Places to visit in Ujjain

Located on a small island like place near River Kshipra, the Kalideh Palace is about 8 kilometres north of Ujjain. The palace was built in 1485 by the Sultan of Mandu. The structure has been inspired by Persian architecture and was built over a Sun Temple. The current building and the Sun Temple were restored in 1920. It offers beautiful views of the river and a lot of greenery. 

Ujjain is on the banks of the River Kshipra, and you can inquire your travel company about camping and boating options around the river.

Besides the famous temples, ghats and monuments, there are several other important landmarks in Ujjain. One of them is the Vikram University, which was named after its old ruler, Vikramaditya. It was established in 1957 and is a major educational institution in the region. There is also the Sandalwala Building, which is an architectural masterpiece and also carries archaeological importance. The Kalidasa Academy is another notable landmark. It was established to immortalize the famous classical poet Kalidasa, and is a major institution in the country to study Sanskrit and other traditional and classical performing arts.

Most of the population in Ujjain speaks Hindi. English is also widely understood and spoken, especially by the people connected with tourism in the city. A large population follows Hinduism. People in Madhya Pradesh are warm and revere their cultural heritage. There are also tribal people in Madhya Pradesh which are renowned for their rich arts, crafts and jewellery.

Ujjain is located on the banks of River Kshipra, offering a lot of places near the bank which are full of natural splendour and beauty. But there are two places which should feature on your itinerary. One is the Bhartrihari Caves. These caves are situated on the banks of Kshipra and are said to have been the abode of a great poet, scholar and brother of King Vikramaditya, Bhartrihari. The area around the caves is tranquil and would charm you with the lovely views of the river and the foliage. Another place of remarkable natural beauty in Ujjain is Shanti Van, which you must visit. 

Madhya Pradesh is full of beautiful sights and places of interest. You can make side trips to places like Mandu (142 kilometers), Dhar (117 kilometers), Maheshwar (136 kilometers) and Khandwa (191 kilometers). 

This museum has a collection of various ancient relics and rock art paintings. It is a charming museum with a wealth of knowledge and art.

The Kal Bhairav Temple in Ujjain is a popular Hindu Temple, dedicated to the God Kal Bhairav. Ujjain, being popular for the Aghora and Kapalika sects of Shaivism, the temple was created by the locals as they worship Shiva, the supreme God. “Ashta Bhairava”, a popular ritual in Shaivite traditions is performed here as Kal Bhairav is the leader of all 8 Bhairavas. The deity is also seen as the guardian of the city. 

Situated on the banks of Shipra River, the present-day temple is built over the remains of an old temple. There are several 9th century statues and sculptures of various Gods and deities found here. The popular offering at this temple is that of liquor with a mysterious story revolving around this concept. With all this intrigue surrounding the temple, this is definitely one place that you should have on your itinerary. 

Interesting facts about the Kal Bhairav Temple:

• The Kal Bhairav Temple is popular for its alcohol consuming deity. 
• Hundreds of devotees offer liquor as an offering to the deity, which the priest offers to it through a slit in the mouth. The liquor miraculously disappears into the statue as the devotees believe there is no cavity in the statue. 
• The temple priest claims that only he can perform this miracle and every other person who has tried has failed. 

About Kal Bhairav Temple:

Located just a few kilometers from the Ujjain main bus stand and railway station, Kal Bhairav Temple is a popular temple in the area with a cloud of mystery surrounding its deity. The original temple is believed to be built by a local king called Bhadrasen, and had beautiful Malwa paintings on its wall. However, only a few traces of the same remain. The current temple has strong influences of the Maratha-style architecture as the Maratha general Mahadaji Shinde ordered a rebuild of the temple after successfully reinstalling the Maratha power in North India. 

How to get to Kal Bhairav Temple:

The nearest airport to the town of Ujjain is Devi Ahilyabai Holkar Airport at a distance of 55 kms. You can get a cab or a bus from here with ease to reach the temple. 

If you are travelling by train, the nearest railway station is Ujjain Junction from which the temple is at a distance of just 7kms. It will hardly take you 20 mins to reach the temple.

By road, there is a bus from almost all the major towns nearby to the Ujjain Bus Stand, which is again less than 20mins away from the temple. 

Best time to visit Kal Bhairav Temple:

The best time to visit the Kal Bhairav Temple is during winters when the temperature is rarely above 25°C. However, there is no real best time of the year as it just takes half an hour to complete your visit in the temple. One thing that you need to keep in mind is that the morning rituals in the temple are a bit more sacred and beautiful to experience, therefore, you may want to pick that time of the day to visit. 

Timings and entry fees:

The Kal Bhairav Temple stays open between 5AM and 9:30PM and closes for a lunch break at 1:30. 

There is no need of a ticket to enter the temple and nor are any other charges levied here for a visit. 

Kal Bhairav Temple is one of the most popular and talked-about temple in India and is therefore surely a place that you must visit during your trip to Ujjain

As the name suggests, this temple is famous for its gigantic statue of Lord Ganesha. There is another idol in the temple, of Panch-Mukhi (Five Faced) Hanuman. The temple is also a school for learning astrology and Sanskrit. 

This ancient temple is said to be inhabited by a deity of Lord Ganesh and his wives Riddhi and Siddhi. The deity of this temple is also said to be self-evolved or Swayambhu. The temple pillars are beautifully carved and very artistic. 

This temple is home to three goddesses, namely Mahalakshmi, Mahasaraswati and Annapurna. This is also one of the 51 Shaktipithas, where the elbow of Lord Shiva’s wife Sati is said to have fallen. The temple also enshrines a Shakti Yantra. This temple is beautiful and is very revered by the Hindu pilgrims.

This enormous temple was constructed in the 19th century and is dedicated to Lord Krishna. The doors of the inner sanctum of this temple are silver plated and they belonged to the famous Somnath Temple once, taken away by Md. Ghazni, and later recovered and installed here.

This museum is a collection of artefacts and literature related to Jainism in India and will give you an interesting insight into the religion. 

Ujjain is also called the Greenwich of India, and astronomy has a lot of significance here. The Vedhshala Observatory was built in about 1730 by Maharaja Jai Singh of Jaipur, and was used by scholars to study astronomy. This is one of the oldest astronomical observatories still in use in India. The observatory still houses a lot of instruments and a sun-dial.

This ancient ghat located on the banks of holy River Kshipra is perhaps the oldest bathing ghat in Madhya Pradesh. It is also the location of the auspicious KumbhMela. Dotted with a lot of temples, the Ram Ghat is visited by thousands every year so that they can take a bath in the holy river.

As one of the 12 Jyotirlingas, this is one of the most celebrated temples in Ujjain. The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and features a high shikhar or spire. The temple has a Shivling, which is said to be ‘swayambhu’ or self-emerged.