On the auspicious occasion of Shravan Shukla Panchami, the sacred doors of the Shri Nagchandreshwar Temple in Ujjain were opened for public worship. Situated on the third floor of the world-famous Mahakaleshwar Temple complex, this historic shrine remains closed throughout the entire year and opens its doors for just 24 hours on Nag Panchami. The temple portals were unsealed at precisely midnight following traditional Vedic rituals, drawing massive queues of eager devotees from across the nation.
The Unique 11th-Century Sculpture and Sacred Mythology
The Shri Nagchandreshwar Temple houses an extraordinary sculpture dating back to the 11th century. The rare idol depicts Lord Shiva, Goddess Parvati, and Lord Ganesha seated together upon a couch formed by a ten-hooded serpent king (Dashmukhi Nag). Ujjain is the only place in the world where Lord Shiva is worshipped in this particular artistic and religious form.
According to ancient lore, Takshak, the king of serpents, undertook rigorous penance to seek the blessings of Lord Shiva. Pleased with his devotion, Shiva granted him the boon of immortality. Takshak King then chose to reside in the sacred Mahakal forest in the presence of the Lord, requesting that his seclusion remain undisturbed. To honour this solitude, the temple is opened exclusively once a year on Nag Panchami. Devotees hold a firm belief that offering prayers at this temple during this period frees a person from all forms of Sarpa Dosh and Kaal Sarpa Dosh.
The Three-Fold Worship Schedule
The festival of Nag Panchami is marked by a traditional three-stage ritualistic worship schedule (Trikal Puja) at the shrine
- First Midnight Puja: Conducted right at midnight on August 16 as the temple doors opened, performed by Mahant Vineet Giri Maharaj of the Mahanirvani Akhada along with special prayers and aarti.
- Second Afternoon Puja: Scheduled for 12:00 PM on August 17, conducted directly by the saints of the Akhada.
- Third Evening Puja: To be performed by the chief priests of the Mahakaleshwar Temple immediately after the evening Sandhya Aarti of Lord Mahakal.
High Security and Surveillance Deployments
To ensure smooth crowd movement and security, local authorities have put comprehensive measures in place. Approximately 2,400 police personnel are deployed across various shifts on a 36-hour continuous duty routine. Over 200 CCTV cameras have been installed at key junctions, entry points, and exit routes to monitor crowd density from centralized control rooms.
Detailed Queue and Entry Route Layout
To prevent congestion, specific pedestrian routes have been mapped out for different categories of visitors
- General Queue for Nagchandreshwar: Devotees enter through the Karkraj parking gate and proceed via Bhil Samaj Dharamshala, Gond Mohalla, Chardham, Harsiddhi Chauraha, and Bada Ganesh into Gate No. 4. After passing Vishramdham, they offer prayers at the shrine and exit through the prepaid booth toward 24 Khamba Road back to Karkraj.
- Express Queue (Shighra Darshan): Visitors using the express entry ticket will enter from Harsiddhi Pal, pass Bada Ganesh, and enter through Gate No. 5 to reach Vishramdham. After darshan, they exit via the prepaid booth and 24 Khamba Road back to Harsiddhi Pal.
- Regular Mahakaleshwar Darshan Route: Pilgrims visiting only Lord Mahakaleshwar enter from the Triveni Museum gate, moving through Nandi Dwar, Mansarovar Facility, Ganesh Mandap, and Kartik Mandap. They exit via the Ambulance Gate toward Pinaki Dwar.
