UJJAIN Tourism, UJJAIN Travel Guide
About Ujjain
Ujjain, also known by the names of Ujjayini and Avanti, and is a historic city located in the Malwa region of Madha Pradesh. Ujjain is situated on the eastern bank of the holy River Shipra and is one of the seven sacred cities for Hindus.
The city of Ujjain is a major religious center for Hindus, and is home to Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga, one of the twelve Jyotirlinga Shrines of god Shiva. Hindus believe that during "Sagar Manthan", one drop of nectar spilled over Ujjain and two parts of Skanda Purana were written here. Kumbh Mela, the mammoth religious festival is organized after every twelve years at Ujjain.
Ujjain is a perfect treat for religious tourists from Hindu religion. The city has numerous old temples that hold high significance in the Hindu culture. Other than the religious tourist spots, tourists can enjoy the astronomical centers like Ujjain Observatory and old caves like Bhartrihari caves
Ujjain - Tourist Attractions
| Religious Tourist Attractions | ||
| Mahakaleshwara Temple | Bhartrihari Caves | Kal Bhairav Temple |
| Harsiddhi Temple | Bade Ganeshji ka Mandir | Mangalnath Temple |
| Gopal Mandir | Gadkalika Temple | Siddhavat |
| Vikram Kirti Mandir | Sandipani Ashram | Pir Matsyendranath |
| Navgraha Mandir | Chintamani Ganesh Temple | |
| Historical Tourist Attractions | ||
| Kaliadeh palace | Ujjain Observatory | |
Ujjain History
Ujjain was an important city for settlers from the time of Aryans. By the 6th century B.C. Avanti with its capital at Ujjaini, is mentioned in Buddhist literature as one of the four great powers along with Vatsa, Kosala and Magadha. Ujjain lay on the main trade route between North India and Deccan going from Mathura via Ujjain to Mahismati (Maheshwar) on the Narmada, and on to Paithan on the Godavari, western Asia and the West.
Since the 4th century B.C. the city of Ujjain has marked the first meridian of longitude in Hindu geography. It is also reputed to have been the residence of Ashoka (who subsequently became the emperor), when he was the viceroy of the western provinces of the Mauryan Empire.
In the 6th and 7th centuries, Ujjain was a major centre of mathematical and astronomical research. The famous mathematicians who worked there included: Brahmagupta, whose book Brahmasphutasiddhanta was responsible for spreading the use of zero, negative numbers and the positional number system to Arabia and Cambodia; Varahamihira, who was the first to discover many trigonometric identities; and Bhaskaracharya, or Bhaskara II, whose book Lilavati broke new ground in many areas of mathematics.
Ujjain was invaded by the forces of the Delhi Sultanate led by Iltutmish in 1235, suffering widespread destruction and systematic desecration of temples. Under the Mughal emperor Akbar it became the capital of Malwa. During the last half of the 18th century Ujjain was the headquarters of the Maratha leader Scindia. The Scindias later established themselves at Gwalior, and Ujjain remained part of Gwalior state until Indian Independence in 1947.