“In the state of purity, a sense of belongingness arises in you”
Shiva Sutra
Mahakaal Savaari – Supreme Timekeeper’s Procession
Ujjain or Ujjaiyini, is an ancient city with two very distinct holy places tied together by their relation to time. The Lord of time and death, Mahakaleshwar presides over this holy place, along with Kaal Bhairav, guardian of the city. Mahakaleshwar at Ujjain is one of the twelve Jyotirlinga (Jyoti = divine light, Linga = self manifested phallic structure representing Shiva) in the country.
A time to welcome
The auspicious month of Shravan falls in the Gregorian months of July-August and is significant for its links to Shiva. On each Monday of this month, devotees venerate Shiva by offering water, milk, and flowers and observing austerities. The legend that supports these devoted efforts is the churning of the ocean. In which Shiva ingests the poison and hence needs to be cooled down by the offerings of water, milk, etc.
Hindu religion portrays some deities as the King or Lord of the area in which they are present. This leads to a ritual Savaari (procession). The presiding deity of that region, just as a human king would, comes out of the temple to preview the kingdom and its residents. It also translates to equating the deity as one of our own and welcoming them as a distinguished visitor during specific days in a year.
The Divine Procession
At Ujjain, this auspicious time comes each Monday in the month of Shravan and Bhadrapad when Mahakal Baba comes out to give his darshan (holy view) to the commoners. On all Mondays of these months, devotees line up to watch a parade of dancers, singers, music bands and many others that accompany the chief deity. Undaunted by pouring rain, the palanquin of Mahakal starts from the Mahakaleshwar Temple in the evening hours and culminates with much fanfare.
India is one of the earliest civilisations that studied time as a science. But there are no two ways that this concept exists in our culture and beliefs. The concept of time as an all pervading truth cannot be felt more in practice than at Ujjain.
