The Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga temple is specifically established for Hindu devotes of Lord Shiva. The religious importance of the temple can be comprehended from the fact that the Shiva linga placed within the temples is one of among the twelve Jyotirlingams, which are among the most sacred abodes of lord Shiva. Notably, as per local residents and saints associated with the temple, once lord Brahma and lord Vishnu had fall into a bitter argument with regard to their supremacy over the creation of the world. During that time the Jyotirlinga was created by lord Shiva which led to his supremacy over the world. The Jyotirlinga that has been created by lord Shiva is quite supreme in its own dimension. Out of the 64 jyothirlingas that was created by the lord Shiva, only 12 are considered auspicious. One of such jyothirlingas can be found in the temple. This further enhances the religious importance of the temple especially with regard to the extreme devotion of the Hindus. The Shiva lingam within the temple derives its power directly from within since it was being placed in temple in the presence of mantra-shakti.
The temples have a rich mythological importance associated with it over the years of its existence. As per the Puranas of the temple, the city in which the temple is situated i.e. Ujjain, is regarded as a devotional epicenter within the nation. The city is also famous for providing Holy Scriptures to the students who visit the place for research and other purposes. During the period of the early 17th century there was a ruler named Chandrasena, who was further a devotee of Lord Shiva and ensure worship of the lord in most of his time. On a particular a boy passing by the temple heard the chant of the ruler with regard to Lord Shiva after which he rushed into the temple and began to chant the name of lord with the ruler. However, the loyal guards of the temple and ruler threw the boy in the city outskirts in front of Kshipra river. During that particular the rulers of other states were in the verge to attack and capture Ujjain. By knowing this the young boy started to pray lord Shiva to eliminate the situation which was further heard by a priest in the nearby area. During the attack made by the opposition rulers to Ujjain Lord Shiva appeared to save the lives of his loyal devotes. Lord stayed for a while in the kingdom which further led to the establishment of the temple entirely to worship lord Shiva.
The temple mainly depicts the architecture of the local art of Madhya Pradesh and Ujjain. The temple is situated in quite a vast area and one can see it from quite a long distance. The exterior of the temple was tinted in white while marbles and stones were extensively used to establish the structure. Over the years, the temple has been renovated and maintained by the concerned authorities to preserve its historical beauty. The temple witnesses the flow of bulk visitors throughout the year.