Kal Bhairav temple is a Hindu temple located in the Ujjain city of Madhya Pradesh, India. It is dedicated to Kal Bhairav, the guardian deity of the city. Located on the banks of the Shipra River, it is one of the most active temples in the city, visited by hundreds of devotees daily. Liquor is one of the offerings made to the temple deity.
Shrine’s History
The present-day temple structure was built over the remains of an older temple. Images of Shiva, Parvati, Vishnu and Ganesha belonging to the Parmara period have been recovered from the place. The temple walls were once decorated with Malwa paintings. However, only traces of these paintings are visible now. The original temple is believed to have been built by an obscure king named Bhadrasen. It has been mentioned in the Avanti Khanda of the Skanda Purana.
The present-day temple structure shows Maratha influence. According to the local tradition, after the Maratha defeat in the Third Battle of Panipat, the Maratha general Mahadaji Shinde offered his pagri to the deity, praying for victory in his campaign to restore the Maratha rule in North India. After successfully resurrecting Maratha power, he carried out restoration of the temple.
Legends Associated with This Shrine
The origin of Bhairava can be traced to a conversation between Brahma and Vishnu recounted in the Shiv Mahapuran, in which Vishnu inquired of Brahma, “Who is the supreme creator of the Universe?”. And arrogantly, Brahma told Vishnu to worship him as Supreme Creator.
Shrine’s Map Location and How to Go There
By Road
Ujjain is well connected to other major cities of the country via regular buses. Bus Station(s): Ujjain
By Rail
There are regular trains from other major cities of the country to Ujjain. Railway Station(s): Ujjain Junction (UJN), Vikram Nagar (VRG), Berawanya (BRNA)
By Air
Instead of Ujjain you can a get flight to Indore Airport on the regular basis. Ujjain 55 km away Indore Airport (IDR), Indore, Madhya Pradesh Ujjain 172 km away Bhopal Airport (BHO), Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh
Shrine Timings
06:00 to 20:00 (All days of the week)
Events Celebrated at This Shrine
Mahashivaratri
Extra Information About this Shrine
Liquor offering Liquor is offered to the temple deity as one of the five tantric ritual offerings known as panchakarma: madya (alcohol), maansa (meat), meena or Matsya (fish), mudra and maithuna (sexual intercourse). In older times, all five offerings were made to the deity, but now only alcohol is offered; the other four offerings are in form of symbolic rituals.
Outside the temple, vendors sell baskets of offerings, containing coconuts, flowers and a bottle of liquor. In 2015, the State Government set up liquor counters outside the temple to ensure that the devotees are not swindled by unlicensed vendors of alcohol. The counters sell both country liquor and foreign liquor. Every day, hundreds of devotees offer liquor to the deity.
The devotees hand over the liquor bottles to the priest, who pours the liquor in a saucer. He then offers prayers and takes the saucer near the deity’s lips, which have a slit. He tilts the plate a bit, and the liquor starts disappearing. About one-third of the bottle is returned to the devotee as prasad.
The temple priests, as well as several devotees, claim that the slit doesn’t have any cavity and that the deity miraculously swallows the liquor offered to him. However, the temple priest does not allow the visitors to examine the statue. He also claims that only he can perform the miracle and that the others who have tried to make the statue swallow the liquor have failed.
