our visit to Ujjain ( Mahakaleswar - Bhasma aarti)
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My purpose of writing this blog post is to give
a brief understanding of Bhasmarti at Ujjain.

1)How to get a pass?

a) The passes are issued everyday for the next day mornings
Bhasmarti.
b) That means only one day in advance(this is my information -obtained from the Ujjan mahakal trust office.

C) These passes are issued free of cost. In fact at
Ujjain there is nothing which requires you to pay.
Ofcourse there are separate lines/procedure for VIPs
but that you need not worry.

d) This pass is issued in the office it self. That means you
must be in ujjain and get pass personally from the office.
Or somebody should have all the details of people who would
like to visit along with ID

(I think we should all ask for a online system where we
can book for Bhasmarti - advance booking)

e) They said these pass will be issued on personal identification
ie., you should carry a xerox and original ID of your self.

f) on the pass they will your name + total members number. There
may be some limit. But in our pass it is written xyz (name)+ 4
persons.

g) Usually this is on first come first serve basis and they will
issue fixed number of passed per day. This pass is having a
number and valid for the next day

2)entry procedure
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a) Now you have the pass say. on the back of pass it is written
you shold report at 3:15 AM.

b) where you should report.?

Say you are standing just in front of the mahakalesware main
temple. Now on left and right side there are roads. on left
side.There is a big parking area(for identification purpose
I am giving this). You should go in the right side road
(actually there is a SBI ATM on this corner) you go few
steps in that road you will see mahakal pravachan hall.
and opposide to that there is ganesh temple. you should
stand near this pravachan hall. The entry is around 4 am
only. but poeple start standing from 3:15 am.

c) Around 4 am they will come to the pravachan hall gate with
the lists.and allow by verifying with those details. in side
you go and wait in a line. at another point they will check
for security.


d) now you will go inside where they will separate gents and
ladies. There is a dress code for entry during this time
which will be stricly followed. only people wearing dhoti
(not lungi mode) and without any clothes on upper body
will be allowed. for ladies saree is required.

e) after this you go and enter garbh griha and pay you respects
to the lord siva and after coming from garbh griha you sit
between the rails. both ladies and gents are allowed to
enter garbh griha(dress code followed).

f) Now bhasma aarti will start and continue upto 4.30 - 6 am

3) what is bhasma aarti.
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a) Now you are sitting opposite the garbh griha.
b) between iron/steel rails. vips will be sitting in the large area before you.
c) Now the priests will start doing sringar for the lord. they
will wash the siva linga(abhsheka) with water,milk, curd,
sugar and honey and wash thoroughly . all this is can be
viewed directly and also nicely through lcd big size tv's.

d) after this they will start decorating the siva. they will put
a garland on top in round shape and put sindur and beautiful
siva shape - jata jhut , trinetra, eyes and all his face.
they may be using sandal. in between they will nicely
dry/extract extra water with a dry cloth. the tv's will show
slighly compressed image since the camera is at angle. the
siva linga is about 2-3 feet and in tv you will see slighly
shorter image.

e) now they will bring bhasma ina cloth bag and will nicely puff
(like we do for childrens- face powder) all on the linga and
base. i think during this time there is cloth covering the
beautiful face painted on the linga. after the bhasma
preading/puffing is over they will remove the cloth and
aarti will start. the painting is so good. they will switch
off one by one lights and you will be watching the siva in
that aarti light. you are sitting just infront.
f) you have to believe your eyes. lord siva is before you
looking at you. it is to be watched oneself and not able to
describe in words. after some time they will switch on lights

g) during all this time they will remove all obstacles (like
hundi box etc.,) so that you will be watching the siva
linga directly.

h) once this is over you can go and join the line once again
for a darshan. but after a short while they will again
wash the siva linga (all the people will bring water
and pour on that) slowly the markings and jatajhuta
will disappear.

i) during all this you are sitting and watchin along with 200-
250 people in between so many rails patiently watching a
beautiful experience. no body will push back and forth
which happen during normal day darshan. so totally we
had a blissful morning.
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if you go to ujjain plan for bhasmarti
and if you go to omkareswar do a parikrma (about 7.5 km).
you will love it and thank yourself later.

may lord bless you all!