Ancient monuments in Ujjain
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Following is a list of ancient monuments in Ujjain.
[edit] Temples
Bade Ganesh. This temple contains a huge artistic sculpture of Ganesha.
Chintaman Ganesh.
Chintaman means "the assurer of freedom from worldly anxieties". The Ganesh idol in this temple is supposed to be swayambhu - born of itself. The artistically carved pillars in the assembly hall date back to the Paramara period. The temple is about 15 kms from the main city. Every Wednesday people come for special darshana.
Pir Matsyendranath. Excavations here have yielded artifacts dating to the 6th and 7th century BC. The shrine is dedicated to a leader of the Natha sect of Shaivism- Matsyendranath. It is also venerated by Muslims.
Hara Siddhi Temple. The temple, dedicated to Annapurna was reconstructed during the Maratha period and has two pillars adorned with lamps, that are special features of Maratha art. There is an ancient well on the premises, and an artistic pillar adorns the top of it.
Siddhavat. Features an enormous banyan tree on the banks of the Shipra, considered sacred since the medieval ages.
Kal Bhairava. Believed to have been built by King Bhadrasen, on the banks of the Shipra. Mentioned in the Avanti Khanda of the Skanda Purana. Important for the Tantric Kapalika and Aghora sects, of which Ujjain was a prominent centre. Beautiful paintings in the Malwa style once decorated the temple walls, only traces of which are visible.
Mangalnath. Regarded as the birth place of Mars, according to the Matsya Purana. Famous for a clear view of the planet and hence suitable for astronomical studies.
Gopal Mandir. Constructed by Bayajibai Shinde, the queen of Maharajah Daulat Rao Shinde in the 19th century. The door in the inner sanctum is believed to have been carried to Ghazni from the Somnath temple and from thence by Mahmud Shah Abdali to Lahore, from where it was rescued by Mahadji Scindia.
Navagraha Mandir (Triveni). A temple dedicated to the nine planets.
Mahakaleshwar Temple. Most famous of the temples in Ujjain.
Ram Janardhan Temple.
Harihara Tirtha.
Mallikarjuna Tirtha.
[edit] Others
Bhartrihari Caves. Bhartrihari, the step brother of Vikramaditya, is believed to have lived and meditated here after renouncing worldly life. His famous works, Shringarshatak, Vairagyashatak, and Nitishatak, were possibly written here.
Kaliadeh Palace. The central dome of the palace is a beautiful example of Persian architecture. Two Persian inscriptions record the visits of Akbar and Jehangir to this palace. The palace was broken by the Pindaris and was restored by Madhav Rao Scindia in 1920.
Durgadas Ki Chhatri. Memorial to Durgadas, whose funeral rites were performed at this place in 1718.
Sandipani Ashram. Ashrama of Sandipani, where Krishna and Sudama received their education.
Gadkalika. Believed to have been frequented by Kalidasa, this temple was renovated by Harshavardhan in the 7th century AD, and again during the Paramara period. The temple has been rebuilt in the modern times by the erstwhile Gwalior State.
The Veda Shala . An observatory built by Raja Jai Singh II (1686-1743). It is located at . It is still in use, and is one of the five he built (the others include the Yantra mandir (Jaipur) and the Yantra Mandir (Delhi).
Ram Ghat.
Ganga Ghat.
Bohron Ka Roja.
Begum Ka Maqbara.
Bina Neev Ki Masjid.
Maulana Rumi Ka Maqbara.
