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| HOLY CITIES |
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| Ujjain |
Only 56 km from Indore, ancient Ujjain is one of the holiest cities for Hindus. It gets its sancity from a mythological tale about the churning of the oceans by the gods and demons in search of the nectar of immortality. When the coveted vessel of nectar was finally found there followed a mad scramble across the skies with the demons pursuing the gods in an attempt to take the nectar from them. Four drops were spilt and they fell at Haridwar, Nasik, Ujjain and Prayag. As a result, Ujjain is one of the sites of the Kumbh Mela which takes place here every 12 years. The 1992 Kumbh Mela drew millions to bathe here in the River Shipra.
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History
On an ancient trade route, Ujjain has a distinguished history whose origins are lost in the mists of time. It was an important city under Ashoka's father, when it was known as Avantika. Later it was so attractive to Chandragupta II that he ruled from here rather than from his actual capital, Pataliputra. It was at his court that Kalidasa, one of the Hinduism's most reverted poets, wrote the Meghdoot, with its famous lyrical description of the city and its people.
Following the demise of the Mughals, Maharaja Jai Singh (of Jaipur fame) became the governor of Malwa and during his rule the observatory and several new temples were constructed at Ujjain. With his passing, Ujjain experienced another period of turmoil at the hands of the Marathas until it was finally taken by the Scindias in 1750. When the Scindia capital was moved to Gwalior in 1810, Ujjain's commercial importance declined rapidly.
Orientation & Information
The railway line divides the city: the old section, including the bazaar and the most of the temples and ghats, are to the north-west of the city, and the new section is on the south-easr side. The majority of hotels are in front of the railway station. Tourist information is available at the Hotel Shipra.
Places to Visit
Mahakaleshwar Temple, Bade Ganeshji Ka Mandir, Harsiddhi Temple, Gopal Mandir, Chintaman ganesh Temple, Ghats, Kaliadeh Palace, Vedh Shala.
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Places to Stay
Hotel Ajay, Hotel Shipra, Hotel Free India.
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Getting There
There are frequent daily buses to and fro for Indore, Bhopal and Kota. There are trains leaving for Delhi, Jhansi, Gwalior, Agra, Jabalpur and Bombay.
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