ABOUT UJJAIN KUMBH MELA - BRIEF HISTORY
The Ujjain Kumbh is celebrated when Jupiter ascends into sun sign Leo's quarter or the Simha constellation of zodiac, which is why it is called 'Simhastha'. The Simhastha is special in Ujjain as it is the seat of divine Mahakal - the Lord of all times. The ritual of bathing in the holy waters of Kshipra begins on the full moon day of the Hindu month of Chaitra (March-April) and continues on various dates until the full moon shows up in the following month of Vaishakha.The Simhastha Kumbh is an unrivalled celebration in India. The most popular legend regarding the origin of Kumbh Melas is the Samudra Manthan or 'churning of the ocean'. Gods and demons competed ercely in the churning in search of the divine nectar of immortality. During this epic battle to capture the Urn (Kumbh) containing the nectar, drops of the precious liquid fell on four places – Haridwar, Prayag (Allahabad), Nashik and Ujjain. Hence, river Kshipra became the enhancer of life and to celebrate this event since then the grand festival came in vogue. Kumbh Mela, is held once every twelve years at these four places and attracts millions of devotees. Sadhus of various sects from across the country assemble in Ujjain and mingle with ordinary people as they take their ritual dip in the holy waters of the Kshipra.
And the next, 2016 Kumbh Mela will going to be held in Ujjain (April 22 to May 21, 2016) - 'SIMHASTHA KUMBH MELA'
What Is Kumbh Mela ?
Kumbh mela is a mela which can be described as a festival of the pot. Where Kumbh means pot or pitcher and Mela means festival or fair. pot. Kumbh mela simply relates to the pot of nectar in Hindu mythology. It is the eternal flow of humanity. It is the flow of life itself. Kumbh is the source of all energy. It is the symbol of the confluence of nature and humanity. It is the symbol of spiritual awakening. Kumbh mela is the confluence of all our cultures.The Kumbh Mela is a unique part of culture and heritage where no one needs an invitation to come and where no one is asked his name or caste.
ABOUT UJJAIN
The ancient city of Ujjain lies on the banks of river Kshipra. The number of temples in Ujjain, it is popularly held, is so large that if one comes here with two cartloads of grain and o ers only one handful at each temple, one would still run short of o erings. Legend has it that Ujjain is one of the saptapuris, or the seven holy cities of India that grant moksha or liberation from the cycle of birth and death. Ujjain hosts the Simhastha, as the Kumbh Mela is known here, every 12 years, the latest of which was in 2004. For centuries, people have been thronging the ghats on the Kshipra not only for holy baths but also to perform life-cycle rituals. The most important ghat is Ram Ghat where every evening a spectacular ritual, Sandhya Aarti, is held. Priests gather at sundown to worship the sacred river with owers, incense, sandalwood and vermillion.
The Holy Bath Of Faith
During the rare celestial time of the Simhastha, millions of pilgrims arrive at the banks of Kshipra to take the holy dip, uni ed by the traditions and beliefs of the Indian culture. These ghats of Kshipra are the constant centres of bathing, giving alms and libations. The many ghats of Kshipra attract pilgrims, photographers, poets and uncountable locals. During Simhastha, these people become witness to one of the biggest festivals of faith, when millions of people converge to take a dip in the holy waters of Kshipra.
SIGNIFICANCE OF KUMBH MELA
To understand the significance of the Kumbh Mela and the important role that it plays in the spirituality of India, it is helpful to know something about the background of the sacred Ganges River. The devout believe that simply by bathing in the Ganges one is freed from their past sins (karma), and thus one becomes eligible for liberation from the cycle of birth and death. Of course it is said that a pure lifestyle is also required after taking bath, otherwise one will again be burdened by karmic reactions .The pilgrims come from all walks of life, traveling long distances and tolerating many physical discomforts, such as sleeping in the open air in near freezing weather. They undergo these difficulties just to receive the benefit of taking a bath in the sacred river at Kumbh Mela.
Kumbh Mela has gained international fame as "the world's most massive act of faith." Pilgrims come to this holy event with such tremendous faith and in such overwhelming numbers that it boggles the mind. Faith is the most important thing for the pilgrims at Kumbh Mela, they have an "unflinching trust in something sublime".
THINGS TO DO IN UJJAIN
When it comes to things to do in Ujjain, there is no shortage. From sightseeing to shopping to excursions, choices are multiple to choose from. Staring from Mahakaleshwar Temple to Kalidas Academy, the city has all the good things available that can make your trip to Ujjain a wonderful experience. Listed below are some of the most popular attractions in Ujjain, have a look:
Mahakaleshwar Temple – The Jyotrilinga temple of Mahakaleshwar is a recognized landmark of Ujjain city. It is not only one of the most famous temples in India but is also one among the most sacred abodes devoted to Lord Shiva. Located by the side of Rudra Sagar Lake, the temple is believed to be Swayambhu (one who derives power from itself rather than ritually established and invested with mantra-shakti). Another distinct and unique feature of Mahakaleshwar Temple is that the idol of presiding deity is southern facing (dakshinamurti), a characteristic of Tantric traditions. The temple, overall, has five levels including one underground. Various pujas are performed in the temple everyday but the most significant is Bhasma Aarti, which is forbidden to perform and attend by women. Every year, a huge fair is held on the occasion of Maha Shivaratri around the temple.
Bade Ganeshji Temple – Situated close to Mahakaleshwar Jyotrilinga Temple is another well-known temple in Ujjain, Bade Ganeshji Temple. As the name itself signifies, the shrine contains a huge beautifully crafted idol of Lord Ganesha, the son of Lord Shiva. Along with the main deity, the temple also has idols of Hanuman in panch-mukhi avatar and nine planetary deities (navgrahas).
Harsiddhi Temple – Occupying a special place among the historical shrines of Ujjain, Harsiddhi Temple is dedicated to Harshad Mata, a form of Goddess Parvati. The idol of the deity is placed between the images of Goddess Mahalakshmi and Mahasaraswati. It is said that the temple originally was built by King Vikramaditya but was later reconstructed by Maratha rulers. That’s why the present structure of the temple bears remains of both ancient and Maratha style, noteworthy among them are two huge lighting pillars or deepsthambs erected right at the façade.
Bhartrihari Caves – If you are looking for something different to visit rather than temples of Ujjain then head straight to Bhartrihari Caves, located on the bank of Kshipra River. The cave is named after the famous sage Bhartrihari, the step brother of King Vikramaditya. Dated around 11th century AD, the caves presently are considered as one of the gems of historical importance of Madhya Pradesh’s tourism treasure.
Kal Bhairava Temple – Considered as the most important shrine among the eight bhairavas of Shaivities, Kal Bhairava Temple of Ujjain is a main attraction of this ‘city of temples’. Situated on the bank of River Kshipra, the shrine was built by the support of King Bhadresen. The temple is adorned by beautiful Malwa style paintings but the center of attraction is the traditional practice of offering liquor to worshippers and visitors.
Gadkalika Temple – Situated close to Bhartrihari Caves, Gadkalika Temple is one among the ancient temples that adorned the mystical world of Ujjain city. Devoted to Goddess Kali, the temple is placed on a platform of a small courtyard surrounded with rooms. A unique feature of this single-celled shrine is its tower painted in red and white horizontal candy stripes. With the passing of time, the temple underwent several renovations, first by Emperor Harshavardhana then by Parmers and later followed by Scindias.
Kaliadeh Palace – Located on an island in River Kshipra, Kaliadeh Palace is one of the most popular attractions in Madhya Pradesh. The palace was originally constructed in 1458 AD by the Sultans of Mandu but was later restored to its glory in 1920 by Madhav Rao Scindia. Kaliadeh Palace is considered as one of the finest example of Persian style of architecture.
Jantar Mantar – Also known as ‘Vedh Shala’, Jantar Mantar at Ujjain is reputed as first astronomical observatory of India. It was built by Sawai Raja Jai Singh in between 1725 and 1730 but was renovated in 1923 by then Maharaja of Gwalior Madhav Rao Scindia. The observatory mainly contains four main yantras to study the movements of planets - Nadivalaya yantra, Samrat yantra, Yamyottara-Bhitti yantra and Digamsha yantra. Later on, similar observatories were constructed at Jaipur, Delhi, Mathura and Varanasi.
FOOD AND SHOPPING IN UJJAIN
Like other tourist destinations of India, Ujjain too has its share of distinct food culture and shopping extravagance. Reflecting the culture and traditions of ethnic communities of Malwa region, the city is an ideal place to buy ethic handicrafts of the state. From papier-mache products and bamboo goods to ethnic ornaments and tribal artifacts, tourists can buy a wide range of regional items. Mahakaleshwar Marg, Gopal Mandir Marg, Jawahar Marg and Free Ganj are the main shopping areas in Ujjain.
To meet the demand of modern travelers, the city now also has few shopping malls where buyers can enjoy a large variety of products under one roof. Devine Valley, Pakiza and Treasure Bazaar are the top shopping malls in Ujjain.To meet the dining needs of tourists, Ujjain city offers a plethora of vegetarian restaurants dotted all over the city. These eating outlets not only serve a wide variety of regional dishes but also offer several internationally acclaimed cuisines like Chinese, Italian etc. However, the flavor of street food is incomparable in Ujjain. Chaat, bhel puri, pani puri, corn snack with ghee, sabudana dosas, daal-vati, churma ke laddoo and bafla are some of the popular local dishes in the city. If you are a die-hard fan of non-vegetarian food then visiting Ujjain can be a little disappointed for you as it is hard to find any restaurant or street-side eatery that serve non-veg food.
TRAVELLING- HOW TO REACH UJJAIN
Ujjain being an important town of Madhya Pradesh is well connected with other parts of the country.
By Road: Ujjain is connected with well mettalled roads with the major towns of the Madhya Pradesh state. You can take a bus from Ujjain to Gwalior (464 km), Jaipur (482 km), Ajmer (471 km), Nagpur (543 km) and Indore (77 km). Buses and taxis are easily available to commute within Ujjain.
By rail: Ujjain is connected to major parts of the nation with the Indian railway network. Trains to ujjaina are frequent. The Ujjain junction is just 1kms from the main city and taxis and rikshaws are readily available to take you to the city from the station.
By Air: Ujjain does not have its own airport and the nearest Airport to Ujjain is the Devi Ahilyabai Holkar Airport in Indore at a distance of 57kms from Ujjain. The Indore airport is connected to major parts of the country by regular flight and buses and taxis from the Airport to Ujjain are easily available.
ACCOMODATION KUMBH MELA UJJAIN
When we speak about accommodation options in Ujjain, tourists can find a variety of options available. We, at "Prayag Kumbh Camp", Ujjain, provide clean and comfortable accommodation with friendly service at affordable tariff rates, with most convenient location for Kumbh Mela Devotees, travelers as well as tourist. Prayag Kumbh Camp is a most appealing Kumbh Camp in Ujjain. We are proud to have maximum number of check in of foreign tourist visiting a Kumbh Mela 2013 at Allahabad. The rooms are tasteful, clean and comfortable above all and ensure a comfortable stay with friendly service at affordable price. The facilities provided are 24 hours room service.
The USP of our cottages is that they are all Eco-friendly, fully secured, Fire resistant, water proof, Lockable & can cope-up with adverse natural situations like storm, Earthquake etc.The best time to visit this pilgrim center is from October to March and that’s why it is also advised to book holiday packages of Ujjain well in advance to avoid last minute rush.
REASONS TO VISIT KUMBH
As it is a prevalent get-together of the people many saints of different believes and communities came here in order to impress the Lord Shiva by their bhakti-sadhna. The Sadhus or saints came here are mainly Kalpvasis, Urdhwavahurs, Nagas, Shirshasinse, Parivajakas. Everyone has a different style or way of worshiping the Lord Shiva; first one spent their time in meditating, second one’s has shrunken their cadaver from stiff divine practices, third ones are the naked ones who do spread bhasam on their bodies and have tangled and knotted long hairs., fourth ones are those who do worship Lord Shiva by doing shirshasana; in shirshashan their head remain on the ground and the whole body is in the air as a vertical pole, and the fifth ones are those who has taken a oath of stillness or silence to worship the Lord. The next Simhastha is going to be in Ujjain in 2016.So be a part of such a religious and grand fair.
TIMELINE OF KUMBH MELA
1980: Nasik
1980: Ujjain
1986: Haridwar
1989: Allahabad
1992: Nasik
1992: Ujjain
1998: Haridwar
2001: Allahabad
2003: Nasik
2004: Ujjain
2010: Haridwar
2015: Nasik
2016: Haridwar
