Ujjain -Tourism

History of Ujjain:- According to legend, the gods and the demons once churned the ocean for Kumbha (a pot of divine nectar). First emerged a pot of vish or poison. The Lord Shiva drank it down. The poison was so strong that his divine neck turned blue and he was known as the Nilkantha or the blue-necked one. It all happened at Ujjain and that is the reason for its sacredness. In the ancient times and in the great Hindu epics, the Upanishads and the Puranas Ujjain was known as Avantika. According to the legend, the Lord Siva commemorated his victory over the demon ruler of Tripuri by changing the name of his capital to Ujjaiyini. Ujjaiyini means one who conquers with pride. Various dynasties like the Sakas, Guptas, Paramaras, the governors of the Slave Dynasty of Delhi, Mughals and Marathas ruled over this prosperous city. It is also said to have been the seat of the viceroyalty of Ashoka during the reign of his father at Pataliputra (Patna) in 275 BC. Chandragupta II also transferred his capital from Pataliputra to Ujjain. The emperor Asoka sons were born here, and it was from here that they set out to preach Buddhism. The poet Kalidasa, wrote some of his works here and even the god Krishna is believed to have studied here. Kalidas described the city as the town fallen from Heaven to bring heaven to earth. Ujjain was also situated on a trade route to Mesopotamia and Egypt and consequently trade flourished. Nowdays, it is little more than a provincial town.

Festivals of Ujjain:- The Kumbh Mela takes place in Ujjain after every 12 years in the month of April. During this fair, millions of pilgrims from all over the country gather here for a dip in the holy river. Kartik Mela is held in the month of November. This fair lasts for a month and draws large crowds from surrounding village.

Mahakaleshwar- Mahakaleshwar or the Mahakal shrine is one of the 12 Jyotirlingas. The shrine is a famed and respected temple which is dedicated to Lord Shiva. The shrine houses a Shivling which is believed to be the sole Jyotirling which looks towards the south. Therefore, it is also called in the name Dakshinmukhi or the south looking ling. The Mahakaleswhar temple is the most famous and significant shrine of the city and a must see place when you travel to Ujjain. 

Radha Madan Mohan Temple- Sri Sri Radha Madan Mohan Temple has been established by the ISKCON (International Society for Krishna Consciousness). The shrine is regarded as a milestone of the Hare Krishna Campaign. The mandir is home to a guesthouse and eating place, and is a top draw for travelers. 

Kal Bhairava- According to the Saivite culture, the veneration of the eight Bhairavas is an integral feature of the Hindu customs. The main among these Bhairavas is the Kal Bhairava, assumed to be constructed by the monarch Bhadresen, near the riverbanks of Shipra. This shrine has been cited in the Avanti Khanda of Skanda Purana. 

Bade Ganeshji Ka Mandir- Bade Ganeshji Ka Mandir is located over the reservoir close to the Mahakaleshwar Mandir. The place of worship houses an enormous and aesthetic statue of Lord Ganesha, who is Lord Shiva's son. A statue of this dimension and exquisiteness is scarce to be seen.

Pir Matsyendranath- This place is a top tourist draw in Ujjain. Lying on the riverbanks of Shipra, the place is devoted to commemorate one of the saints of the Natha faction of the Saivites - Matsyendranath. The Gadkalika mandir and the Bhartrihari caves are just close by. 

Bhartrihari Caves- The Bhartrihari caves lie over the riverbanks of Shipra near the Gadkalika mandir. As cited in mythology, this is the area where Bhartrihari, assumed as the half-brother of Vikramaditya, stayed and engaged in spiritual contemplation once he gave up his material life. Bhartrihari is regarded as an eminent intellectual and bard. The well-known literary creations include Vairagyashatak, Shringarshatak, and Nitishatak. All of them had the superb usage of the Sanskrit language. 

Chintaman Ganesh- The Chintaman Ganesh shrine is the largest historic place of worship dedicated to Lord Ganesha and is among popular tourist places in Ujjain. 

Maa Wagheshvari- The temple is famous for its magniloquent statue of the deity Wagheshwari and 'Sinh (lion) - Dwar (gate) 

Durgadas Ki Chhatri- This memorial is dedicated to Vir Durgadas who played a key role in making the city of Jodhpur free. The entire monument has been built in Rajput pattern architecture. 

Kaliadeh Palace- This historic mansion is situated in the northern part of the city of Ujjain. The regal Scindia clan of Madhya Pradesh ruled from the Kaliyadeh Palace and they were the owners of this mansion. 

Vedha Shala- Vedha Shala, also known as the Observatory, was a landmark construction by Raja Jai Singh the second, a monarch of the Rajput clan in the 18th century. It ranks among five such observation towers in the country and contains very old astronomical tools. 

Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan Museum- The famous museum is situated close to Chamunda tower, and houses a number of historic articles and mementos. As laid down by Hindu mythologies, it is also the area where Lord Krishna was taught with Sudama and Balarama under the guidance of Maharshi Sandipani. The Sandipani Ashram is a testament to this legend.

How to Reach Ujjain

By Air- The nearest airport to Ujjain is the Devi Ahilyabai Holkar Airport in Indore. It is located around 56 km from Ujjain. From the airport, taxi services are available to Ujjain. Indore is connected to major cities in India. International travelers can get connecting flights to Indore from Delhi and Mumbai. 

By Train- Ujjain has its own railway station which is well connected to major railway stations in India. Direct train services are available to Ujjain from Bhopal, Indore, Pune, Delhi and many other major cities. 

By Road- The road network of the city has been improved and is well connected with different cities and towns of Madhya Pradesh. State Highway 18 and State Highway 27 link Ujjain with the city of Indore. 

The major bus stands in the city are Nana Kheda bus stand (Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay bus stand) and Dewas Gate bus stand (Shaheed Raja Bhau Mahakal bus stand) along with Ujjain bus stand.