The term “Mahakaleshwar,” which means “the Lord of Time,” alludes to Lord Shiva, one of the three Hindu deities—Brahma, Vishnu, and Maheshwara—who is also known by the name “Maheshwara.” The Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga is another name for this temple, which is where Mahakal, Lord Shiva, is worshipped.
According to tradition, Sati, the wife of Lord Shiva, stepped into the fire to protest her father Daksha, who disapproved of their union. Lord Shiva became enraged by this, and as a result, he performed the Dance of Death (qTandav), which earned him the title of Mahakal, or the One Who Is Mightier and Ahead of Time Itself.
Another story says that after the demon Dushan attacked our Shaiva devotees, Lord Shiva flew into a passion and split the ground in two, at which point he appeared as Mahakaleshwar.
