The temple of Goddess Mahamaya and Mahalaya of Ujjain, which is now known as the 24 Pillared Mother’s Temple, is a very ancient and proven temple. These two goddesses sitting at the ancient gate of Avantika city, ie Ujjain city, are considered as the goddesses protecting the city. Apart from the idol of King Vikramaditya located in this temple, idols of thirty-two effigies have also been shown.
This temple of Chabis Khamba Mata is built at a place which in mythological history was called the entrance of Mahakal forest. This is the same ancient Mahakal forest in which today one of the 12 Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva is the Jyotirlinga temple of Lord Mahakal.
According to the local people, this gate and the idols installed on either side of it as Goddess Mahamaya and Goddess Mahalaya were also installed during the time of Emperor Vikramaditya.
Although at present this door is neither studded with precious gems nor it is of the time of Emperor Vikramaditya. But, it is certain that this gate is still built in place of the gate of the same period and the idols installed on both sides of it in the form of Goddess Mahamaya and Goddess Mahalaya are also established during the time of Emperor Vikramaditya.
Even today, looking at the grandeur of this gate, it seems that it must have been studded with precious gems in its mythological times that are why the Mughal robbers caused heavy damage to it.
According to mythological history, the present temple and its entrance used to be a special entrance during the time of Vikramaditya. Emperor Vikramaditya himself also used to visit Lord Mahakal and Mata Harsiddhi through this entrance.
In ancient times, where once there used to be a dense forest named Mahakal around this temple, today at that place i.e. around this temple densely populated settlement is seen.