Kaal Bhairav - The Guardian to the Ujjain City
Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh is revered as one of the seven most important pilgrim centers by the Hinduism followers. However, the city, located on the banks of River Shipra, is more than just a religious site but is famous for its exceptional heritage as well. Ujjain is predominantly filled with temples, so much so that you can almost find one in each turn of its roads.Do not miss out on the Kaal Bhairav Temple. Temples, or for that matter any heritage adobe of India, always have some fascinating stories linked with them. Wonder what is the one associated with it? The deity drinks alcohol! We bet this is first of a kind experience where you will find alcohol as an accepted offering in a religious place. What makes the legend even more unique, is that you not only offer it but Kaal Bhairav literally drinks it!
Kala Bhairav – The Mythology
According to the Hindu mythology, Kalabhairava is considered the fiercest representation of Lord Shiva. In this representation, he is seen with blaring eyes, untied hair and adorned with a garland made of human skull. In one of His hands is said to have the fifth head of Lord Brahma (the myth goes such when Gods were in an argument about who is the supreme creator of the universe, Brahma stared at Shiva with glaring eyes on being angered; but, that made Shiva ferocious and he cut off his head and became the supreme lord).Kalabhairava is considered as a protector and you can see the statue erected on the entrance of villages in Shiva temples in the form of Kaal Bhairav, Ujjain.
Kaal Bhairav Temple, Ujjain
Dating back to almost the 9th century BC, you can find the mention of this city in Skanda Purana. The Kaal Bhairav deity is represented by the silver metal which is coated on the rock face. As the deity is being offered with regular prayers, the face and the head is smeared in vermillion as a mark of respect.The Difference in Offerings
The offerings and the rituals to the Kaal is in sharp contrast with the ones that you will generally find at any other temple in India. It is referred to as the panchmakara that consists of alcohol, meat, fish and parched grain.What is Madhu?
As mentioned, the God here takes alcohol as His offering. Generally, the term is called Madhu (which also means honey). A drink called Somabana was used to worship the deities in the Vedic times, which had no liquor content, and there are no discreet details about when it exactly started to have alcohol in Somabana. Today, this ‘nivedhana’, which is the offering, is given to the Lord for about two to three times a day. There have been many who wanted to unfold the mystery of this disappearing of alcohol from the deity but no one could.General Information
The presiding deity will seem different from any other traditional Hindu temple for anyone. The entrance to this revered site seems like that of a castle with some magnificent paintings. There are Kaal Bhairav temples in South India but unlike those, only the head of this deity is installed and worshipped inside the sanctum sanctorum.You can find the sculptures of Lord Vinayaka, Lord Vishnu and Devi adoring the walls of the temple.
God that Drinks Alcohol
Inside is the shrine of Kaal Bhairav, Ujjain, you might have to face the crowd of devotees, especially when the priest opens the alcohol bottle. He then pours nearly one-fourth of it into a shallow plate and without even tilting the plate, he places it close to the lips and the liquor starts to ebb.It is indeed difficult to believe ‘stories’ such as this and is one of the main reasons why visitors all across love to visit this temple.
About the Temple and the Deity
The current temple structure of Kaal Bhairav, Ujjain was built over the ruins of the older temple which is said to be built by King Bhadrasen. Apart from its religious value, the Paramara period images of Shiva, Vishnu, Parvati, and Ganesha along with some examples Malwa paintings. Incidentally, only traces of these Malwa Paintings are remnant can be seen now.The temple has an evident Maratha influence. According to the local legend, a general of the Maratha Army, Mahadaji Shinde, offered his turban (pagri) to the Kaal Bhairav, Ujjain – praying for the victory of Maratha power in the war. After succeeding, he restored the temple to the present day glory.
Quick Bits
• Best Time to Visit - Morning, Evening• Facilities – Plenty of food stalls and washrooms
• Recommended Hours – At least 1 hour
• Best Visited With – Solo, Group, Couple, or Family
• Not Allowed- Footwear
• Allowed - Camera, Video (after permission inside the shrine)
• Temple Timings: Kaal Bhairav, Ujjain open at 06:00 AM and allows visitors till 08:00 PM. The morning Aarti starts at 07:00 AM and evening Aarti starts at 06:00 PM every day.
Transport
• By AirYou can reach Indore Airport which is 55km away from Ujjain
There are regular trains most of the major cities of the country connecting Ujjain. You can choose Ujjain Junction (UJN), Berawanya (BRNA) or Vikram Nagar (VRG).
The temple is well connected by the public transport
Myth or miracle, you simply cannot miss the sea of faith amongst the visitors coming to this temple. You can also pay a visit to this place for sheer amusement and curiosity, especially during the festivals.
The archeologically rich surroundings of Ujjain has witnessed the layers of the evolution of civilizations and is the maverick mix of the heritage city with the urban lifestyle. Reverence comes on its own as you stroll the streets of Ujjain.
Read More:
Jantar Mantar, Ujjain - One of the Oldest Observatories of the World