Kal Bhairav Temple

Getting there

• By air

  Devi Ahilyabai Holkar Airport in Indore is the nearest, 53 km away.

• By train

  Ujjain railway station is on the Western Railway zone, code UJN.

• By road

  Regular buses run from Ujjain to Indore, Bhopal, Ratlam, Gwalior, Mandu, Dhar, Kota and Omkareshwar. Good motorable roads link Ujjain with Ahmedabad, Bhopal and Delhi.

Rules to know

• Liquor is still offered to the deity as part of the ritual.

Why devotees come here

Kal Bhairav Temple stands on the banks of the Shipra River in Ujjain city, Madhya Pradesh. Kal Bhairav is the chief of the eight Bhairavas and the guardian deity of Ujjain. The deity is a face in rock, layered with vermilion.

The worship of the eight Bhairavas is part of the Saivite tradition, and Kal Bhairav is the chief among them. He is also the guardian deity of Ujjain, its Senapati or chief general. The deity's image is a face in rock, layered with vermilion. Its silver head wears a Maratha-style pagri.

The original temple is believed to have been built by a little-known king, Bhadrasen. The Avanti Khanda of the Skanda Purana mentions it. Images of Shiva, Parvati, Vishnu and Ganesha from the Paramara period, between the 9th and 13th centuries, have been found at the site. The present structure shows Maratha influence. Malwa-style paintings once decorated its walls, and only traces remain.

According to local tradition, after the Maratha defeat in the Third Battle of Panipat in 1761, the general Mahadaji Shinde offered his turban to the deity. He prayed for victory in his campaign to restore Maratha rule in North India. The temple stands on the Shipra riverbank and is one of the most active temples in the city.

Tips for your visit

• The priest does not let visitors examine the statue.
• During the 2016 Simhastha, the state banned liquor sales in Ujjain for a month, but shops in front of the temple were allowed to sell alcohol.

Questions people ask