India GOAarti in Ujjain: timings and how to attend
Mahakaleshwar holds five aartis every day: Bhasma Aarti at 4:00 am, then Dadyodak, Bhog, Sandhya and Shayan Aarti, the last at 10:30 pm. The morning and evening times shift a little twice a year, following the Hindu calendar. Bhasma Aarti needs a booking on the temple's official website, and Sandhya and Shayan Aarti are booked there on the same day. Away from the temple there is the river aarti on the Shipra at Ram Ghat, the aarti at Harsiddhi and the full daily round at ISKCON.
Bhasma Aarti at Mahakaleshwar
Mahakaleshwar is the only one of the twelve great Shiva shrines where the god is woken at dawn and worshipped with sacred ash. In the dark, before any other ritual of the day, priests smear the linga with bhasma to drums and horns, a reminder that everything ends as ash. Historically the ash came from a cremation pyre; today it is prepared from cow dung.
Every day at 04:00, running until about 06:00. Ticket holders are let into the Nandi Hall from roughly 02:30–03:00 and you must be through the gate well before 03:30; latecomers are not admitted. The temple itself is open 04:00–23:00.
Mahakaleshwar aarti timings
The temple publishes two schedules. The first runs from Chaitra Krishna Pratipada to Ashwin Purnima, roughly spring to early autumn; the second from Kartik Krishna Pratipada to Phalgun Purnima, roughly late autumn to the end of winter. Times below are the temple's own, summer schedule first.
| Bhasma Aarti | 4:00–6:00 am all year |
| Dadyodak Aarti (Bal Bhog) | 7:00–7:45 am / 7:30–8:15 am |
| Bhog Aarti | 10:00–10:45 am / 10:30–11:15 am |
| Sandhya Aarti | 7:00–7:45 pm / 6:30–7:15 pm |
| Shayan Aarti | 10:30–11:00 pm all year |
Bhasma Aarti: what it is and how to book
The first aarti of the day, performed every day at 4:00 am. During it the linga is adorned with sacred ash. The temple calls Mahakaleshwar the only Shivalinga in the world where Bhasma Aarti is performed every day.
Booking is compulsory and only the temple's official website, shrimahakaleshwar.mp.gov.in, takes it: the old shrimahakaleshwar.com address now redirects there. The temple runs two windows. Regular booking for a month opens on the 1st of the previous month at 8:00 am, so June places open on 1 May. Tatkal booking opens one day before the date, at 8:00 am. You log in with a mobile number, and the fee and the documents asked for each person are shown when you book.
The temple's website does not publish the rules for the day itself: what time to be at the gate, where you watch from, and what happens to phones and bags. Check them when you book and again at the entrance. Dress rules for the sanctum are on the temple dress code page.
Sandhya and Shayan Aarti: booking on the day
Both evening aartis are booked only through the temple's official website, first come, first served.
- Sandhya Aarti
Booking opens daily at 12:00 noon and stays open until 4:00 pm. The temple describes the aarti as performed every evening at about 6 to 7 pm; the exact slot follows the season, as in the table above.
- Shayan Aarti
Booking opens daily at 4:00 pm and stays open until 6:00 pm. This is the last aarti, before the deity rests, at 10:30 pm.
- Getting there late at night
Autos work at night near the station, with a surcharge and not always where you are staying. For the 4 am Bhasma Aarti, arrange the ride through your hotel the evening before.
Aarti beyond Mahakaleshwar
Shipra aarti at Ram Ghat. The river aarti on the Shipra is held at Ram Ghat, the main ghat of the city and a walk from the temple. It is in the open and needs no booking. The India GO guide gives sunset as the time; no official timetable is published, so check on the spot. More on the riverfront is on the Ujjain ghats page.
Harsiddhi Temple. Harsiddhi, one of the 51 Shakti Peethas, stands between Mahakaleshwar and Ram Ghat. It holds a morning and an evening aarti; the temple publishes no timetable online, so check the times on the spot. Two tall lamp towers at the entrance carry hundreds of small lamps, all lit on festival days.
ISKCON Ujjain. The ISKCON temple at Hare Krishna Land in Bharatpuri publishes a full daily round: Mangal Aarti at 4:30 am, Darshan Aarti at 7:30 am, Dhupa Aarti at 4:00 pm, Tulsi Aarti at 6:45 pm and Shayana Aarti at 9:00 pm.
Kal Bhairav. The temple of the city's guardian is at its busiest at the evening aarti.
Festival days change the schedule
Shiv Navratri is a nine-day celebration at Mahakaleshwar that ends with Mahashivratri (6 March 2027), and the Mahashivratri Mahapuja brings the once-a-year afternoon Bhasma Aarti. On Nag Panchami (6 August 2027, expected) the Nagchandreshwar shrine on the top level of the temple opens for darshan, the only day of the year it does. On every Monday from Shravan to Bhadrapada, Mahakal Sawari (19 July – 30 August 2027, expected) carries the deity in a silver palanquin through the city, with the royal Sawari on the final Monday; on those days the centre is closed to traffic. Check the temple's Important Days page for the dates of changed timings.
FAQ
What time is the Bhasma Aarti in Ujjain?
Every day from 4:00 to 6:00 am, all year. It needs a booking on the temple's official website.
How do I book Bhasma Aarti online?
Only on the temple's official website, shrimahakaleshwar.mp.gov.in. Regular booking opens on the 1st of the previous month at 8:00 am; Tatkal opens one day before at 8:00 am. The fee and the documents needed are shown when you book.
What is the Sandhya Aarti time at Mahakaleshwar?
7:00–7:45 pm in the summer schedule and 6:30–7:15 pm in the winter one. Booking opens on the official website daily at noon.
When is the Shayan Aarti?
10:30–11:00 pm, the last aarti of the day. Booking opens on the official website daily at 4:00 pm.
Is there an evening aarti on the Shipra?
Yes, at Ram Ghat. It is free and needs no booking; the India GO guide gives sunset as the time, but there is no official timetable, so check on the spot.
How many aartis are held at Mahakaleshwar each day?
Five: Bhasma, Dadyodak, Bhog, Sandhya and Shayan Aarti.
Sources (6)
- Shri Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga: Temple Timings, Aarti & Darshan
- Shri Mahakaleshwar Temple Management Committee: home page and booking notice
- Shri Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga: About Temple
- ISKCON Ujjain: Guest House and temple timings
- Shri Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga: Important Days
- Shri Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga: About Ujjain
Facts checked: 15 October 2026. Prices and hours are approximate; check locally.
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