According to mythology, the king of Ujjain, Chandrasen was a virtuous Lord Shiva devotee. When a five-year-old boy named Shrikhar heard Chandrasen chanting the Lord's name, he too wanted to pray with the king. He was not allowed to do so. So he started meditating on a stone found on the road as Shivling. He became so engrossed in it that when his mother called out to the son for food, he did not come to the mother. The mother in anger picked up the stone and threw it. The child started crying and fainted. Shiva was pleased with the child's dedication and a beautiful Mahakal temple was built as a blessing.
One day, Ujjain's rivals, primarily King Ripudaman and the neighboring King Singhaditya, decided to attack the kingdom and take its treasury. Hearing this, a priest named Shrikhar and Vridhi prayed to Lord Shiva on the Kshipra river to save the city as well. At the request of his helpless devotees, Shiva appeared in the form of Mahakal and destroyed Chandrasen's enemies. At the request of his devotees Srikhar and Vridhi, the Lord in the form of Mahakal, his light form, resided in the temple in the form of a lingam, which was studded with gold and jewels. The Lord declared that those who worship him in this form would be free from the fear of death and diseases. The idol of Mahakaleshwar is called Dakshinamurti, which means it faces south. This is a unique feature, which is found only in Mahakaleshwar among the 12 Jyotirlingas.

The curved structure of the temple is decorated with a majestic structure on all sides, high above pillared porches. The walls of the corners are decorated with old historical sculptures, while the courtyard contains the remains/ruins of ancient temples. The floors are decorated with barbed pierced railings, while the balconies are decorated with terraces decorated in a sumptuous architectural style. The Jyotirlinga is said to be a Swayambhu (self-manifested).

The idol of Omkareshwar Mahadev is enshrined in the sanctum sanctorum above the Mahakal temple. The idols of Lord Ganesha, Parvati and Kartikeya are placed in the west, north and east directions respectively of the sanctum. To the south is an idol of Nandi, the vehicle of Lord Shiva. The idol of Nagchandreshwar situated on the third floor is open for darshan only on the day of Nag Panchami. The temple has five levels, one of which is underground.
 
Seva and worship
The first ritual is that of Bhasma Aarti, which consists of a ceremony where every morning the Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga with ashes (warm ashes) of fresh pyre brought from the cremation ground is worshipped and performed after Jalabhishek.
 
Utsav
Maha Shivratri: A huge fair is held near the temple and the puja goes on throughout the night.

Best time to visit: All year round

Interesting fact

Ujjaini coins dating from 4th-3rd BCE are embellished with the figure of Shiva on them.

Nearby Places:

• Bade Ganesh Ji Mandir: A huge, artistic idol of Ganapati is installed in this temple.
• Sandipani Ashram: The place where Lord Krishna, Balarama and Sudama were students is 4 km from the city.
• Harsiddhi Temple: It is one of the 52 Shaktipeeths located in India. According to Shiv Purana, the elbow of Sati had fallen here.
• The throne of Maharaja Vikramaditya, known as the "Salbanjika Throne", is located at Rudra Sagarlek.
• The mound/throne of Maharaja Vikramaditya, known as the 'Seat of Judgment' (Sinhasan Battisi), is located nearby the Rudra Sagar Lake