UJJAIN TOURISM | TOURIST PLACES TO VISIT & TRAVEL GUIDE TO UJJAIN
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About Ujjain
Country: India | State: Madhya Pradesh
#100 of 21 Places to visit in Madhya Pradesh
Ideal Trip Duration: 1-2 Days
Nearest City to Ujjain: Indore (56 Kms)
Best Time to Visit Ujjain: October to March
Peak Season: November to February
At a distance of 56 km from Indore, 197 km from Bhopal, 265 km from Kota, 266 km from Chittorgarh, 336 km from Udaipur, 341 km from Vadodara, 389 km from Ahmedabad, 455 km from Tikamgarh, 485 km from Surat, 516 km from Jaipur, Ujjain is an ancient city situated in the Malwa region of Madhya Pradesh. It is one of the holiest places to visit in India, and among the must include places in Madhya Pradesh tour packages.
Situated on the banks of the Kshipra River, Ujjain is one of the divine lands in Madhya Pradesh which fascinates its tourists with its religious significance. The ancient city is known as the temple city for its numerous temples from different eras including one of the 12 Jyotirlingas the Mahakaleshwar Temple, among the must-include places in Ujjain tour packages. It is one of the four sacred sites in India, where the famous 'Kumbh Mela', the world's largest religious gathering, is organized once in 12 years. Ujjain is considered the Greenwich of India, with the first meridian of longitude passing through it. Being one of the most popular tourist hubs in Madhya Pradesh, Ujjain is one of the prominent places to visit near Indore.
Also known by the names Ujjain, Avanti, Avantika, and Avantikapuri, the city of Ujjain existed from the pre-Mahabharata Era. Lord Krishna is believed to have received his education from Sandipani Ashram in Ujjain. According to mythology, this is also the place where Lord Ram performed 'Pind-Daan' for his father king Dasharat. As per history, the city has been ruled by King Vikramaditya from the Gupta dynasty for a very long time. It emerged as the political center of central India around 600 BCE. In the 4th century BCE, the Mauryan emperor Chandragupta annexed Avanti to his empire, and his grandson the great Ashoka served as the viceroy of Ujjain.
Later the Paramaras (9th-14th century CE) took control over the city, and Iltutmish of Delhi Sultanate plundered the city in 1235 CE. Later, Ujjain came under the reign of the Mughal emperor Akbar and then the city became the capital of the Malwa. Then, during the last half of the 18th century, Ujjain served as the headquarters of the Maratha leader Scindia. The Scindias later established themselves at Gwalior, and Ujjain remained part of Gwalior state until 1947. After India's Independence, the Scindia ruler of Gwalior acceded to the Indian Union, and Ujjain became part of the Madhya Bharat state. In 1956, Madhya Bharat merged into the Madhya Pradesh state.
A large number of tourists including foreigners visit this wonderful destination to enjoy the sight of splendid temples and other places of worship that enhances the beauty of Ujjain. Mahakaleshwar Temple, Kal Bhairava Temple, Ram Ghat, Harsiddhi Temple, Kalideh Palace, Pir Matsyendranath, Jantar Mantar, Bhartrihari Caves, ISKCON Temple, Bade Ganeshji Ka Mandir, etc., are some of the popular and top places to visit in Ujjain.
Kumbh Mela is a popular festival celebrated in Ujjain with great enthusiasm, which is known to bring together people of different religions, castes, and mindsets. Considered one of the largest religious festivals in the world, devotees from across the globe visit Ujjain during this time and bathe in the holy waters. Maha Shivaratri is another significant festival celebrated in Ujjain due to the presence of Mahakaleshwar. Karthik Mela, All India Kalidas Samaroh, Kalidasa Handmade Craft Mela, Mahakal Shravan Sawari, Pancheshani Yatra, Holi, Diwali, and Dussehra are the other main festivals celebrated here with great pomp and fervor.
About 58 k from Ujjain, Devi Ahilya Bai Holkar Airport, Indore is the nearest airport that has well-connected flights from Mumbai, New Delhi, Bangalore, Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Ahmedabad. Ujjain Junction Railway Station is the nearest railhead that has well-connected trains from Indore, Shalimar, Gwalior, Jaipur, Bhopal, Kamakhya, Kochuveli, Veraval, Bangalore, Somnath, Dehradun, Jhansi, Ahmedabad, Bhuj, Pune, Mumbai, Gorakhpur, Muzaffarpur, Gandhi Dham, New Delhi, Puri, Lucknow, Bilaspur, Patna, Okha, Surat, Hyderabad, Chandigarh, Surat, Varanasi, Darbhanga, Mysuru, and Jabalpur. Dewas Gate Stand and Nana Kheda Bus Stand are the nearest bus stations that have frequent bus connectivity with all major cities of Madhya Pradesh.
The best time to visit Ujjain is from October to March when the weather is pleasant and just perfect for sightseeing. While the winter months are icy cold, summer months (March - June) are extremely hot. Ujjain is pleasant during the monsoon since the rainfall is moderate and not heavy.
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