Nomad Saikat
The city of Ujjain is popular as a site of pilgrimage due to the presence of some important temples. Even though the Mahakaleshwar Temple in Ujjain is one of the most prominent temples in Ujjain there are other temples here as well that makes it a popular spot. One such active temple is the Kaal Bhairav Mandir Ujjain. The Kaal Bhairav Ujjain is one of the most powerful temples in Ujjain and devotees from all over the country and beyond visit this temple. People here believe that Lord Kaal Bhairav is the guardian of the city of Ujjain. According to devotees it is mandatory to pay offerings to this form of Lord Shiva. Therefore this is one of the most prominent temples in the city and also one of the most visited temples here as well.
Kaal Bhairav Ujjain
This is however an old temple and a lot of historical relevance is attached to this temple as well. Furthermore there are myths and rituals associated with this temple that further makes this an important temple in Madhya Pradesh. The devotees of Lord Kaal Bhairav visit him and offer their prayers to the Lord in some unique ways. So if you are ever visiting Madhya Pradesh or Ujjain make sure you plan a visit to this temple. Check out the Kaal Bhairav Ujjain photos and plan a visit to the temple soon. Keep on reading this article as here I will mention everything that you need to know about the Kala Bhairav Temple in Ujjain. This will be a helpful article for you if you are planning a trip to this mandir in Ujjain any time soon.
Location: Goyala Buzurg, Madhya Pradesh
Timings: Kaal Bhairav Mandir Ujjain timings are from 6 am to 8 pm. The morning aarti timing is from 7 am to 8 pm and the evening aarti timing is from 6 pm to 7 pm.
Entry fee: There is no entry fee
How to reach
By air
If you are travelling by air then the Devi Ahilyabai Holkar Airport in Indore is the nearest airport to reach the Kaal Bhairav Mandir Ujjain. From the Indore airport the temple is located at a distance of 69 km. It would approximately take you around 1 hour and 30 minutes to reach the temple from the airport. The most convenient way to travel to the temple would be to take a car or a cab from the airport to reach the location.
By train
If you are travelling by train then the nearest railway station to reach the location is the Ujjain Junction in Madhya Pradesh. From Ujjain Junction the location of the Kaal Bhairav Temple is 5.8 km. It would take you around 20 minutes to reach the temple from the Ujjain Railway Station. You will get trains from major cities and towns to reach the Ujjain Junction. And from the Ujjain Junction you can easily opt for local transports to reach the Bhairav Temple. Or else you can hire a car as well to reach the temple from the railway station in Ujjain.
By road
You will get buses from major cities and towns of Madhya Pradesh to reach the temple. The State Corporation Bus Service is available to reach Ujjain conveniently. Other than that private buses are also available from nearby cities and towns which you can opt for. If you are travelling by bus then the Ujjain bus stand is the nearest bus stop to reach the Kaal Bhairav Temple. From the bus stand the temple is located at a distance of 6.6 km. It would take you around 18 minutes to reach the temple from Ujjain bus stand. It would be convenient to take local transport like rickshaws or auto rickshaws from the bus stand to reach the temple. Or else you can hire a car or take a cab as well to reach the Bhairav Temple.
However you can travel by your own vehicle as well to reach the Bhairav Temple. You can travel from any location by your own vehicle as the location is well connected through roadways. Or else you can hire a car or take a cab from any location as well to reach the Kaal Bhairav Mandir Ujjain.
Overview of Kaal Bhairav Mandir
Shree Kal Bhairav Mandir Ujjain is one of the most popular temples in Madhya Pradesh located in Ujjain. Dedicated to Lord Shiva, this temple worships a more fierce form of Lord Shiva. Here the presiding deity is Kaal Bhairav or Kala Bhiarav. And according to the devotees of Lord Kaal Bhairav he is the guardian of the city of Ujjain. Located near the Shipra River this is a very active site of pilgrimage. Devotees from all around the country visit here to pay their offering and prayers to the deity. After the Mahakal Temple in Ujjain this is another temple in Ujjain that is very prominent and considered powerful. More than a thousand devotees visit this temple every day to pay their visit to Kaal Bhairav.
As a part of Saivite religion the worship of Ashta Bhairava is extremely important. And according to beliefs Lord Kaal Bhairava is the chief deity. Traditionally the worship of Kaal Bhairav was popular amongst the Aghora and the Kapalika sects. And Ujjain had always been a prominent location for these sects as well. But soon the temple also started becoming an important site of pilgrimage for other devotees as well. It was then that people from all around the country started visiting this temple making this temple one of the prominent temples in the country.
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One of the things that makes this a popular temple are the rituals here. Here the devotees can offer various pujas to the deity. Some of them are Kaal Sarp Dosh Puja, Pitra Dosh Puja, Mangalnath Bhat Puja, Angarak Dosh Puja, Graha Dosh Puja and more. Also here you will find a very unique tradition as well. And that is the devotees here offer the deity an offering of liquor. His Chadava of liquor is a common procedure here at the temple. So whenever you are visiting Ujjain make sure you are definitely visiting the Kaal Bhairav Mandir Ujjain once.
History of Kaal Bhairav Mandir
In accordance with the Avanti Khanda of Skanda Purana King Bhadrasen had built the original temple of Kaal Bhairav. Here you will also find images of Devi Parvati, Lord Siva, Lord Vishnu and Lord Ganesha. All these belong to the Paramara Period that is the period from the 9th to the 13th century CE. At present however the architecture of this temple reflects a huge influence of the Maratha style of architecture. But the remains of the old temples are present here as well. According to history, once a Maratha General Mahadji Shinde offered his turban or pagri to the deity here. He also prayed for his victory in the battle so that he could establish Maratha rule in North India. And after winning the battle and resurrecting the power of the Marathas he renovated the old temple to bring back its glory.
The deity of Lord Kaal Bhairav is a rock face and it is covered in vermillion that creates a reflection of a deity. Also during the era of the Maratha rule the people used to put a Maratha style Pagri or Turban on the silver head of the deity as well.
Offerings of alcohol in Kaal Bhairav Temple
One of the things that makes the temple of Kaal Bhairav in Ujjain unique is the fact that the deity here is offered alcohol. According to beliefs here the deity consumes the alcohol that the devotees offer. You will find various stalls outside the temple that sell baskets of offerings. It has flowers, coconuts and other items along with alcohol for the offering. In 2005 the State Government set up liquor counters for the purpose of the puja to prevent cases of illegal alcohol dealers who can con the devotees.
The ritual of offering alcohol follows a certain way. Here the priest pours one fourth of the alcohol in a saucer and takes it close to the deity. According to beliefs the deity then takes a sip of the alcohol as soon as it is brought in front of the lips of the deity. And then the alcohol completely disappears in just some time.
However there is no justification or answer to how that is even possible. The ritual has been continuing for a long time and is still continuing at the temple. But there is one hypothesis that suggests that maybe the deity consists of some sort of a porous stone. So as soon as the alcohol is taken in front of the deity it dissolves the alcohol. But then how much can even a stone hold right? Because the ritual has been continuing for many years the hypothesis suggests that maybe the alcohol evaporates to nothingness. But till today the devotees offer the alcohol here with the belief that the deity is consuming it. And the remaining one third of the same liquor is then handed over to the devotees again.
Wrapping Up!
So that was all that you needed to know about the Kaal Bhairav Mandir Ujjain and now you can definitely plan a trip there. The myths attached to the temple and the rituals make it one of the unique temples in the country. Moreover the devotees of Lord Kaal Bhairav consider him to be very powerful. And that is also one of the reasons why this is one of the most visited temples in the city of Ujjian. So whenever you are visiting Ujjain you must visit the temple once to check it out yourself. The ancient temple will surely be one of the interesting locations that you can visit in the city. Also you can yourself go through the unique rituals here and observe them yourself.
So when are you planning a trip to the Kaal Bhairav Mandir Ujjain? And let me know if this article on Kaal Bhairav Temple Ujjain is helpful for you in planning a trip to this location.
