"The town fallen from heaven to bring heaven to earth”, was how the famous Sanskrit poet Kalidasa had described the ancient city of Ujjain. Located at the heart of Madhya Pradesh, this ancient city is a labyrinth of bustling lanes that weave through temple clusters, earning Ujjain the moniker, “the city of temples”. One of the seven sacred sites of Hinduism, Ujjain is located on the banks of the holy Kshipra (Shipra) river that is the venue for the largest spiritual congregation in the world, the Kumbh Mela, held every 12 years.

The history of Ujjain can be dated back to 600 BC when it was home to hundreds of temples. Of these is the Shri Mahakaleshwar temple, the glory of which has been vividly described in various Purans. the lingam at the Mahakal is believed to be swayambhu (born of itself). The idol of Mahakaleshwar is known to be dakshinamurti, facing the South. This is a unique feature, upheld by tantric tradition to be found only in Mahakaleshwar among the 12 jyotirlingas.The idol of Nagchandreshwar on the third storey is open for darshan only on the day of Nagpanchami.On the day of Mahashivaratri, a huge fair is held near the temple, and worship goes on through the night.

Since the city has been under the patronage of various rulers, its rich heritage and vibrant arts and crafts are diverse and unique. It is very popular for traditionally printed textiles like batik, bagh, Bhairavgarh print and screen.

Dedicated to Lord Shiva, the Omkareshwar temple is nestled in the Omkar mountain, an island in the middle of River Narmada. The temple has a large sabha mandap (prayer hall) standing on 60 brown huge stone pillars. The five storeys of the temple have different deities each and three prayer services are conducted in the temple everyday. While the morning prayer is done by the temple trust, the other two prayer meetings are held by the priests of the Holkar and Scindia states. The temple draws pilgrims in large numbers who also visit the nearby Mamleshwar temple. Taking a dip in the Narmada river before going inside the temple is considered auspicious.

Apart from being a pilgrimage center for Hindus, it is also popular for its hanging bridge which quadruples the splendor of the town. The bridge falls over the Narmada river and is popularly named as “Jhula Pul”. With the divine temples such as Panchmukhi Ganesh Temple, Mamleshwar Mandir, Annapurna Temple, Kedareshwar Temple and Govindeshwar Temple, it forms a perfect spot for the spirituality seekers.