Sri Mahakaleshwar Temple
Sri Mahakaleshwar Temple is the 3rd Jyothirlinga of all twelve ‘Jyothir Lingas‘. When the king Bhoja Raju was ruling the people,there was a town called Avanthika on the banks of the Sipra. After the destruction of the sacrifice intended by king Daksha, Lord Shiva carried the body of Dakshayani on his shoulders in a mood of desperation.Lord Vishnu severed her body into eighteen parts. Her arm part had fallen in the ‘Rudra yaga kunda.’ The place became a ‘Shakthi Peetham’ with the name ‘Mahasiddhi.’
There was a Brahmin named Vedapriya who was a staunch devotee of Lord Shiva. A monster called Dushana was living on a mountain called Ratnamala. Proud of his boons received from Lord Brahma, he used to destroy the ‘yagnas’ and created havoc in the region. Suddenly he happened to come near the residence of Vedapriya. Vedapriya prayed to Lord Shiva who was in the form of ‘linga’ made of clay. Satisfied with the prayers of Vedapriya, Lord Shiva destroyed the monster. As per the wish of Vedapriya, Lord Shiva became Maha Kaleswara’ as Jyothirlinga.
