Bhopal, Aug 12 (IANS): The 'Bhasma Aarti', a sacred ceremony, was performed on the occasion of the fourth Monday of the holy month of Sharavan at Mahakaleshwar temple in Madhya Pradesh's Ujjain.

A large number of devotees of Lord Shiva arrived from various parts of the country and got the opportunity to witness the auspicious occasion of Bhasma Aarti.

The process for Bhasma Aarti begins at midnight and devotees would be seen queuing up from 2:30 a.m. to get a glimpse of Lord Shiva at Mahakaleshwar temple.

"Bhasma Aarti was performed in the presence of a large number of devotees. It's an auspicious occasion as this is the only Jyotirlinga (out of 12) where Bhasma Aarti is performed," said a priest at Mahakaleshwar temple.

The Bhasma Aarti ceremony involves ashes, which carries great religious significance among Lord Shiva devotees across the world.

The ceremony carries tremendous religious significance and devotees from all over the country and the world reach Ujjain to witness it. Devotees also get online darshan of Bhasma Aarti.

The unwavering faith of Lord Shiva devotees towards Bhasma Aarti can be gauged from the fact that the hall in front of the sanctum sanctorum in the temple gets crowded well before the start of this ritual.

According to beliefs, Lord Shiva is also considered as 'Shamshan Ke Sadhak' (seeker of cremation ground) and ashes have been called his “Shringar” (adornment). The ashes with which Mahakaleshwar Aarti is performed is prepared by burning cow dung cakes.

Lord Mahakaleshwar is worshipped and adorned amidst the chanting of Vedic mantras during ‘Bhasma Aarti’, which lasts for about two hours.

The ashes are offered to Lord Shiva and his aarti is sung at the end of this elaborate ritual. The atmosphere becomes very devotional during the ritual due to the sounds of bells, gongs and the collective singing of aarti by pilgrims and priests immersed in the devotion of Lord Shiva.