Mangalnath Mandir, Ujjain: History, the Story of Mangal and the Bhaat Puja

Ujjain — known in older texts as Avantika — is one of the seven sacred cities of India, and among its many temples, Mangalnath holds a place of its own. It is a temple of Lord Shiva on the banks of the Kshipra, and it is linked in the Puranas to the birth of Mangal, the planet Mars.

The story of Mangal’s birth

According to the Puranic account, Lord Shiva fought a long battle with the demon Andhakasura. During the battle a drop of Shiva’s sweat fell to the earth, and from it Mangal was born. Because he arose from the earth, Mangal is called Bhumi-putra, the son of the Earth, and his nature is described as ugra — fiery and forceful.

The Matsya Purana places this birth at Ujjain, at the spot where Mangalnath stands today. The Shivling here is worshipped as Mangalnath — Shiva as the lord of Mangal.

Ujjain and Indian astronomy

Ujjain lies on the Karka Rekha, the Tropic of Cancer, and for centuries it served as the prime meridian of Indian astronomy, much as Greenwich does today. Its long association with jyotish is one reason families come here for pujas related to the grahas in their birth chart.

Why the Bhaat Puja is performed here

The ritual most closely tied to Mangalnath is the Bhaat Puja. In it, cooked rice — bhaat — is offered over the Shivling. Rice is considered sheetal, or cooling, and the offering is made to calm the heat of Mangal. Devotees whose charts show Manglik Dosh often come to Ujjain for this puja, frequently before a marriage.

The puja begins with a sankalp in the name and gotra of the person sitting for it, followed by abhishek of the Shivling, the bhaat offering, Mangal mantra jaap, aarti and prasad.

Other pujas at the temple

Alongside the Bhaat Puja, families book Mangal Dosh Nivaran Puja, Kaal Sarp Dosh Puja and Navgraha Shanti Puja here. In each case the pandit reads the kundli first and suggests the puja that suits the chart.

These are traditional Vedic rituals performed with faith. Experiences differ from person to person, and no specific result is promised.