Route & Distance: Ujjain/Behrugarh—56 km/1hr 15 min—Indore

Day 1 UJJAIN

Start early to visit Ujjain’s prominent shrines like Harsiddhi, Mangalnath and Maharishi Sandipani Ashram on the ghats of the Shipra River. Time permitting, run through Ujjain’s other chief sights: Vedshala, Gadhkalika temple, Bhartrihari cave and samadhi of sage Matsyendranath.

A young devotee at the Mangalnath temple in Ujjain
A young devotee at the Mangalnath temple in Ujjain
Anurag Mallick

Make time to head to Behrugarh where the practice of offering alcohol continues at the Kalbhairav temple. Behrugarh is also known for its workshops where the 2000-year-old craft of batik printing is practised. Adjacent to the jail, watch artists in dingy workshops make designs with molten wax before dyeing and creating vibrant bed sheets, dupattas, and other fabrics of beauty.

Aghori sadhu Sri Yogi Baba Bam Bam Nath has been attending the bhasm arti at Ujjain's Mahakaleshwar Temple every day for the last 14 years. He follows it up with a visit to Harsiddhi Temple.
Aghori sadhu Sri Yogi Baba Bam Bam Nath has been attending the bhasm arti at Ujjain’s Mahakaleshwar Temple every day for the last 14 years. He follows it up with a visit to Harsiddhi Temple.

If you have just one night to spare, make it count by booking a slot for the bhasmarti at the Mahakaleshwar Temple online, well in advance. Overnight at a city hotel close to the temple.

 Day 2 INDORE

­­After a relatively sleepless night attending the 4 a.m. bhasmarti, catch a few hours of rest before driving out to Indore. With a little over half a day in Indore, follow the Holkar legacy at Rajwada and Lalbaag Palace, and visit the Jain Kanch Mandir. This temple was built by pioneering trader Sir Seth Hukumchand Jain and is located next to his mansion, Shish Mahal at Itwaria Bazar. The temple’s stunning interior, of mirrors and multi-coloured glass, was executed by craftsmen from Jaipur and Iran.

Built by local trader Sir Hukumchand, Indore's Shri Shantinath Digambar Jain temple is known as Kanch Mandir because of its dazzling mirror-work interiors.
Built by local trader Sir Hukumchand, Indore’s Shri Shantinath Digambar Jain temple is known as Kanch Mandir because of its dazzling mirror-work interiors.
Abhinandita Mathur

 

­­­ THE INFORMATION

Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga

Address: Jaisinghpura, Ujjain.
Website: www.mahakaleshwar.nic.in; www.mahakaleshwar.org.in

Bhairavgarh Prints

Address: Sana Enterprises, Off Kaliadeh Palace Marg, Near Bherugarh Jail, Ujjain.
Tel: +91 81204 76700, 98272 14700

Jain Kanch Mandir

Address: Hukumchand Marg, Itwaria Bazaar, Maharaja Tukoji Rao Holkar Cloth Market, Indore.

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