In the west of Madhya Pradesh, Ujjain, Holy City and of pilgrimage for million Hindus, are a remarkable place. A large variety of temples can there be visited, with all the more pleasure which the reception poses no problem and which the foreigner can be invited even there to penetrate in the interior sanctuary of the divinity, which is not so frequent in India. Complementary interest: the aspect of the divine statues can take unexpected forms, quite different from the usual guns. The environment of the temples is fascinating, but one will pass in fact little time to detail architecture of it because, if the statues are often extremely old, they are sheltered in temples which, with the wire of the centuries and destruction, were rebuilt on several occasions. Let us point out a little the history of Ujjain.
From the 10 2nd at the 13 2nd century, the dynasty of Paramâra made the fame of this area of Mâlvâ. At that time, Ujjain was an arts centre and administrative significant. But the Moslem invasions culminated with the destruction of the temple of Mahakaleshvar in 1235, and this area passed under the authority of the sultanate of Delhi.
Later, to the 18 2nd and 19 2nd centuries, the Hindu dynasty of Marâtha left monuments of sober architecture.
Temple of Mahakaleshvar: the most significant place and holiest of Ujjain with its underground sanctuary sheltering one of the twelve Jyotir Lingam of India. Jyotir Lingam or "Lingam of light" pass to have left miraculeusement ground; they are obviously svayambû i.e. created themselves. Every twelve years, Simhasta is held (equivalent in Kumbh Mela of the other holy places). Million people flows because it is also in this crowned place that part of the nectar of immortality would have fallen on ground, at the beginning of the world, when the gods and the demigods churned the Milk of the Ocean of the Origins and that it left the marvellous things there. This temple would be oldest of Ujjain, but the current building dates only from the 18 2nd century (period marathe). The visit starts with a long peripheral corridor of a large court. Several small side sanctuaries (Ganesh, Bhairav, Kâlî, etc). In the principal sanctuary, in basement, priests constantly sprinkle crowned Lingam of whey; the faithful ones bring offerings. Much agitation and noise. In niches glazed, on three sides of the small part, trônent marble statues: Ganesh, Shiva carrying a lotus on which small Ganesh is held, with Nandi with the feet of Shiva. The third statue is Brahmâ quadricéphale. Going up in the large court, one penetrates then, very at side, in a temple with will shikhara capped of gold. Second Jyotir Lingam, smaller, is honoured there in its sanctuary.
Temple of Shri Bade Ganeshji: near to the temple of Mahakaleshvar, one finds there a very large statue (approximately 3.5 m height) of not specified dating of Ganesh sitting, strongly coloured, of conventional representation but nevertheless majestic. Ganesh is accompanied here by its wives Riddhi and Siddhi. On the wall which faces him, one can recognize a modern statue of Vyâsa, the mythical compiler of Veda. In an interior room, several statues draw the attention: in the center, in a cage provided with bars, very rare gilded Hanuman with five heads. In an angle, same figuration of Hanuman, in the shape of a stone coarsely carved, painted in red. And a naive figuration of the Krishna baby têtant his Yashoda nurse.
Temple of Harsiddhi: not far from Bade Ganeshji Mandir, this temple, dedicated to the Annâpurnâ goddess, is located on the edges of the ghâts of the Khsipra river. According to the legend, it is in these places that the elbow of the dismembered body of Sîtâ, the wife of the Shiva god, fell on ground. One will notice large the stone carry-lamps in the interior court of the temple. In the court still, by kinds of port-holes, one can see an underground temple where various statues are installed.
Temple of Shri Kal Bhairav (northern suburbs of Ujjain, on banks of the Khsipra river). One passes in front of a series of small stalls which sell objects of piety and one pénétre in the enclosure of the temple. This temple is particular because one venerates there the god Bhairava, an uncommon and wild form of Shiva (however very known in Nepal). In front of the entry of the temple, kept on both sides by Ganesh and the Mahesvari goddess, is held the animal-vehicle of Bhairav, the dog, vêtu of a sumptuous coat which it emmaillote. The statue of the god affects an odd pace piriforme.Dans the worship of Kal Bhairav, one offers alcohol to the god what is very unusual in the Hindu worships. The faithful ones bring and offer small bottles to this use. The priest pours of them approximately 1/3 in a cup which it gives to drinking with the god. The liquid disappears in the mouth...
Temple of Gadhakalika Devî, not far from Kal Bhairav, dedicated to Kâlî in the shape of a splendid goddess drawing a long language. A modern lion under a stone platform faces him, in the court. Into the back of the temple, on the enclosing wall, a lintel of color vermilion is inserted whose divinities, difficult to identify, could be Navagrahâ and Ganesh.
Temple of Sthirman Ganesh, beside the precedent, is a small temple of Ganesh. The statue of the god who is in the sanctuary is painted in vermilion and of form fruste; a characteristic is the presence of a vâhana of big size, out of white marble, in a posture of supplication, in front of the entry of the sanctuary.
Temple of Shri Chintaman Ganesh: located in south-western suburbs of Ujjain, to 5 km of the Kshipra river, this very old temple conceals, in its sanctuary placed downwards, a statue "svayambhû-mûrti" of Ganesh, very venerated. Painted in vermilion, ointe of pastes, form very fruste, it is the subject of ritual private individuals Wednesday, and a significant pilgrimage in the month of Chaitra (March-April).
Vedha Shala, or Observatory, is less famous than Jantar Mantar de Jaipur, but it was, also, builds in 1733 pennies the orders of Maharaja to him Jai Singh II of Jaipur, this prince set on astronomy at the 18th century. Located on banks of the Kshipra river, it presents two characteristics: the longitude of Ujjain constitutes meridian line 0 of traditional Indian astronomy, and it is always in activity!!
With ten km of city, again on banks of the Kshipra river, the road of Indore, one will find interesting and unusual temple of Shani (Saturn), particularly venerated saturdays, but the symbols of the other Planets Divinisées (nine Navagraha) are also present. This temple is built in a highly magic place, Triveni Ghat. Indeed, people say that the mythical Sarasvatî river, with the underground course, joined there Kshipra and another small river of Ujjain, Khan.
One will announce also the Temple of Shri Sidhavat, in the open air, under a banyan of beautiful size, with the multiple painted trunks of vermilion, in edge of the river, then the temple of Mangalnath, where people come to request, especially Tuesday, the god Mangalam (Mars), the temple of Gadhakalika Devi where the goddess affects a strange form, curious caves of Bhartrihari finally. The access to the temple of Krishna (Gopal Mandir), built at the time Marathe at the 18th century, in the bazaar, is made difficult by circulation in the center.
One could not finally visit Ujjain while omitting to go on the ghats which, not to have not the reputation of those of Varanasi, offer the same permanent spectacles of the life of people.