History of Ujjain and Mahakaleshwar

January 20, 2007

By Sanjeev Nayyar esamskriti.com

January 2007

In October 1990 I drove through the outskirts of Ujjain and wondered

whether I would ever visit this ancient town. Since then desire

existed but a trip never materialized. Since my wife was born in

Ujjain, both of us are Shivbhakts we decided to visit this prachin

nagri in December 2006. Besides visiting the nursing home where my

wife was born and her school we visited every place of tourist

interest including some that are very obscure. My wife Aparna was a

perfect guide such that I cannot imagine the trip without her. She

worked on & improvised this piece too. Content gives you history of

place and ends with Insights meaning our experiences?

http://www.esamskriti.com/html/essay_index.asp?

cat=816&subcat=815&cname=history_ujjain_mahakaleshwar

Source of Content: Madhya Pradesh tourism web site, display boards of

the Department of Archaeology outside each location, History &

Culture of the Indian People (HCI) published by the Bhartiya Vidya

Bhavan. Content is classified under the following heads-

History of Ujjain.

Vikramaditya, Kalidasa & Gadhkalika mandir.

Mahakaleshwar Mandir Jyotirling.

Chintamani & Bade Ganesh mandirs.

Har Siddhi and Siddhavat mandirs.

Kaal Bhairav, Mangalnath & Shani mandirs.

Sandipani Ashram.

Kaliyadah Palace, Bhartrihari Gufa & Gopal mandir.

Jantar Mantar Observatory. (for full details see observatory link).

1. History of Ujjain - Ujjain is more than 5,000 years old. While the

city's early history is lost in the midst of antiquity by 6th century

B.C. Avanti with its capital as Ujjain is mentioned in Buddhist

literature as one of the great four powers along with Vatsa, Kosala

and Magadha. Ujjain is one of the Shaktipeethas out of 51. It is on

the banks of the holy river Shipraji. Shipra means `that which flows

slowly or an ornament worn on the waist'. The Skand Purana mentions

that 84 Mahadevas, 64 Yoginis, eight Bhairavas and six Vinayaks

(Ganesh) exist in Ujjain.

According to ancient belief the Bhumadhya-rekha (equator) passed

through Ujjain. Ujjain means city on ascendance with victory shout.

Ujjain comes from Ujjainee, which means one who conquers with pride.

Ujjain is also called the luminous region of the heaven.

Modern Ujjain is situated on the banks of the river Shipra regarded

as pavitra (pure) from ancient times. While waiting for darshan at

Mahakal mandir noted the following names for Ujjain: Ujjaini, Avanti,

Pratikalpa, Vishala, Kumudhati, Kushsthali, Chudamani, Kanak Srange,

Padmavati. The train from Mumbai to Indore via Ujjain is called

Avantika Express.

Ujjain lay on the main trade route between North India & Deccan. The

articles of export to Western Asia such as precious stones, pearls,

perfumes, and silks reached the port of Brighukachcha from the remote

north through Ujjain. An unknown Greek Merchant who made a voyage to

India in the second half of 1st century A.D. talks of a city to the

East of modern day Bharuch which fed all commodities to trade like

onyx, porcelain, fine Muslim and ordinary cotton.

The earliest known epigraphic record of the Paramaras, the Harsola

Granth, issued at the beginning of the 10th century A.D maintains

that the kings of the Paramara dynasty were born in the family of the

Rashtrakutas in the Deccan. Am not giving details of other rulers

since too much of detail. From the 9th to 12th centuries the

Paramaras became so identified with Ujjain that tradition has

converted Vikramaditya into a Paramara. The last Paramara ruler

Siladitya was captured live by the Sultans of Mandu and so Ujjain

passed into the hands of the Muslims.

Thus began a long era of misfortune and decay and the ancient glory

of Ujjain was lost in a morass of repeated inroads of attacking

hordes. Invasion of Ujjain by Illtutmish in 1234 triggered a

desecration & destruction of temples. He destroyed the Mahakaleshwar

Temple too. This path of destruction was stopped in the time of Baz

Bahadur of Mandu and Mughals.

At the beginning of the 17th century, Ujjain & Malwa were gradually

ruled by the Marathas whose domination gave impetus to a

culture/temple building and modern Ujjain day came into being. The

Jyotirling Mahakaleshwar/Har Siddhi temples were reconstructed during

this period. Gopal Mandir in the main market too was constructed

then. Also, the art of woodwork was also developed. Woodcarvings were

done in balconies as you can see in my wife's ancestral home.

Ujjain finally passed into the hands of the Scindias in 1750 and

until 1810 it was their chief town till they shifted to Gwalior.

Today Ujjain is full of temples. Though built on old sites they are

of recent construction due to frequent destruction.

The names of Kalidasa and Ujjayini are inextricably linked together

in the Indian traditions. It is in Meghdoot, a poem of a little over

hundred verses, describing the anguish of a yaksha, separated from

his beloved by a curse, sending a message to her in the city of Alaka

through a rain cloud from his exile in Ramagiri (now identified as

Ramtek near Nagpur) that Kalidasa's love of Ujjayini finds full

expression. The poet describes the imaginary passage of the cloud

over Ujjayini, and it is almost as if he is loath to move on, for in

12 verses (27-38), there is a lyrical description of the city and the

people which conjures up a vivid picture of a civilized attractive

society, a leisured class, intensely practical and yet imbued with

deeply religious and philosophical preoccupations. Kalidasa was one

of the nine jewels of Vikramaditya.

The magnificence and awesome spectacle of the bathing ritual at

Simhastha 2004 (known as Kumbh in Prayag/Hardiwar) defies

description. It is held when Jupiter & Saturn enter in the Simhas

(Leo) and Mesha (Aries) respectively once in twelve years. Beginning

on the full moon day in Chaitra (April), it continues into Vaishakha

(May), until the next full moon day. Ujjain turns, amidst a riot of

colors, into an India in miniature.

Insights: Ujjain is associated with the great king Vikramaditya and

Kalidasa. I tried hard to find a symbol of the periods they lived in

but found none. They were either demolished during the Muslim

invasions or were too old to survive. Unable to see any symbol I

found the trip incomplete. Although every monument has a self-

explanatory board nowhere was there a word about Vikramaditya and

Kalidasa. All I found were two recent constructions, the Vikram

University and Kalidasa Academy.

As I reflect I can see through the Muslim strategy. The invaders

destroyed every major symbol of Indian tradition in Ujjain so that

people could not relate with these symbols. Once Indians lost their

roots they were more likely to convert to Islam. Fortunately Marathas

ruled this area for a while, so reconstruction activity happened for

e.g. Mahakaleshwar mandir, Observatory and so on.

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2. Vikram University Crest: The Lions, the Rising Sun (which together

form the Crest of the Great Vikramaditya) represents the indomitable

courage and rising height of wisdom. The book poised lightly on the

petals of the lotus signifies the numerous branches of learning. The

silhouette of the Temple of Mahakaleshwar symbolizes the sacred

culture of the ancient city of Ujjain the seat of this University.

The University was established in 1957.

Vikram Kirti Mandir: Established on the occasion of the second

millennium of the Vikram era, as the cultural centre to perpetuate

the memory of Vikramaditya, the Vikram Kirti Mandir houses the

Scindia Oriental Research Institute, an archaeological museum, an art

gallery and an auditorium. The Scindia Oriental Research Institute

has an invaluable collection of 18,000 manuscripts on various

subjects and runs a reference library of important oriental

publications. Rare manuscripts in Prakrit, Arabic, Persian and other

Indian languages cover a wide range of subjects from Vedic literature

and philosophy to dance and music. Palm leaf and bark leaf (Bhurja

Patra) manuscripts are also preserved in this institute. Apart from

an illustrated manuscript of Shrimad Bhagavata in which actual gold

and silver have been employed for the paintings, the Institute has a

rich collection of old paintings in the Rajput and Mughal style. The

museum also exhibits a rich array of images, inscriptions, copper

plates and fossils discovered in the Narmada valley. A huge skull of

a primitive elephant is of special interest. Unfortunately the Mandir

was closed for Christmas holiday when we went there.

Vikrama Samvat: Unlike the Christian calendar which is based on the

birth of Jesus the Vikram Samvat calendar is based on the year from

which King Vikramaditya established peace & prosperity over Malwa.

HCI have dedicated five pages to Samvat in volume 2. According to

HCI, "The era might after all have been founded by a foreigner as

stated above. But there is no inherent congruity in the belief that

king Vikramaditya founded it in 59 B.C. to commemorate his recovery

of Ujjayini by defeating the Sakas".

Insights: Besides the Vikram University the only icon of Vikramaditya

in Ujjain was in a bye lane close to Harsiddhi mandir. The sad part

is that there is for the common man not enough information about

Vikramditya & Kalidasa both of whom are synonymous with Ujjain in a

historic sense. I tried hard but did not find any City sign boards

that spoke about them.

Kalidasa Academy: This academy was set up in Ujjain by the Government

of Madhya Pradesh to immortalize the memory of the great poet

dramatist-Kalidasa, and to create a multi-disciplinary institution to

project the genius of the entire classical tradition, with Kalidasa

as the apex, enable research and study in Sanskrit classical and

traditional performing arts, and facilitate its adaptation for

contemporary stage in different cultural settings and language

groups. The Academy complex consists of a theatre, museum, library,

lecture and seminary halls, mini stage for rehearsals, research

facilities for scholars, and a large open-air theater.

Quote HCI, "Kalidasa is by common consent the greatest and poet and

dramatist that ever in India. Yet curiously enough, we know hardly

anything about his life and have no definite knowledge of the time

when he flourished. He is said to be one of the nine learned men who

graced the court of king Vikramaditya. Most scholars regarded as a

historical fact his association with king Vikramaditya of Ujjain, and

the deliberate change in the name of the hero of the Vikramorvasiyam

from Pururavas to Vikrama lends color to it. Some regard this

Vikramaditya as the ruler, who according to well established

tradition defeated the Sakas in 58 B.C. and found an era – the well-

known Vikrama samvat to commemorate this fact. There are many views

on when he existed. The safest course is to hold that Kalidasa

flourished some time between 100 B.C. and 450 A.D.

His best-known work is Sakuntala. This play is considered one of the

best not only in Sanskrit literature but in the literature of the

world. Kalidasa based the play on the story of Sakuntala as found in

the Mahabharata, but he has breathed quite a new and vital spirit

into it by introducing several slight but effective changes in the

original and also by adding new characters and incidents of high

dramatic power. Before Sakuntala, Kalidasa had already composed two

plays, the Malavikagnimitra and Vikramorvasiya.

Kalidasa's genius shone with equal brilliance both in drama and in

Kavya or poetry. His two Mahakavyas, Raghuvamsa and Kumarambhava and

the lyrical poem Meghaduta are universally regarded as gems of

Sanskrit poetry. Both in drama and poetry Kalidasa stands not only

unsurpassed but even unrivalled". For more details read volume 3.

Gadhkalika Mandir: Shri Gadhkalika mandir is traditionally known to

be the choice of worship of the greatest poet Kalidasa – the author

of Abigyna Shakuntala and chief gem of the court of Raja

Vikramaditya. Images and bricks & part of the plinth are of the 1st

century B.C. (Shunga period), 4th century A.D. (Gupta period) and

10th century A.D. (Parmar period) were recovered from the basement of

the temple. Emperor Harshvardhan got this temple renovated in the 7th

century a.d. – there is some indication of its further renovation in

the 10th century a.d. under Parma rule. In the 20th century, the

traditional priest Shri Siddhanath Maharaj got this temple renovated

in Samvat 2001 (1944 A.D.). The temple has been rebuilt in modern

times by the erstwhile Gwalior state. A beautiful sculpture of

Yakshini belonging to the 4-5th century a.d. was recovered from this

place, which is presently displayed at Bharati Kala Bhavan Museum,

Ujjain.

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3. Mahakaleshwar Mandir: Mahakala is the Lord of time and Death. One

of the 12 jyotirlingas in India, the lingam at 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.

Aakasha tavakam lingam Hatkashwaram

Bhulokhe Cha Mahakalah lingatrayah namaustuteye

Translated as

"In the sky is the Taraka linga, in the nether region is the

Haatkeshwara and on the earth is Mahakaleshwara. We venerate the

three lingas".

The idol of Mahakaleshwar is known to be dakshinamurti, facing the

south. At the naval point of the earth south facing Mahakala is

situated, the only Jyotirling of its kind. This fact has a special

significance in the Tantric tradition. This is a unique feature

upheld by tantric traditions to be found only in Mahakaleshwar among

the 12 Jyotirlingas. The icon 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 icon of

Nagchandreshwar on the third storey is open for darshan only on the

day of Nagpanchmi. On the day of Mahashivaratri, a huge fair is held

near the temple.

Ancient Shri Mahakal mandir was renovated in the 11th century. It was

demolished by Illtutmish in 1234. Present temple renovated during

Maratha rule some 250 years ago by Baba Ramchandra Shenvi, Diwan of

Scindia state. Ground plus two floors are made of stone and appear

300-400 years old while the temple Shikhar seems a more recent

construction. During the last Simhastha arrangements were improved

further.

Mahadev is on the ground floor. Omkareshwar Mahadev is on the first

floor. Its specialty is that it is looked after Dashnami Sadhus of

the Mahanirvani order. It is considered to be an image of Omkareshwar

jyotirling on the banks of the river Narmada. Ground three is

Nageshwar that opens on Nagpanchami day. Here Nagchandreswara is

worshipped in the form of Shivlinga. Some of the other temples in the

Mahakaleshwar complex are:

Sankatmochan Siddhades Hanuman Mandir – established by Samartha

Ramdas, Guru of Shivaji Maharaj.

Sacred Kotitirtha is the water source.

Bhasma Aarti- Bhasma offered between 4-6 am by burning dried cow

dung. During Bhasmaarti no one can enter the Garbhagruha (well) –

only makes wearing Sola or silk cloth canetner the well.

Savari of Shri Mahakala – last Monday of the holy month of Shravan,

Mahakala sitting in a palanquin moves in the city.

Insights: The Bhasm aarti starts every morning at about 4am and lasts

for over two hours. Stand in the line by about 2.30 am if you want to

get to sit close to garbhagruha. During the aarti bhasm or ashes are

offered to the Lingam. The chanting of mantras, sound and vibrations

within make it a very powerful aarti, once in a lifetime experience.

Being Shaivites we connected with Lord Shiv during the aarti. The

manner in which they dress up the Lord is unique and amazing. The

lingam becomes his head ie decorated with flowers, eyes, nose etc.

The entire "shringar" is very elaborate and done with a lot

of "atmeeyata". The (bhavna (feeling) is ki Lord Shiv swayam prakat

hue (himself was present). We were told that the bhasm or ashes were

brought daily from the cremation ground. For security reasons we

could not click pictures of the temple complex.

We also saw 24 Khamba Mata ka Mandir. It is the old entrance of the

Mahakaleshwar mandir and is today about a 7 minute walk from it. It

would be ok to extrapolate that the ancient temple consists of a huge

complex where stand houses today.

I happened to meet some temple officials and asked if the Temple

trusts ran some hospitals and schools. To my dismay the answer was

no. The temple receives lakhs of rupees as offerings every year. Why

not use its money for national causes like education & health. One of

the officials told me on anonymity that the Government controlled the

trusts. Why must any state government be involved in managing Hindu

temples when they do not manage mosques/churches.

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4. Chintamani Ganesh Mandir: The present sanctum of Chintamani Ganesh

is very old. The Ganesh icon is swayambhu – born of itself. Riddhi &

Siddhi, the two goddesses are enshrined on both sides of the icon of

Ganesh. Traditionally, this is known as the seat of Chintaharan

Ganesh (assurer of freedom from worldly anxieties). People assemble

here in large numbers to offer their prayers on Wednesdays in the

month of Chaitra. Artistic pillars in the assembly hall of the temple

belong to the Parmar period (9-12th century). The temple was

renovated by Ahilyabhai Holkar with the addition of a water tank and

boundary wall. It is said that while returning to Ayodhya after

victory over Ravana, Lord Ram rested here. To get rid of thirst,

Lakshman dug out the water with his arrow. This is the reason the

water tank is called Banganga.

Bada Ganesh Mandir: this temple is very close to the Mahakaleshwar

temple. It has a huge icon of Ganesh, the son of Lord Shiva. An icon

of this size and beauty is rarely found. In the middle of the mandir

is one of its type a Pancha-Mukhi (five faced) Hanuman.

Insights: In 2005 my wife Aparna visited the Chintamani mandir and

prayed that she find a suitable match. Well we got married in 2006 so

visiting this temple was a must. In fact we started our Ujjain yatra

by visiting this temple. Make it a point to the see five faced

Hanuman in Bada Ganesh mandir.

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5. Har Siddhi Mandir: This is one of the prominent temples of Ujjain.

The image of goddess Harsiddhi painted with vermilion is located

between the images of Mahalaxmi & Mahasaraswati here. Shreeyantra is

also located here. According to tradition, this is the real

harsiddhi. In tantric tradition, it is regarded as a siddha-peth.

According to Shiv puran, when Lord Shiva was taking the great Sati

from the yagna of dakshya Prajapati, the elbow of Sati fell in this

place. According to Skand puran, the goddess was called Harsiddhi for

killing two demons o Chanda & Prachand. According to folk tradition,

harsiddhi is the worshipping goddess of Raja Vikramaditya.

There is a mention of this temple in the books of the 13th century

A.D. but present temple is of the Maratha period. An artistic pillar

adorns the entrance. The two large columns situated in the courtyard

of the temple are Deepswthambs or lamps, symbols of Maratha

architecture. Lit during Navaratri they present a glorious spectacle.

On one of the columns of the present tank, the year 1447 is

d. There are few other temples of gods and goddess on the

premises. The Karkoteshwar Mahadev mandir, one of the main temples

out of the 84 mahadev is situated in the temple premises. In both the

narratives occasions, special worship & celebration are performed

here in the month of Chaitra & Ashwin. It is believed that the

Goddess of this temple Mataji remains at Koila Dungar temple in

Porbander for twelve hours and comes to Ujjain ka temple in the

evening during aarti time.

Insights: There is something special about this temple complex. We

found the environs very peaceful and rejuvenating. There was some

stirring within.

6. Siddhavat Mandir: As there is glory of the Ashayarat in Prayag,

Boudhvat in Gaya and Vanshivat in Vrindavan and Panchavata of Nasik

just like that Siddhvat is a famous place of pilgrimage in Ujjain.

According to tradition, all these trees are immortals & worshipped as

Kalpniksha. According to Aramkand of Skandpurana, this tree was

planted by Goddess Parvati herself. In diety devil war, the demons

emperor Tarkasu was killed by Swami Kartikeya, the son of Lord Shiva.

Kartik Swami was appointed as army leader by diety. Under this tree

the power by which Swami Kartikeya killed Tarkasu is situated in the

middle of Shipra and is known as Shaktibeah Tirth. Thousands of

pilgrims take a dip in the Shipra from the bathing ghat built here.

Goddess Parvati made food eaten by Swami Karthikeya. According to

history Raja Vikramaditya got Betal Siddhi after doing austerity

here. Mahendra, Sangamitra the son & daughter of Raja Ashok after

worshipping here traveled long distances – to countries such as Sri

Lanka. In the Mughal times, destruction took place in Ujjain like

other places in India. At the same time, this tree was cut & closed

by 7 round plates but immediately after a great blitz it got free

again. It is the characteristic of this pilgrimage that is related

with property, children and salvation. 3 main characteristics are-

For the fulfillment of desires the thread (Raksha Sutra) is tied

here.

For the desire of child especially an opposite Swastik is made here

afterwards the lap is filled by coconut.

For the peace of forefathers (milk is poured to its branches). There

is a special importance of Pind Dan here.

The little village of Bhairogarh near Siddhavat was known for dye

painting for centuries. In ancient times when trade with other

countries flourished, cloth from Bhairogarh found its way to Rome &

China.

Insights: I skipped this mandir and we drove towards Mangalnath

mandir but wifey Aparna insisted that we return to the place, a wise

decision. I was greatly enamored by this open-air temple on the banks

of the river Shipra. Something special about the place. To the right

of the temple is the Tree where devotees tie red thread. People come

from far and wide. We met an old couple from Churu Rajasthan.

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7. Kaal Bhairav: Shaivite form of worship has also assigned

importance to the adoration of 8 Bhairavas. Kaal Bhairav is the

foremost amongst them. Skanda purana has made a mention of the temple

of Kaalbhairav in its Avanti Khanda. According to some antique

tradition, the followers of Kapalika & Aghora sects used to worship

Shiva or Bhairava. Ujjain was also connected with the pattern of

worship developed by these sects. People offer liquor as part of the

worship. It is said that a certain king named Bhadrasen got this

temple constructed; this must have been a great temple during the

Parmar period. Images of Shiva, Parvati, Vishnu & Ganesh have been

recovered from this place. This temple was rebuilt with the remains

of the old temple. Beautiful paintings in Malwa style once decorated

the temple walls. The temple to the right of the courtyard is

dedicated to Vithala and to the left is a Dharamshala.

Insights: Seeing devotees offer liquor to God can be scary for some

not for those who come with bhavna & respect for the Lord. The mandir

is situated on what was once a cremation ground. A new cremation

ground is situated close to the mandir. The temple Pandit looked a

bit different, wifey found him scary but I found him very intuitive.

Mangalnath Mandir: According to Matsya puran, this is the birthplace

of Mangalgraha or Mars. Flowing Shipra river presents a very

beautiful view in front of the temple. Devotees gather in large

numbers esp. on Tuesday. Located on a hillock, this place represents

the highest place in the area. In ancient times, the place was famous

as it is said to have provided a clear view of Mars – Ujjain was an

important center for astronomical studies. This place, traditionally

known for its suitability for astronomical readings of mars continues

to hold its religious importance. Worship of Lord Shiva is offered at

the temple. Karkarekha goes through the center of the Shivalinga at

Mangalnath, it is centrally placed.

Insights: This is the only authentic temple in the country for the

puja of the Mangal graha which is Mars. As a planet Mars is supposed

to make a person very aggressive which could have adverse effects

overall if the energy is not channelised in the right manner. For

those who have mangaldosh a special puja is performed only at this

temple in the country. We witnessed one such Shanti Puja in which the

lingam was smeared with kumkum, panchaamrut and later on with cooked

rice. Finally the Pandit completed the puja with Shringar of the

lingam. We were fortunate to witness the entire process. Even though

it was someone else's puja he explained the entire process to us and

got us to experience it firsthand.

If you like to perform the puja contact Pujari Mahendra Bharti at

9827313905, 9826312891, 9425945577.

Shani Mandir – Triveni Navagraha: the temple of Navagraha, the nine

planets situated on the Triveni ghat of Shipra is a prominent center

of attraction for piligrims. The temple is about 150 years old. Large

crowds come to the Navagraha temple on the Amavasya falling on

Saturdays. Religious importance of this place is increasing in recent

times although there is hardly any reference to this in ancient

texts. Mythological sanctity of the invisible river Saraswati is

associated with the story of Triveni Sangam.

Insights: Very quiet environment. The Pandit's wife had a special

glow on her face.

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8. Sandipani Ashram: 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.

According to Puranic tradition Krishna & his friend Sudama received

regular instructions in the Ashram of Kulaguru Sandipani. Besides

Mahabharata, the Puranas, Shrimad Bhagavata, Brahma, Agni &

Brahmavairaita bear references to the Sandipani Ashram.

Archaeological evidence of 3,000 years old painted grey wares has

been recovered from this area. These bear a resemblance to the

similar remains recovered at Hastinapura, Indraprastha, Mathura &

Kausambi. These evidences show that this region is the oldest in the

city. Gomati Kund is the old source of water supply to the Ashram &

the same has been referred to in the Puranas also.

The image of standing Nandi near the tank is worth seeing and it

belongs to the Shunga period. We were told that it is the only temple

in India where Nandi is standing as elsewhere Nandi is found sitting.

The area nearby is known as Ankapata.

In all Shiv temples the Nag (snake) is invariably wound around the

Lingam. In this ashram there is a Shiv temple in which there is a

lingam with the Nag crawling by its side.

In the beginning of the 16th century the great Vaishnava saint Shri

Vallabhacharya delivered his religious discourses in the vicinity of

this ashram. The followers of the Vallabha sect count this place as

the 73rd seat of their acharya who is said to have made 84 sittings

for religious discourses throughout through out India. We were taken

around by Harsh Vyas who belongs to Sandipani Rishi ka vansh.

Insights: Mitras something special about this place, the positive

vibrations and feeling of equanimity that we experienced.

If you like to have more information about the Ashram contact Pandit

Rupam/Harsha Vyas 9425092465, 9229428213. He belongs to Maharishi

Sandipani Vansh.

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9. Kaliyadah Palace: as is lost now in the symphonious solitude of

the streams of river Shipra flowing through tanks and channels with

frolicsome twists and turns in the serene setting of nature, was once

a majestic sun temple. Avanti-Mahatmya of the Skanda Purana has

recorded a description of the sun-temple, the Surya –kunda and the

Brahma-kunda. To this day people from nearby villages hold their

religious bath in one of the tanks known as Surya-kunda. Parts of the

old temple are scattered here and there throughput the area and the

flow of Shipra is divided into two parts on the southern side.

The streams of Shipra have been made to rush through tanks & channels

(aired on the western side by arresting it on the eastern side by a

barrage). The palace was shaped in its present form in the 16th

century by Nasiruddin Khilji, the then ruler of Malwa. The central

dome of the palace is an e.g. of Persian architecture. Visits of

Akbar & Jehangir to this place are recorded in inscriptions found in

the long corridor adjacent to the tanks. The palace came under the

control of the Scindias during the Maratha period. The Sun temple was

restored by Rajmata Scindia. Today the whole place is deserted.

Bhartrihari Gufa (caves): These caves are situated just above the

bank of the Shipra near the temple of Gadkalika. According to

tradition, this is the spot where Bhartrihari, who is said to have

been the stepbrother of Vikramaditya meditated after renouncing

worldly life. He is believed to have been a great scholar.

Chardham Mandir: founded by Shanti Swarupanandji Maharaj. Since a

number of us are unable to do the chardham for a variety of reasons

Maharajji made four temples in Ujjain itself so that devotees can

take anand (joy) there itself. The char dhams are Jagannath dham

(East, Orissa), Dwarkadhish dham (West, Gujarat), Badrinath dham

(North, Uttranchal) and Rameshwar dham (South, Tamil Nadu).

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.

Insights: The Gopal mandir is a large monument and situated in the

main market. Very close to it is a mosque with a large minaret. The

mosque is a recent construction. Due to its size and design it spoils

the aesthetics of the market place. When I spoke to my wife she said

that the mosque was very small when they were in school. When Ujjain

had riots this area was considered to be a sensitive one.

Mitras why is it that Muslims construct mosques close to important

Hindu places of worship. Egs are many mosques and temple adjoins each

other in Mathura & Kashi, Mumbai has Mahalaxmi & Haji Ali, and there

are a couple of mosques close to the Maheshwar mandir in Ujjain.

Another first about the market place is that I found Bohra Muslims

selling pictures of Hindu Gods & Shivaji, materials for temple visits

like agarbattis/flowers.

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10. The Vedha Shala (Observatory): Ujjain enjoyed a position of

considerable importance in the field of astronomy. Great works on

astronomy such as the Surya Siddhanta and the Panch Siddhanta were

written in Ujjain. According to Indian astronomers, the Tropic of

Cancer is supposed to pass through Ujjain. It is also the fist

meridian of longitude of the Hindu geographers. From about the 4th

century BC, Ujjain enjoyed the reputation of being India's Greenwich.

The observatory today was built by Raja Jai Singh (1686-1743), who

was a great scholar. He translated the works of Ptolemy and Euclid

into Sanskrit from Arabic. Of the many observatories built by him at

Jaipur, Delhi, Varanasi, Mathura, and Ujjain, the one at Ujjain is

still in use actively. Astronomical studies are conducted through the

Department of Education and the ephemeris is published every year.

There is a small planetarium and a telescope to observe the moon,

Mars, Jupiter and their satellites. The observatory is also used for

weather forecasts.

zjj · January 21, 2007

Sanjeev,

I've been to Ujjain too and have visited many of the places you mentioned and described.

The Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga was amazing and we also drove two hours east of the city to visit the Omkareshwar Jyotirlinga that sits on the banks of the Narmada. That was beautiful.

We went to Sandipani Muni's ashram, the Sankat Mochan Hanuman Temple, and the Gopal Mandir. I loved the Gopal Mandir!

While we were in Ujjain, it happened to be Navratri and the Harsiddhi Mata Mandir was lit up so beautifully. I felt blessed to be there and took a prasadi chundari back to London for some of my friends who are devi bhaktas.

The holy Shipra is so clean and pure that bathing there wasn't just a spiritual pleasure, it was a bodily pleasure too!

I was very lucky to be there in 2004, in April, just before the Kumbh Mela started so the river had been cleaned in preparation. There were tents and campsites erected everywhere and the atmosphere was very exciting with sadhus and sants arriving from all over Bharat.

One other thing is that we were not harassed by people who wished to perform poojas or vidis for us as often happens in other places in India. Instead, we were made so welcome and the Brahmins were so polite that we felt blessed to have met them and be in their presence.

Ujjain was one of my favourite places and I hope and pray that I shall go to that holy city once again. I thank Mahakaleshwar and Harsiddhi Mata for showing my such mercy that I had the opportunity to have darshan of them.

It is a very special place. Anyone who has not already gone should go!

Haribol!

Jai