Top 18 Things Ujjain Is Famous For

1. Mahakaleshwar Temple

Out of the 12 shrines in the country devoted to Lord Shiva (Jyotirlingas), Mahakaleshwar Temple, strategically located on the shores of the holy river Shipra in Ujjain, is the most revered. It is a famous pilgrimage site for the Hindus and the only place where the bhasm aarti (ash ritual) is held. The ash from funeral pyres, used as one of the offerings to Lord Shiva during the bhasm aarti, distinguishes others. The visually captivating event is held every morning around 4 am. The serene spiritual atmosphere, the intricate carvings of the sanctuary’s pinnacle (gumbaj), and the south-facing temple’s idol also add to this place’s uniqueness.

Mahakaleshwar Temple

Address: Jaisinghpura, Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh 456006, India

Website: Mahakaleshwar Temple

Opening hours: 4am - 11pm (daily)

Price: Free

2. Vedh Shala Observatory

Since the 4th century BC, Ujjain has been considered India’s Greenwich by Hindu scholars and astrologers. Vedh Shala Observatory was built to help them further study the movement and positions of celestial bodies. It was erected in the 18th century by Amber’s ruler — Raja Jai Singh, who also helped in translating Ptolemy and Euclid’s works from Arabic to Sanskrit. Nowadays, the observatory is a point of attraction for curious tourists interested in Indian astrology. Instruments (yantras) used in those days are now marked with plaques in English and Hindi to identify their uses. Some devices within the building are still used to carry out research even today.

Vedh Shala Observatory

Address: Chintaman Rd, Jabsinghpura, Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh 456010, India

Opening hours: Mon - Sat: 10am - 5:30pm (closed on Sun)

Price: 1 - 3 USD

3. Ram Mandir

Ram Mandir is a temple situated by the holy river Shipra’s banks, with sophisticated architecture, beautiful paintings, and intricate sculptures dedicated to Lord Ram. It was initially built in the 17th century by Raja Jai Singh, and the Maratha paintings, which adorn the walls, were added during the Maratha era in the 18th century. Within, you will find many essential sculptures — including the Lakshman, Lord Ram, and Sita’s cast with Hanuman’s carve at their feet. Some of the arts in this sanctuary were produced earlier and installed later, such as Brahma, Vishnu, and Mahesha, crafted in the 12th century, and the 10th-century Vishnu model.

Ram Mandir

Address: Ksheer Sagar, Malipura, Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh 456006, India

4. ISKCON Ujjain Temple

ISKCON is one of the most vibrantly decorated temples in Ujjain dedicated to Lord Krishna. It is situated close to the Nanakheda bus stop and sees a host of dancing and chanting faithful every hour of the day. Balarama and Krishna’s incarnations, set within the three sanctums of the sanctuary, are beautified by expensive jewelry and eye-catching colors to behold. The surroundings of the complex features tastefully mowed lawns, and the white marble stone employed on the finishings of the exterior is picture-worthy.

ISKCON Ujjain Temple

Address: Hare Krishna Land, 33-37, Administrative Zone, Bharatpuri, Madhya Pradesh 456010, India

Website: ISKCON Ujjain Temple

Opening hours: Mon - Fri: 7am - 1pm, 4pm - 9am (closed on Sat & Sun)

Price: Free

5. Gomti Kund

Gomti Kund is a pond situated close to the renowned Sandipani Ashram and holds great significance to the Lord Krishna devotees. It’s believed that Krishna gathered the water in the pond from all the holy rivers for his teacher, Sandipani, to carry out his rituals. The water is said to be sacred. Hindus come to this place in their thousands every year to enjoy the calmness of the surroundings and collect the water in bottles to take home.

Gomti Kund

Address: Near Sandipani Ashram, Ujjain, India

Opening hours: 5am - 6pm (daily)

Price: 1 - 3 USD

6. Shipra Ghat

The Shipra River is the holiest in India, with notable mentions in archaic Jain, Buddhist, and Hindu scriptures. The city of Ujjain comfortably sits along this water body with many shrines and temples dotting its banks, also called ghats. The most ancient and revered ghat is the Ram ghat, which is 1.24 miles (2 km) long. It is the site of the famous Kumbh Mela. A Hindu ritual called Shipra arati occurs every evening where a plethora of oil lamps on flowers and leaves are set afloat the river. The sight is more intriguing during the grand Kumbh Mela.

Shipra Ghat/River

Address: Madhya Pradesh India

7. Kal Bhairav Temple

Just 5.6 km (3.5 miles) away from the temple of Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga, the Kal Bhairav Temple is dedicated to Kal Bhairav (Lord Shiva’s violent manifestation, associated with annihilation) and he is considered the guardian deity of the city. Hundreds of devotees visit the temple every day, with the hope that their prayers will be answered by Kal Bhairav. Another attractive thing here to see is the offering of liquor to this presiding deity.

If you wish to make an offering of hard liquor to Kal Bhairav, you can purchase it from the local stalls outside the temple. The surprising unsolved mystery of this temple is that no one knows where the liquor goes after it is being offered by the priest in front of the devotee. You simply hand over the liquor to the priest who is standing nearby and he will put the contents into a shallow plate that is placed near the mouth of the idol. You will be stupefied with amazement as the liquor level begins to disappear into the deity’s mouth and, finally, the priest will withdraw an empty plate.

Kal Bhairav Temple

Address: Kala Bhairava Mandir, Ujjain – 456003, Madhya Pradesh

8. Maharshi Sandipani Ashram

The Maharshi Sandipani Ashram is one of the most famous tourist spots and is located around 2 km (1.2 miles) outside Ujjain. This place has a great value to Hindus because it is perfectly described in the 5,000-year-old text, the Mahabharata, as the location where the great guru Sandipani used to teach Lord Krishna and his brother Lord Balarama.

The ashram is now a temple, where you will get to see several inscriptions that are said made by Sandipani himself, thousands of years back. Ankapata, an area near the ashram, is believed to have been the exact location where Lord Krishna used to wash his writing tablets.

Maharshi Sandipani Ashram

Address: Ankapat Kshetra, Mangalnath Road, Ujjain – 456001, Madhya Pradesh

9. Pir Matsyendranath Samadhi

The Pir Matsyendranath Samadhi is a very important place for the saints of the Nath sect and for yogis and meditation practitioners. Matsyendranath was the guru of the great enlightened Nath saint, Gorakhnath, who was the “Rastradeva” or Lord of the State of Nepal and whose name appears on numerous pieces of Nepalese currency.

Nath followers believe that Matsyendranath left his body through his yogic power at this place, around 1,000 years ago. Followers of the Nath sect refer to their enlightened saints as Pir and Muslims also call their high level saints Pir. Hence, this place is equally respected and worshipped by both Hindus and Muslims. The Samadhi of Pir Matsyendranath is a beautiful place on the bank of the Shipra (Kshipra) River and it is around 4 km (2.5 miles) from Ujjain Railway Station.

Pir Matsyendranath Samadhi

Address: Near Raja Bharthari Cave, Ujjain – 456006, Madhya Pradesh

10. Mangalnath Temple

Located on the bank of the Shipra (Kshipra) River, the Mangalnath Temple is dedicated to Mahadeva or Lord Shiva. It is one of the most active temples in Ujjain as it is visited by hundreds of devotees, every day. The Hindu text, the Matsya Purana says that this is also the birthplace of the planet Mars (in Sanskrit, Mangal).

The surroundings of the temple are very serene and it is located in a spot where ancient Hindu geographical science claims that the most primitive meridian passes through the planet Earth.

Mangalnath Temple

Address: Mangalnath Temple, Mangalnath Marg, Ujjain, 456006, Madhya Pradesh

Contact: +91 734-2584208

11. Kaliadeh Palace

Located on the banks of the Shipra (Kshipra) River, Kaliadeh Palace is known as a famous historical landmark that was built by the Sultan of Mandu, in 1458. Here you can see the central dome, which is a wonderful example of Persian architecture, as well as large manmade water tanks and channels.

Persian inscriptions inside the palace, in one of the corridors, records a visit by the Mughal Emperors Akbar and Jahangir. The palace was damaged during an attack by the Pindaris, during the Pindari War, but later restored in 1920 by the Maharaja Madho Rao Scindia of Gwalior.

Kaliadeh Palace

Address: Kaliadeh Palace, Ujjain – 456006, Madhya Pradesh

12. Raja Bharthari Cave

Raja or King Bharthari was the ruler of Ujjain in the 1 century BC. He is also known as Saint Bharthari, for renouncing worldly pleasures and becoming a follower of Guru Gorakhnath. He gave up the throne to his younger brother, Vikramaditya, who is characterized as an ideal king and remembered as a legendary emperor of ancient India.

After renouncing his throne, Bharthari became a Nath monk and simultaneously a poet in the Sanskrit language. It is said that he had spent a lot of time here in this cave, during his penance, and was involved in meditation and yoga. Apart from his cave, you will get to see the caves of other ancient Nath Saints, where everyone was involved in penance.

Raja Bharthari Cave

Address: Raja Bharthari Cave, Ujjain – 456006, Madhya Pradesh

13. Ram Ghat

Ram Ghat is an extremely popular venue along the bank of the Shipra (Kshipra) River and famous for its Kumbh Mela, or Hindu pilgrimage, that occurs every 12 years in Ujjain city. At this time, millions of people, including religious saints from all sects, gather here at the ghat, which is known as the oldest bathing ghat in Ujjain.

The regular aarti, or worship with fire, is very popular and many tourists gather to see it. The best time to visit Ram Ghat in the summer season is in the evening, when you can take a bath and experience the beautiful ceremony.

Ram Ghat

Address: Jaisinghpura, Ujjain 456001, Madhya Pradesh

14. Harsiddhi Temple

Harsiddhi Temple is not only one of the most ancient places in India, it is the 13th Shakti-peetha, or holy places of cosmic power, among the 51 Shakti-peethas spread across India. Hence, this is a very sacred place for the Tantrics (followers of the Tantra sect). The location of this temple is awesome – it is situated between Ram Ghat in the west and Mahakal in the east. Hence, it is considered as a big source of energy and power for meditation practitioners, Yogis and Tantra performers.

It is strongly believed that the presiding deity, the Divine Mother Harsiddhi, fulfills the desires of all devotees and pilgrims, irrespective of religion or nationality and whoever comes into her temple with complete faith will have their prayers answered. You can easily reach Harsiddhi Temple by taking a local hired vehicle (like an auto rickshaw). There is also bus service available to and from the temple.

Harsiddhi Temple

Address: Jaisinghpura, Ujjain 456006, Madhya Pradesh

15. Pilgrimage center (Hinduism)

The ancient city of Ujjain has many features that make it a popular pilgrimage site for the Hindus. According to Hindu beliefs, Ujjain is one of the seven sacred cities (Saptapuris) that grant moksha. The place is home to the 12 Jyotirlingas and many other holy temples, and it sits along the holy river Shipra. In ancient times, the location used to be the seat of learning religious Hindu texts, and even today, it’s a place of interest for scholars who want to dig deep into Hindu mythology. It hosts the Kumbh Mela, a grand Hindu pilgrimage that converges at least 200 million faithful worldwide.

16. Educational hub

Since ancient times, Ujjain has been an educational hub. It has attracted the most proficient scholars worldwide, including Balrama and Krishna, who schooled at Sandipani Ashram. The wealth of Krishna’s wisdom and knowledge is attributed to the city’s rich educational status during that time. Fast forward to present times, the educational legacy of this location is very much alive. It has extended to other places in the state, with two-thirds of its population being educated. With myriads of schools of all levels, including specialized institutions of crafts, industrial arts, and polytechnics, this heritage is not going away any time soon.

17. Kumbh Mela

Kumbh Mela is celebrated to immortalize the most important events in Hindu Mythology — Samudra Manthan. The festival, held once every 12 years, welcomes Hindus from all religious spheres, from the Hermits who come out from their seclusion only during the event to the ordinary faithful. The ceremony is a colorful one, with many cultural activities, including the shining of swords and processions on elephant backs and chariots called Akharas. It’s rotated between four different locations — the banks of Shipra at Ujjain, the Godavari at Nashik, Sarasvati at Allahabad, River Ganga at Haridwar. Kumbh Mela is the largest religious gathering in the world where devotees soak themselves in the rivers with the belief that it will cleanse their sins.

18. Pind Daan

Pind Daan is a compulsory last rite ritual done for a deceased soul by his family members, according to the Hindu culture. The ceremony is vital for the dead to find salvation or moksha in the land of the beyond, and the Hindu priests or Brahmin pandits head it. It’s held on the banks of holy waters. Ujjain is known for its grand temples along the sacred River Shipra, including the Ram Ghat and the Siddhwat Temple, which are popular sites for this event. Seven Pinds — a mold of wheat flours, oat, rice, mixed dried honey, and milk are offered during the ritual — one for the departed soul and six for the ancestors.

Have an enriching trip to Ujjain

In ancient times, Ujjain was a cultural, political, and commercial center. And although much of this significance was diminished during the British administration, its spiritual, educational, and cultural importance is still felt today. Plus, it’s a lovely destination for tourists looking for cultural and spiritual experiences. Use this guide for the things Ujjain is famous for to have an enriching trip here!