5 lesser-known temples in Ujjain with fascinating legends

Ujjain, known as the “City of Temples,” is a spiritual gem where history, mythology, and devotion beautifully intertwine. While the Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga draws millions, the city’s charm lies equally in its hidden shrines along the Shipra River and ancient lanes, each echoing timeless legends, rituals, and cultural heritage.
Here, we have a list of some of the lesser-known temples in Ujjain that you must visit on your next spiritual escape to Ujjain:

The Kal Bhairava Temple is dedicated to Kal Bhairav, who is a manifestation of Lord Shiva in a fierce form and also acts as the guardian deity of Ujjain. This stunning temple is located on the banks of the Shipra River and is one of the most active temples in the city. The most unique aspect of this temple is that liquor is one of the offerings made here to the deity, which is uncommon in most Hindu worship. The deity’s face here is in the form of a rock layered with kumkuma and has a silver head with a beautiful Maratha-style pagri on it. It is considered that the deity here miraculously drinks all liquor offered to him.

Also known as the Mahakali Temple, this shrine holds great historical and cultural significance and is dedicated to Goddess Kali. It is one of the eighteen Shakti Peethas where the upper lip of Goddess Sati is believed to have fallen. According to legends, when Lord Shiva carried the body of his wife Sati, her upper lip fell at the site of the Mahakali Temple, which enhanced its spiritual significance. It is also considered that the famous poet Kalidasa made great prayers to the goddess here at the temple to seek wisdom and literary prowess, which were bestowed upon him by the goddess. Greatly known for its Navratri celebrations, one must definitely visit here during this time.

The biggest temple of Lord Ganesha in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, is built across the Kshipra River. The Chintaman Ganesh Temple houses a Ganesha idol which is considered a swayambhu or self-manifested idol. Here, Ganesha is locally referred to as Chintaman. Ganesha is also referred to as Chintaharan, which means remover of all worries and tensions. This temple has intricately carved stone pillars in the assembly hall and also houses a white shrine. It is also believed that the original temple dates back to the Ramayana age and was established by Sita.

One of Ujjain’s oldest temples, it is dedicated to Goddess Durga and is located in Madhya Pradesh. The goddess here is worshipped as Kuldevi by many devotees, whether they belong to Kshatriya, Brahmin, Rajput, or Vaishya communities. Kuldevi is worshipped by fishermen and other seafaring tribes, as she is considered the protector of ships at sea. According to the Shiva Purana, when Shiva carried away the burning body of Sati from the sacrificial fire, her elbow dropped at this place. The temple has pillars adorned with lamps, which is a unique feature of the temple.

Ram Janardan Mandir is a temple complex consisting of two shrines dedicated to Lord Rama and Lord Vishnu, located centrally within Ujjain. The unique feature of this temple is its iconography—the temple’s idols of Lord Rama depict him with a beard, symbolizing his life in the forest during exile. Beautiful examples of Maratha paintings are seen on the walls of both temples. The temple houses paintings depicting scenes from the lives of Lord Ram and Krishna in the Maratha style of art, and the architecture has two distinct styles of art, the Pune and Kangra styles.