Ujjain Tour & Travel Guide

One of Hinduism’s 7 Sacred Cities that Hosts Maha Kumbh Mela every 12th year

One of India’s primitive cities on the eastern bank of the river Kshipra, Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh was once a prominent city on the Malwa plateau. This city of yester-years in central India is known world over for its rich history & as a prominent Hindu Pilgrimage Destination. A political center of central India in 600 BC, the capital Avanti kingdom and 1 of the 16 Mahajanapadas, Ujjain is a region of high religious significance. Above all these, Ujjain is the abode of the Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga, one of the 12 Jyotirlinga shrines of Lord Shiva. This glorious city of ancient India is enriched in religion, commerce, architecture and educational values, which has made it chart high as an attraction for tourists from all across the globe.

History sights Ujjain as an excellent center for study & research. It is believed that Lord Krishna and his elder brother Balrama studied here in Rishi Sandipini ashram. Ujjain has always been a major center of Mathematics, Astronomy and Sanskrit. Several popular mathematicians and Sanskrit scholars studied or have worked here. It was in the 3rd century BC, when Ashoka took over Ujjain and historians have sighted that Ashoka’s son (Mahendra) & daughter (Sanghamitra) initiated the missionary cult then and carried the teachings & messages of Buddha from Ujjain to Ceylon.

Decades later the mighty Mughal Akbar assessed the innate strengths of this place & he chose Ujjain to set up his silver mint. Post Mughal ear it was the strong Scindia dynasty ruled here. The period of Scindia reign brought in several developments and re-established Ujjain.

Ujjain is mostly visited by Hindu & Buddhist pilgrims and by history buffs. The most popular tourist place here is the Mahakaleshwar Temple of Lord Shiva, where the spire of the temple is crowned with gold Kalash. The temple is one of the 12 Jyotirlingas and is mostly crowed by Shiv bhakts throughout the year. Other places of tourist interest here are mostly temples such as Bade Ganesh Ka Mandir, Shakti Peeth, Chintamani Ganesh, Karkokeshwar Mahadev, Navgraha Mandir, Harsiddhi Ma Temple, Shri Gopal Temple, Chausathyogini Temple, Sandipani Ashram, Gadkalika Mandir, Mangal Nath Temple and Temple of Kal Bhairav. Apart from temples, Mazar-E-Najmi, Peer Matsyendra Nath, Bhartrihari Caves, Kaliadeh Palace, The Ved Shala(Observatory), Siddhavat the enormous banyan tree on the banks of the river Skhipra, Ram Ghat where the Great Kumbh Bathing Festival is held once in twelve Years and age old Jivaji Observatory also interest travelers.

Places that one can visit, nearby Ujjain, are Indore city, Omkareshwar, Hanumantiya Island, Maheshwar, Mandu and Bhopal city.