Ujjain is an ancient city situated on the banks of the Kshipra River in the Malwa region of the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. It is the administrative headquarters of Ujjain district and Ujjain division, and one of the seven sacred cities (Sapta Puri) of Hindu tradition. The city is renowned for the Mahakaleshwar temple, one of the twelve Jyotirlingas, and for hosting the Simhastha Kumbh Mela once every twelve years.
| Key facts | |
|---|---|
| Country | India |
| State | Madhya Pradesh |
| Region | Malwa |
| District | Ujjain |
| River | Kshipra (Shipra) |
| Historical names | Ujjayini, Avantika, Avanti |
| Civic body | Ujjain Municipal Corporation |
| Notable temple | Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga |
| Major fair | Simhastha Kumbh Mela (every 12 years) |
The city has been known by several names through history, including Ujjayini ("one who conquers with pride") in Sanskrit literature, and Avanti or Avantika, after the ancient janapada of which it was the capital. The modern name Ujjain is a Prakrit-derived form of Ujjayini.
Ujjain lies on the eastern bank of the Kshipra River, on the Malwa Plateau in west-central Madhya Pradesh. It is located roughly 55 km north of Indore, the largest city in the state. The terrain is gently undulating, with black cotton soils typical of the Deccan Trap basalt of the Malwa region. The climate is tropical, with hot summers, a southwest monsoon between June and September, and mild winters.
According to traditional Indian astronomy, the first prime meridian of Hindu geography was held to pass through Ujjain, and the city was historically the reference point for Indian timekeeping and almanacs.
Ujjayini was the capital of the Avanti mahajanapada, one of the sixteen great kingdoms of the sixth century BCE. It was an important political and commercial centre on the trade route connecting north India with the Deccan and the western coast. Under the Maurya emperor Ashoka, who served as viceroy of Ujjayini before his accession, the city was a major provincial capital.
In the early centuries of the Common Era, Ujjain came under the Western Kshatrapas and later the Gupta Empire. It is traditionally associated with the legendary king Vikramaditya, after whom the Vikrama Samvat era is named, and with the court poet Kalidasa, whose works such as Meghaduta evoke the city.
The city was an important centre under the Paramaras of Malwa from around the ninth to the thirteenth centuries. It later passed through the rule of the Delhi Sultanate, the Malwa Sultanate based at Mandu, and the Mughal Empire. Under the Marathas, Ujjain became the headquarters of the Scindia dynasty under Ranoji Scindia in the eighteenth century, before the capital was shifted to Gwalior by Daulat Rao Scindia.
Under the British, Ujjain remained part of Gwalior State within the Central India Agency. After Indian independence, it was incorporated into the state of Madhya Bharat, which was merged into Madhya Pradesh in 1956 following the reorganisation of states.
Ujjain is one of the seven sacred cities of Hinduism. The Mahakaleshwar Temple, dedicated to Shiva, is one of the twelve Jyotirlingas and the focus of the city's religious life; its daily Bhasma Aarti at dawn is a distinctive ritual. Other important shrines include the Kal Bhairav temple, the Harsiddhi temple (a Shakti Peetha), the Chintaman Ganesh temple, the Mangalnath temple (associated with the planet Mars in Hindu tradition), and the Sandipani Ashram, traditionally identified as the place where Krishna and Sudama studied.
The Simhastha Kumbh Mela, held every twelve years when Jupiter enters Leo, draws millions of pilgrims to bathe in the Kshipra. Recent editions were held in 2004 and 2016.
Ujjain was a major centre of Indian astronomy and mathematics, and was associated with figures such as Brahmagupta and Varahamihira. The Vedh Shala (Jantar Mantar), built in the early eighteenth century by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II of Jaipur, is one of the observatories he established and remains in use for astronomical observation and ephemeris calculations.
Ujjain is governed by the Ujjain Municipal Corporation. The economy is based on agriculture and agro-processing of the Malwa region's wheat, soybean and oilseeds, along with textiles, handlooms, and a substantial pilgrimage and tourism sector. The Vikram University, established in 1957, is the principal institution of higher education in the city.
Ujjain Junction is a major station on the Western Railway, with connections to Indore, Bhopal, Nagda and beyond. The city is linked by road to Indore, Dewas, Ratlam and other regional centres. The nearest major airport is Devi Ahilyabai Holkar Airport at Indore.
Ujjain's significance lies in its long continuity as a religious, political, and intellectual centre. As the historical seat of the Avanti kingdom, the reference meridian for classical Indian astronomy, the home of the Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga, and one of the four sites of the Kumbh Mela (alongside Prayagraj, Haridwar and Nashik), it occupies a distinctive place in Indian civilisational history.