Key Takeaways
- Why the city matters
- The temples
- The Shipra
- Ancestral rites at Ujjain
In This Article
Ujjain stands on the Shipra in Madhya Pradesh and is one of the seven cities Hindu tradition counts as holiest, as well as one of the four that host the Kumbh. Mahakaleshwar, among the twelve jyotirlingas, is its principal shrine. Families also come for ancestral rites and for the mangal dosh puja at Mangalnath. Ours start at ₹7,100 on the Pind Daan in Ujjain page.
Why the city matters
Ujjain was Avantika, capital of the Avanti kingdom, and one of the great cities of ancient India. It was a seat of learning and of astronomy, and for centuries Hindu astronomers treated the meridian passing through Ujjain as the prime meridian, calculating time from it. That is why it is sometimes called the Greenwich of India, and it is also why the city has a particular association with Shiva as Mahakal, the lord of time.
The temples
Mahakaleshwar
The jyotirlinga, and the reason most people come. It is the only one of the twelve held to be swayambhu and dakshinamukhi, facing south. The Bhasma Aarti before dawn, performed with ash, is unlike anything at the other jyotirlingas and needs booking well ahead. Our note on the Mahakaleshwar jyotirlinga covers it properly.
Mangalnath
Held to be the birthplace of Mangal, the planet Mars, and therefore the principal site for mangal dosh and manglik remedies. Families with a manglik horoscope come here specifically. The temple sits above the Shipra with a long view over the river.
Kaal Bhairav
The guardian of the city, and unusual in that liquor is offered to the deity and visibly accepted. It is one of the things visitors remember.
Harsiddhi
A Shakti Peetha, with the two tall lamp pillars that are lit during Navratri.
Sandipani Ashram
Where tradition holds Krishna, Balarama and Sudama studied under the sage Sandipani. Quieter than the main shrines and worth the detour for the association alone.
Chintaman Ganesh and Gadkalika
Chintaman Ganesh is among the oldest shrines in the city, its name meaning the remover of worry. Gadkalika is the Kalika temple associated with the poet Kalidasa, who is said to have received his gift here.
The Shipra
The Shipra is Ujjain’s river and the reason the city is a tirtha rather than only a temple town. Ram Ghat is the principal bathing ghat and where the Kumbh bathing happens. Ancestral rites at Ujjain are performed at the river, as they are at the other tirthas.
Ancestral rites at Ujjain
Pind Daan, Asthi Visarjan and tarpan are performed at the Shipra ghats with a pandit who speaks the sankalp in your gotra. Families from Madhya Pradesh and the surrounding states often choose Ujjain over travelling to Gaya or Varanasi, and the rite is complete as performed here.
| Rite | Price | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Pind Daan in Ujjain | ₹7,100 | Pinda offered in your gotra at the Shipra, with tarpan |
| Asthi Visarjan in Ujjain | ₹7,100 | Immersion at the ghat, pandit and samagri included |
🕉️ Book Pind Daan in Ujjain
- Performed at the Shipra ghats
- Pandit assigned before you travel
- Sankalp in your family gotra
- All puja samagri included
Mangal dosh at Mangalnath
Because Mangalnath is held to be the birthplace of Mars, it is the site families come to for mangal dosh and manglik remedies. The puja is performed at the temple, usually on a Tuesday. Details are on our mangal dosh puja in Ujjain page.
Ujjain also carries an association with Kaal Sarp remedies, and our Kaal Sarp dosh puja guide for Ujjain sets out what that involves.
The festival calendar
- Simhastha Kumbh. Every twelve years, when the Kumbh comes to Ujjain and millions bathe at Ram Ghat. The city is transformed for the duration.
- Mahashivratri. The night given to Shiva, and the single biggest night of the year at Mahakaleshwar.
- Sawan Somvar. Every Monday through the month of Shravan, when the Mahakal procession moves through the city and the crowds are very large.
- Navratri. Harsiddhi’s lamp pillars are lit, which is the sight most visitors come for.
When to come
October to March is comfortable. April to June is hot, often above 40°C, and the monsoon runs July to September. If you are coming for rites rather than for a festival, avoid Sawan Mondays and Mahashivratri, when the city is at capacity and a quiet ceremony is not possible.
Ujjain is about 55 kilometres from Indore, which has the nearest airport, and it is on the rail network with direct trains from Delhi, Mumbai and Bhopal.
Common questions
How many days are enough?
Two covers Mahakaleshwar, the main temples and the ghats. Add a day if you want the Bhasma Aarti or are performing rites.
Can ancestral rites be performed here instead of Gaya?
Yes. Ujjain is a recognised tirtha and the rite is complete as performed at the Shipra. Families who want the Gaya rite specifically still travel there.
Why is Ujjain called the Greenwich of India?
Hindu astronomers took the meridian through Ujjain as their reference for calculating time, long before Greenwich served that role in Europe.
Arranging a visit
Tell us which rite your family needs and when you can travel, and we will confirm the pandit, the ghat and the total before anything is paid. Packages are on our Pind Daan in Ujjain page.
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