Ujjain

Ujjain Ujjain
city
Population  (2001)
• Total	429,933
Website	ujjain.nic.in

Ujjain (Hindi: उज्जैन) (also known as Ujain, Ujjayini, Avanti, Avantikapuri), is an ancient city of Malwa region in central India, on the eastern bank of the Kshipra River (today part of the state of Madhya Pradesh.) It is the administrative centre of Ujjain District and Ujjain Division.

In ancient times the city was called Ujjayini. As mentioned in the Mahabharata epic, Ujjayini was the capital of the Avanti Kingdom, and has been the first meridian of longitude for Hindu geographers since the 4th century BCE. Ujjain is one of the seven sacred cities of the Hindus, and the Kumbh Mela religious festival is held there every 12 years. It is also home to Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga, one of the twelve Jyotirlinga shrines to the god Shiva and is also the place where Lord Krishna got education with Balarama and Sudama from Maharshi Sandipani.

History of Ujjain

File:EpicIndiaCities.jpg

Ancient Indian (Bharata) cities and Places(Title and location names are in English.)

Coin showing Karttikeya and Lakshmi (Ujjain, circa 150–75 BC)

The earliest references to the city, as Ujjaini, are from the time of the Buddha, when it was the capital of the Avanti Kingdom. Since the 4th century B.C. the city has marked the first meridian of longitude in Hindu geography. It is also reputed to have been the residence of Ashoka (who subsequently became the emperor), when he was the viceroy of the western provinces of the Maurya empire.

In the Post-Mauryan period, the city was ruled by the Sungas and the Satavahanas consecutively. It was contested for a period between the Satavahanas and the Ror Sakas (devotees of Shakumbari), known as Western Satraps; however, following the end of the Satavahana dynasty, the city was retained by the Rors from the 2nd to the 12th century CE. Following the enthroning of the Gupta dynasty, the city soon became an important seat in the annals of that empire. Ujjain is considered to be the traditional capital of King Chandragupta II, also known as Vikramaditya, at whose court the nine poets known as the navaratna (nine jewels) of Sanskrit literature are said to have flourished.

In the 6th and 7th centuries, Ujjain was a major centre of mathematical and astronomical research. The famous mathematicians who worked there included: Brahmagupta, whose book Brahmasphutasiddhanta was responsible for spreading the use of zero, negative numbers and the positional number system to Arabia and Cambodia; Varahamihira, who was the first to discover many trigonometric identities; and Bhaskaracharya, or Bhaskara II, whose book Lilavati broke new ground in many areas of mathematics.

Mahakal Temple Ujjain

Ujjain was invaded by the forces of the Delhi Sultanate led by Iltutmish in 1235, suffering widespread destruction and systematic desecration of temples. Under the Mughal emperor Akbar it became the capital of Malwa.

During the last half of the 18th century Ujjain was the headquarters of the Maratha leader Sindhia. The Scindias later established themselves at Gwalior, and Ujjain remained part of Gwalior state until Indian Independence in 1947. Gwalior state became a princely state of the British Raj after the Maratha defeat in the Third Anglo-Maratha War, and Gwalior, Ujjain, and the neighboring princely states were made a part of the Central India Agency. After Indian independence, the Scindia ruler of Gwalior acceded to the Indian Union, and Ujjain became part of the Madhya Bharat state. In 1956 Madhya Bharat was merged into the Madhya Pradesh state.

Ancient monuments and tourist sights in Ujjain

Main article: Ancient monuments in Ujjain

• The Mahakal Temple, one of the twelve Jyotirlingas, is the most famous and venerated Shiva temple. The Shivling in this temple is supposed to be the only Jyotirling which faces south and hence it is known as Dakshinmukhi or the south-facing ling.

• The temple of Chintaman ganesh is the biggest ancient temple of Lord Ganesha in Ujjain.

• The temple of Maa Wagheshvari is known for its tallest idol of a goddess Wagheshwari and "Sinh (lion) - Dwar (gate)".

• The Harsidhhi Temple is one of the Shaktipeeth, situated at 52 places in India.

• The Sandipani Ashram is where Shri Krishna was educated with Balarama and Sudama from Maharshi Sandipani.

• The Siddha Ashram, located between Ramghat and Narshinghat, is known for research in Ayurvedic medicines and Kundalini Shaktipat.

• The Kaliyadeh Palace, located on the outskirts of the city, is a fine piece of ancient Indian architecture, though poor in upkeep.

• The Bhrathari caves is an ancient cave which has some interesting legends associated with it.

• The Observatory (Vedha Shala) built by a Rajput king, Raja Jai Singh II, is one of the five such observatories in India and features ancient astronomical devices.

• The ISKCON temple has a restaurant run by the ISKCON Society and is a major attraction for tourists.

• The Prashanti Dham is a holy place, where Sai Baba's Ashram is situated.

• Jain temples: Jai Singh Pura Atishay Kshetra, Tapobhoomi, Avanti Parshwanath, Hanumant baag.

• The Kothi Palace presents a sight worth watching in the evening.

• The Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan museum, located near Chamunda tower, holds many ancient objects.

• The throne of Maharaja Vikramaditya, known as the "seat of judgment (salabanjika throne)" may be located in the Rudra Sagar lake.

• Other temples are Harsidhhi (Durga Temple), Chintaman Ganesh, Gadh Kalika, Kaal Bhairav, Sandipani Ashram, Triveni (Nav Graha Shani Mandir), ISKCON (The International Society for Krishna Consciousness) temple, Mangalnaath ,Siddhhanath and ShivShakti.

Image gallery

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  Mahakal Temple Ujjain
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  Kalabhairava Temple Ujjain
• Mahakal Jyotirlinga Ujjain
  Mahakal Jyotirlinga Ujjain
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  Bhadrakali Temple Ujjain

Various Names of Ujjain

Since Ujjain is one of the oldest cities in India, it has been known by many names:

• Avantika
• Padmavati
• Kushasthali
• Bhagavati
• Haranyavati
• Kandakatringa
• Kumudvati
• Pratikalpa
• Ujjayani
• Vishala

Geography

Ujjain is situated on the Malwa Plateau in Central India. The soil is black and stony. The vegetation is typical of arid regions with thorny trees like babul and acacia dominating the landscape. Soybean, wheat, jowar and bajra are the main crops grown.

Ujjain is located at 23.182778°N 75.777222°E / 23.182778; 75.777222. It has an average elevation of 491 metres (1610 ft).

Demographics

As of 2001 India census, Ujjain had a population of 429,933. Males constitute 52% of the population and females 48%. Ujjain has an average literacy rate of 72%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 79%, and female literacy is 66%. In Ujjain, 13% of the population is under 7 years of age.

Climate

Ujjain experiences typical climate conditions of the interior Indian subcontinent. The summer months (April–June) are harsh with temperatures reaching up to 45°C. In addition, hot winds (called loo) may blow in the afternoons, worsening the heat. The winter months (Nov.–Feb.) are pleasant and cool with daytime temperatures typically 20°C, though it may drop to subzero in the night. The monsoon typically arrives in late June and the months of June till September receive moderate to heavy rainfall. There are periods of rainfall followed by long periods of bright sunshine and high humidity. The month of October generally is very warm and with high humidity.

Administrative

Ujjain city has two legislative assembly zones, known as Ujjain North and Ujjain South. For Parliamentary purposes it is treated as one seat

Economy

The economy of Ujjain is mainly dependent on the agricultural activities of the nearby villages. Two main crops are grown each year: wheat as the major Rabi crop, soyabean as the major Kharif crop. Ujjain agriculture is sensitive to changes in rainfall and failure of monsoon cycles can lay a devastating toll on agriculture and the local economy.

Ujjain was previously a centre of the textile industry with a number of textile mills in and around the city. These mills have since closed, unemploying hundreds. Religious tourism is also a contributor to the economy, especially during the Simhasta Mela.

The business for small traders is booming because of money brought in by the young professionals working in MNC's in other cities. Because of this many shopping complex and developmental projects are coming in the city.

Number of new infrastructure projects are under construction. Major investments are planned by some of the leading companies in steel sector (like SAIL) to utilize Ujjain as a base for regional supply. With cheaper land & labour costs Ujjain is creating enough attention for new investments.

Ujjain also generate huge Revenue from economy boost by holy fair of Kumbh Mela localy known as Simhastha.

Transport

An elephant outside the Mahakaleshawar temple in Ujjain

Ujjain is well-connected by rail and road. It is on the Western Railway and is connected by direct train to most major Indian cities (Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Chennai, Kolkata, Bangalore, Ahmedabad, Pune, Surat, Lucknow, Jaipur, Kanpur, Nagpur, Patna, Indore, Bhopal, Coimbatore, Mysore, Trivendrum, Jodhpur, Udaipur, Varanasi, Bhubaneshwar etc).

The nearest airport is Indore, which has daily flights to Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Ahemdabad, Bangalore, Nagpur, Raipur, Bhopal, Jabalpur.

The road network is developed with other parts of Madhya Pradesh. Private buses ply on these roads, though it is best to take your own vehicle for short distances.

Ujjain is connected to Indore through SH-27 and SH-18 Dewas-Badnawar passes through it.

An extensive network of old but inexpensive three-wheelers called tempoes serves the majority of the population. Three-wheeler auto-rickshaws are also quite popular. Recent years have seen an explosion of privately owned vehicles, especially two-wheelers unsuited for the traffic, that congest the narrow thoroughfares.

Railway Stations

There are three railway stations:

1. Ujjain Junction
2. Vikram Nagar
3. Chintaman (Metre Gauge)

Bus Stations

1. Dewas Gate(major bus stand)
2. NanaKheda

Major Roads

Indore Road, Dewas Road, Agar Road, Badnagar Road, Maksi Road.

Education

Primary and secondary education in Ujjain is offered by various schools which are affiliated to one of the boards of education, such as the Secondary School Leaving Certificate (SSLC), ICSE and CBSE. Schools in Ujjain are either government run or are private (both aided and un-aided by the government).

Ujjain is well known for its university, Vikram University. It is the Second oldest University in Madhya Pradesh, estd. in 1957. City has one Government aided Engineering College Ujjain Engineering College (UEC) & first privately held Mahakal Institute of Technology, City also have Medical Colleges, Government aided Govt. Autonomous Dhanvantri Ayurved College & privately held R.D.Gardi Medical College. Other than the these, Ujjain has quite a few colleges and institutes where students can pursue various Technical, Law, Medical, & Management Courses.

84 Gods of Ujjain

There are 84 Gods of Ujjain, Chaurasi Ishwaras, out of them four are the dwarapalas of Mahakala Ujjain. The four dwarapalas are Pingaleshwara (East), Kayavarohaneshwara (South), Vilveshwara (West) and Dardareshwara (North). The Chaurasi Ishwaras are:

Agasteshwara Mahadeva, Gurihashwara Mahadeva, Dudeshwara Mahadeva, Damarukeshwara Mahadeva, Anadikalpeshwara Mahadeva, Swarnajaleshwara Mahadeva, Trivishtapeshwara Mahadeva, Kapaleshwara Mahadeva, Swargadareshwara Mahadeva, Karkoteshwara Mahadeva, Siddheshwara Mahadeva, Lokapaleshwara Mahadeva, Kameshwara Mahadeva, Kutumbeshwara Mahadeva, Indradhamneshwara Mahadeva, Ishaneshwara Mahadeva, Apsareshwara Mahadeva, Kalakaleshwara Mahadeva, Nagachandreshwara Mahadeva, Pratihareshwara Mahadeva, Kukkuteshwara Mahadeva, Karkateshwara Mahadeva, Meghanadeshwara Mahadeva, Mahalayeshwara Mahadeva, Mukteshwara Mahadeva, Someshwara Mahadeva, Anarkeshwara Mahadeva, Jateshwara Mahadeva, Rameshwara Mahadeva, Chyavaneshwara Mahadeva, Khandeshwara Mahadeva, Pantaneshwara Mahadeva, Anandeshwara Mahadeva, Kandhadeshwara Mahadeva, Indreshwara Mahadeva, Markandeshwara Mahadeva, Shiveshwara Mahadeva, Kusumeshwara Mahadeva, Akrureshwara Mahadeva, Kundeshwara Mahadeva, Lumpeshwara Mahadeva, Gangeshwara Mahadeva, Angarakeshwara Mahadeva, Uttareshwara Mahadeva, Trilochaneshwara Mahadeva, Vireshwara Mahadeva, Nripareshwara Mahadeva, Abhayeshwara Mahadeva, Prithukeshwara Mahadeva, Sthawareshwara Mahadeva, Shuleshwara Mahadeva, Onkareshwara Mahadeva, Vishvareshwara Mahadeva, Kantheshwara Mahadeva, Singheshwara Mahadeva, Revanteshwara Mahadeva, Ghanteshwara Mahadeva, Prayageshwara Mahadeva, Shrisiddheshwara Mahadeva, Matangeshwara Mahadeva, Saubhageshwara Mahadeva, Rupeshwara Mahadeva, Sahastradhanukareshwara Mahadeva, Pashupateshwara Mahadeva, Brahmeshwara Mahadeva, Jalapeshwara Mahadeva, Kedareshwara Mahadeva, Pishachamukteshwara Mahadeva, Sangameshwara Mahadeva, Duddhareshwara Mahadeva, Yageshwara Mahadeva, Chandradityeshwara Mahadeva, Karabheshwara Mahadeva, Rajasthaleshwara Mahadeva, Badaleashwara Mahadeva, Aruneshwara Mahadeva, Pushpadanteshwara Mahadeva, Abhimukteshwara Mahadeva, Hanumanteshwara Mahadeva, Shriswapneshwara Mahadeva, Pingaleshwara Mahadeva, Kayavarihaneshwara Mahadeva, Bilkeshwara Mahadeva, Durdureshwara Mahadeva,

External links

• Official website of Ujjain
• Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. {{cite encyclopedia}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)