9) Ujjainyam Maha kali

Hara Sidhi Mata




Board at the entrance of the Temple

  9) Ujjainyam Maha kali : Maha kali temple is in Ujjain. Here the devi is called as Hara Sidhi Mata and if you ask by Maha kali temple people may not be able to tell about this. Though it is a shakti peetha people are not aware of this.People are confused with Ujjaini Maha Kali temple at Secuderabad in Andhra Pradesh.

The Maha kali (hara sidhi mata) was the aradhana devi of The great King Vikramadithya. It is said that King Vikramadithya has offered his head (sirassu) by cutting 11 times to devi and all those times devi made him live by jointing it back. We will find his portrait a hall next to the temple.

King Vikramadithya

The decoration in the temple is different  ineach day. In the temple I was told it is the 6th shaktipeetha but as per above shloka it is 9th.We find in the top Parvati devi, in the centre Hara Sidhi Mata, in the bottom Maha Kali statues.

Hara Sidhi mata

In Ujjain we will find one more Kali temple which is called Ghat Kali which was the Aradhana Devi of Maha Kavi Kalidas.

Ghat Kalika Devi

Ujjain is famous for Maha Kaleswar Jyothirling. The deity here is called as Mahakaleswara. Ujjain is 50Km(2hrs) from Indore. Or you can drop at Ujjain while going to Somanath by train.You are allowed to touch the jyotirlinga when rush is not there. The decoration of the linga is different in the morning and evening. One should not miss the evening decoration which is made with the clay from the river shipra.
In the early morning at 4.30 AM Bhasmarchana is performed.for Maha Kaleswar. For this the ashes from the  burial ground of previous night last pyre is used. The ashes are taken in a thin cloth and this archana is performed.One should not miss this and there is a restrictions for ladies to see this archana directly. Special passes are issued for this archana at free of cost, one day earlier. we have to apply for the pass by producing the photo identity card between 11 to 13.00 hrs and the pass is issued at 7 PM. Next day at 4.30 AM you are allowed for abhishekam and as well as for Bhasmarchana.

Body part :Devi's left elbow has  fallen here.(earlier it was wrongly reported as upper lip in my earlier blog) This was clarified by the pandit in Harasidhi Mata temple during my recent visit.
Ujjain is place of historical importance and there are many places of tourist interests like Ghat Kalika(Kalidas aradhana devi ) temple,Char Dham mandir, bethala pipale tree, Bhatruhari Guha (elder brother of King Vikramadithya) and Kala Bhirava temple where liquor is offered as prasada, Bada Ganapathi mandir,Mangalanath Temple (son of Lord Siva), Gopal mandir,Iskon mandir,Sandeepani Ashram and Bhookhi mata temple. Chitamani Ganesh temple is very famous here.we will find standing nandi in the siva temple near this temple. Probably this is the only place where we find standing nandi .  You can see the rare portriat of King Vikramadithya in the court hall near Hara Sidhi mata temple aling with the portriats of Maha Kavi Kalidas and the great Varaha Mihiruludu.
Stay : Mahakalewara trust Dharma sala which is neat  and clean. and close to temple. But difficult to get and better go at 10 AM. Local tourist bus is available which takes 4 hours to cover the above places. MP tourism bus charges Rs50 and private bus charges Rs36.
Food : Pooha is availble in the break fast. Near the main temple Idlis are available in Hotel Shivam. AC rooms are availble in HotelSatyam.
Nearest Rail way station : Ujjain
Air port : Indore