abhishek.
Nishita Kaal timing follows the Ujjain panchang and can differ by a few minutes with location. Please confirm against the temple’s official announcement.
Worship continues through the night at Mahakaleshwar on Mahashivratri. Devotees keep a night-long vigil, and abhishek is performed across the four prahars of the night.
The Bhasma Aarti, normally held at 4 am, carries particular significance on this day, and the temple sees its heaviest footfall of the year.
The rituals most commonly arranged for this festival are:
Reaching Ujjain on Mahashivratri is difficult simply because of the crowds. The pooja can instead be booked online in your name and gotra, with the poojari taking the sankalp on your behalf.
Mahashivratri is the single busiest date of the year. We recommend booking three to four weeks ahead.
Mahashivratri falls on Saturday, 6 March 2027. The Nishita Kaal pooja window in Ujjain runs from approximately 12:07 am to 12:57 am on the night of 7 March.
Yes. The poojari performs the ritual in your name, with your gotra and sankalp, and you receive email confirmation.
It is the busiest date of the year, so three to four weeks ahead is advisable.