Kal Bhairav Temple, Ujjain

The Kal Bhairav temple stands on the bank of the Shipra in Ujjain and is dedicated to Kal Bhairav, guardian deity of the city. It is one of the busiest temples in Ujjain, visited by hundreds of devotees each day, and it is known for an unusual offering: liquor is presented to the deity.

The present building rises on the remains of an older temple attributed to a king named Bhadrasen and referred to in the Skanda Purana; Paramara-era images of Shiva, Parvati, Vishnu and Ganesha have been found at the site, and faint traces of Malwa paintings survive on the walls. The current structure shows Maratha influence. Local tradition says that after the defeat at Panipat in 1761 Mahadaji Shinde offered his turban here, and restored the temple once Maratha power revived. The deity, a rock face covered in vermilion, still wears a silver head with a Maratha-style turban.