Chaubis Khamba Mata

According to old tradition Chaubis Khamba constituted the majestic entrance gate of Mahakala-Vana. Remains of the boundary-wall are also in existence near this gate. Architectural design, of the twenty four ornate columns, belongs to the ninth or tenth century A.D.
Two images of goddesses are installed one each on the either side of the gate. The names incsribed. On the footstools are Mahamaya and Mahalaya. Looking at the graceful forms of these guardian-deities of the grand entrance structure. One can imagine the dimensions of the boundary-wall of the traditionally known Mahakala-vana, which is now covered under thick inhabitation.

Nagarkot Ki Rani

Nagarkot Ki Rani is the guardian deity of the south-west corner of ancient Ujjaiyini. This is a place of some archaeological importance. Many popular tales of Vikramaditya and Bharthihari are associated with this place. The place is associated with the traditions of Natha Cult also.
The tank facing the temple is of Paramar-period. Both the sides of the tank have two small temples. The idol of Kartikeya in one of the temples is assigned to Gupta period. The Temple is situated on the ancient mud Rampart and hence is known as the queen of the city wall i.e. Nagarkot Ki Rani.

Ram Janardan Mandir

Idols of Rama; Lakshmana and Sita in the Rama-temple and that of Janardana-Vishnu in the Janardana-temple belong to the seventeenth century. Both the temples present an attractive look from the point of view of their structural art. These temples were constructed by Mirza Raja Jaisingh in the Seventeenth Century. The boundary wall and the tank were added later in Maratha Period in the eighteenth Century. Beautiful examples of maratha paintings are seen on the wails of both the temples. Besides the attractive scenes from the lives of Rama and Krishna the painting of Bedalya Bua Maharaj and Sant Tukoba etc. are quite imprassive.
Certain old images are seen installed in both the temples as well as near the tank opposite Janardan temple which are very important from the point of view of sculpture also. The image of Govardhandhari Krishna near the tank belongs to eleventh century. The images of Vishnu installed in between the assambly hall and the interior of Rama-temple belongs to the tenth century and the images of Brahma, Vishnu and mahesha belong to the twelth century A.D.

ISKCON Temple

Recently, after a long absence, I was invited to return to spiritual life by His Holiness Bhakti Charu Swami, with whom I had developed a firm relationship. He helped my family move from South Africa to ISKCON’s one-year-old Radha-Madana-Mohana Temple in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh. Having given up my hedonistic artistic life, I was filled with trepidation, uncertainty, and fear.

It had been twenty-two years since I became an initiated disciple. In the early eighties I was the first black South African to step back from the apartheid struggle and cross the divide to Krishna consciousness, away from the violent maelstrom of political upheaval endemic to my life. Filled with violent hatred of the apartheid regime, I was fortunate to cross paths with the Hare Krishnas through the gift of a Bhagavad-gita. Mesmerized by the lyrical and spiritual quality of its revelations, I became disgusted with the continual ritual of violence—domestic, social, political, and even academic—that accompanied my existence. I decided to jump ship from my Rastafarian, ganja-smoking lifestyle and join the search for true meaning.

Navgrah

Situated on the Triveni Ghat of the Shipra, the temple is located away from the old site of Ujjaini town. It is dedicated to the nine planets, attracts large crowds on new moon days falling on Saturdays. Its religious importance has increased in recent years though there is no known reference to it in the ancient texts.

Gopal Mandir

This huge temple is situated in the middle of the big market square. It was constructed by Bayajibai Shinde, the queen of Maharajah Daulat Rao Shinde in the 19th century. It is a beautiful example of Maratha architecture. The sanctum sanctorum is inlaid with marble and doors are silver plated. The door in the inner sanctum is said to have been carried to Ghazni from the Somnath temple and from thence by Mahmud Shah Abdali to Lahore. Mahadji Scindia recovered it and now it has been installed in this temple.

Mangalnath

This temple is situated away from the bustle of the city and can be reached through a winding road. The temple looks upon a vast expanse of the Shipra waters and fills the onlooker with an indescribable sense of peace.Mangalnath is regarded as the birth place of Mars, according to the Matsya Purana. In ancient times, it was famous for a clear view of the planet and hence suitable for astronomical studies. Mahadev or Shiva is the deity which is worshipped in the temple of Mangalnath.

Gadh Kalika

Situated about 2 miles from the city of Ujjain, the deity in this temple is believed to have been worshipped by Kalidasa. The legend goes that he was an idiot and it is by his devotion to the goddess Kalika that he acquired great literary skills.
Emperor Harshavardhan had this temple renovated in the 7th century AD. There is further evidence of renovation during the Paramara period. The temple has been rebuilt in the modern times by the erstwhile Gwalior State.

Sandapani Aashram

The fact that ancient Ujjain apart from its political and religious importance, enjoyed the reputation of being a great seat of learning as early as the Mahabharata period is borne out by the fact that, Lord Krishna and Sudama received regular instruction in the ashram of Guru Sandipani. The area near the ashram is known as Ankapata, popularly believed to have been the place used by Lord Krishna for washing his writing tablet. The numerals 1 to 100 found on a stone are believed to have been engraved by Guru Sandipani.
The Gomti Kunda referred to in the Puranas was the source of water supply to the ashram in the olden days. An image of Nandi, belonging to the Shunga period, is to be found near the tank. The followers of Vallabha sect regard this place as the 73rd seat of the 84 seats of Vallabhacharya where he delivered his discourses throughout India.

Kaal Bhairava

The worship of the eight Bhairavas is a part of Saivite tradition and the chief among them is Kal Bhairava, believed to have been built by King Bhadresen, on the banks of the Shipra. There is mention of a Kal Bhairva temple in the Avanti Khanda of the Skanda Purana. Worship of Kal Bhairava is believed to have been a part of the Kapalika and Aghora sects. Ujjain was a prominent centre of these two sects. Even today, liquor is offered as a part of the ritual to Kal Bhairava Beautiful paintings in the Malwa style once decorated the temple walls, only traces of which are visible.As prasad the liquor is gifted to Kal bhairava , he then drinks the liquor. Its reality.

Siddhavat

This enormous banyan tree on the banks of the Shipra, has been vested with religious sanctity as the Akashyavat in Prayag and Gaya, Vanshivat of Vrindavan and the Panchavata of Nasik. Thousands of pilgrims take a dip in the Shipra from the bathing ghat built here. According to one tradition, Parvati is believed to have performed her penance here. It used to be a place of worship for the followers of Natha sect. One legend has it that some Mughal rulers had cut off the Banyan tree and covered the site with iron sheets to prevent its roots from growing. But the tree pierced the iron sheets and grew and flourished. The little village of Bhairogarh near Siddhavat is famous for its tie and dye painting for centuries. In ancient times when trade with other countries flourished, exquisitely printed cloth from Bhairogarh used to find its way to Rome and China.

Harsiddhi Mata Mandir

This temple occupies a special place in the galaxy of ancient sacred spots of Ujjain. Seated between the idols of Mahalaxmi and Mahasaraswati, the idol of Annapurna is painted in dark vermilion colour. The Sri Yantra, the symbol of power or shakti, is also enshrined in the temple.
According to the Shiva Purana, when Shiva carried away the burning body of Sati from the sacrificial fire, her elbow dropped at this place. There is an interesting legend in the Skanda Purana about the manner in which the Goddess Chandi acquired the epithet of Harsiddhi. Once when Shiva and Parvati were alone on Mount Kailash, two demons called Chand and Prachand tried to force their way in. Shiva called upon Chandi to destroy them which she did. Pleased, Shiva bestowed upon her the epithet of 'one who vanquishes all'.
The temple was reconstructed during the Maratha period and the two pillars adorned with lamps are special features of Maratha art. These lamps, lit during Navaratri, present a glorious spectacle. There is an ancient well on the premises, and an artistic pillar adorns the top of it.

Chintaman Ganesh Ji

The temple is built across the Shipra on the Fatehabad railway line. The Ganesh idolenshrined here is supposed to be swayambhu - born of itself. The temple itself is believed to be of considerable antiquity. Riddhi and Siddhi, the consorts of Ganesha, are seated on either side of Ganesha. The artistically carved pillars in the assembly hall date back to the Parmar period. Worshippers throng to this temple because the deity here is traditionally known as Chintaharan Ganesh meaning "the assurer of freedom from worldly anxieties".

Bade Ganesh Ji

This temple situated above the tank near the Mahakaleshwar temple, enshrines a huge artistic sculpture of Ganesh, the son of Shiva. An idol of this size and beauty is rarely to be found. The middle of the temple is adorned by an idol of the pancha-mukhi (five faced) Hanuman. There is provision for learning of Sanskrit and Astrology in the temple.

MAHAKALESHWAR MANDIR

Ujjain can never be complete without describing the MAHAKALESHWAR Temple The presiding deity of time, Shiva, in all his splendour, reigns eternal in Ujjain. The temple of Mahakaleshwar, its shikhara soaring into the skies, an imposing façade against the skyline, evokes primordial awe and reverence with its majesty. The Mahakal dominates the life of the city and its people, even in the midst of the busy routine of modern preoccupations, and provides an unbreakable link with past traditions. One of the 12 Jyotirlingas in India, the lingam at the Mahakal is believed to be swayambhu (born of itself), deriving currents of power (Shakti) from within itself as against the other images and lingams which are ritually established and invested with mantra-shakti. The idol of Mahakaleshwar is known to be dakshinamurti, facing the South. This is a unique feature, upheld by tantric tradition to be found only in Mahakaleshwar among the 12 jyotirlingas. The idol of Omkareshwar Shiva is consecrated in the sanctum above the Mahakal shrine. The images of Ganesh, Parvati and Karttikeya are installed in the west, north and east of the sanctum sanctorum. To the south is the image of Nandi. The idol of Nagchandreshwar on the third storey is open for darshan only on the day of Nagpanchami. On the day of Mahashivaratri, a huge fair is held near the temple, and worship goes on through the night

The Mahakaleshwar temple at Ujjain is located near a lake; it has five levels, one of which is underground.The temple itself is located in a spacious courtyard surrounded by massive walls. The shikhara is adorned with sculptural finery. Brass lamps light the way to the underground sanctum. It is believed that prasada offered here to the deity can be re-offered unlike all other shrines.

JANTAR MANTAR

The observatory was constructed by Maharaja Sawai Raja Jaisingh of Jaipur in 1719 when he was in Ujjain as the Governor of Malwa under the reign of king Muhammad Shah of Delhi. Besides being a brave fighter and a politician, Raja Jaisingh was exceptionally a scholar. He studied books on Astor-mathematics available in the Persian and Arabic languages at that time. He wrote books on astronomy himself.

Sandapani Aashram

The fact that ancient Ujjain apart from its political and religious importance, enjoyed the reputation of being a great seat of learning as early as the Mahabharata period is borne out by the fact that, Lord Krishna and Sudama received regular instruction in the ashram of Guru Sandipani. The area near the ashram is known as Ankapata, popularly believed to have been the place used by Lord Krishna for washing his writing tablet. The numerals 1 to 100 found on a stone are believed to have been engraved by Guru Sandipani.
The Gomti Kunda referred to in the Puranas was the source of water supply to the ashram in the olden days. An image of Nandi, belonging to the Shunga period, is to be found near the tank. The followers of Vallabha sect regard this place as the 73rd seat of the 84 seats of Vallabhacharya where he delivered his discourses throughout India.

Kalidah Palace

Situated on the banks of the Shipra, the island-like site immediately conjures up the natural beauty of ancient Ujjain which poets down the ages have waxed lyrical. The glorious landscape of the flowing river on both sides of the palace and the man-made tanks and channels, with water gurgling through them, provide a spectacular backdrop to the imposing building.
The central dome of the palace is a beautiful example of Persian architecture. Two Persian inscriptions found in one of the long corridors of the palace record the visits of Emperor Akbar and Jehangir to this palace.
The palace was broken down in the time of the Pindaris and was restored by Madhav Rao Scindia in 1920 to its present glory. The Sun Temple was also restored by the family.

Bhartari Caves

These caves are situated just above the bank of the Shipra near the temple of Gadkalika. According to popular tradition, this is the spot where Bhartrihari, who is said to have been the step brother of Vikramaditya, lived and meditated after renouncing worldly life. He is believed to have been a great scholar and poet. His famous works, Shringarshatak, Vairagyashatak, and Nitishatak, are known for the exquisite use of the Sanskrit meter.

Temples

• Mahakeleshwara : This temple of Lord Shiva with its lingam is one of the 12 Jyotirlingas in India. It is also knows as the the shrine of Mahakaleshwara. The temple has an idol of Omkareshwars shiva, Ganesh, Parvati, Kartikeya and Shiva's Bull - Nandi.

• Bade Ganeshji ka Mandir : There is a sculptured image of Lord Ganesh in this temple, close to the tank near Mahakaleshwar.

• Chintamani Ganesh : A temple of considerable antiquity and popular place of pilgrimage, the idol here is believed to be self formed

• Mangalnath : Regarded as the birthplace of Mars according to the Skanda Purana, Mangalanath commands a panoramic view of the shipra. Mahadev is worshipped at the temple here.

• Harsiddhi Temple : An important shrine with the image of Goddess Annapurna

• Siddhavat :The enormous banyan tree on the banks of the Shipra has been vested with great sanctity.

• Kal BhairaV : The worship of Kal Bhairava is carried out here and the temple was noteworthy for its exquisite painting in the Malwa style, traces of which still remain. Close by is the village of Bhairogarh, famous for its ancient technique in cloth printing

• Gopal mandir : A sanctum inlaid with marble and silver plated doors constitute the main attraction of this temple.

• Pir Matsyendranath : Dedicated to the memory of Matsyendranath, a great Shaivite leader of the Natha sect, this ancient site has a scenic setting on the banks of the Shipra. A place of pilgrimage for both Hindus and Muslims, this site has yielded antiquities during excavations carried out here, which date back to 7 and 6 BC.

• GadKalika: The deity in this temple is believed to have worshipped by Kalidasa. Renovated in 7 AD by the Emperor Harshavardhana, it was restored yet again in the Parmar and, in modern times, by the erstwhile Gwalior State.

• Navgraha ka Mandir (Triveni): Situated on the Triveni Ghat of Shipra, this temple is dedicated to the nine planets.

• Wageshwari Mandir : This temple is known for the biggest statue of mata Wageshwari. Recently builded temple having a look of ancient times. Here you will find a Ganga mata statue residing in water .
  

Overview

Altitude : 492 mts.
Climate (deg C): Summer- Max. 40, Min. 20; Winter- Max. 28, Min. 10.
Rainfall : 101 cms (July to September).
Best Season : September to March.

TRANSPORT AND COMMUNICATION

• Air : Nearest Airport Indore (53 km) is connected to Bombay by Indian Airlines Continental Airways also operates flights from Bombay to Indore.
• Rail: Ujjain is a railway station on the Western Railway.
• Road: Good Motorable roads connect Ujjain with Ahmedabad (402 kms), Bhopal (183 kms), Bombay (655 kms), Delhi (774 kms), Gwalior (451 kms), Indore (53 kms) and Khajuraho (570 kms) etc.
• Bus Service: Regular bus services connect Ujjain with Indore, Bhopal, Ratlam, Gwalior, Mandu, Dhar, Kota and Omkareshwar etc.

EXCURSIONS

Agar (66 kms) : An ancient archaeological site.
Dewas (37 kms) : Temple of Devji ( Dewas Tekri ).
Maksi (39 kms) : Famous for Jain Temples.
Nagda (60 kms) : An industrial town with ancient temples.

Ujjain

The early history of Ujjain is lost in the midst of antiquity. According to ancient Hindu scriptures it was originally called Avantika. later King Shiva of Avanti commemorating his triumph over the demon king of Tripuri, changed it to Ujjainyini (one who conquers with pride).
Ujjain is situated on the right bank of River Shipra. It is a very holy city for the Hindus, a site for the triennial Kumbh mela. There are many great mythological legend about Ujjain city. Apart from mythological legends, the city has a long distinguished history. It was governed by the likes of Vikramaditya and Ashoka. Kalidas wrote his souls stirring poetry here. Lord Krishna completed his studies at the Sandapani Ashram here.
Today,Ujjain represents an interesting blend of an age old legacy and the modern day lifestyle.