Kal Bhairav Temple

Kal Bhairav is considered one of the eight Bhairavas in Shaiva tradition, and the Skanda Purana speaks of Bhairava as protector of the city. The temple stands in the Bhairavgarh area near the Kshipra.

The temple has a long history of worship, and its present form has been repaired and added to over many years. Please treat dates you may hear from guides as local tradition rather than recorded history.

According to tradition, a pilgrimage to Ujjain is considered complete only when the devotee also visits Kal Bhairav, the city’s guardian. Devotees seek his blessings for protection and courage.

The offering of liquor is a unique custom of this temple and is part of the Bhairava tradition, in which the deity is regarded as a fierce guardian. Visitors who do not wish to follow it may offer flowers, oil lamps or sweets instead.

The temple is usually open from the morning until the night, with aarti in the morning and evening. It can be crowded on Sundays, on Ashtami days and during Kal Bhairav Ashtami.

Timings change on festivals and in different seasons. Please check the official sources before you travel.

Simple, modest clothing. Footwear is left outside.

• About 5 to 6 km from the Mahakaleshwar temple and about 4 to 5 km from Ujjain Junction railway station.
• Autos, e-rickshaws and cabs go there directly; a visit to Siddhavat and the Kshipra ghat nearby can be combined.
• The last stretch is a short walk through the market.