Kal Bhairav is regarded as the guardian of Ujjain, and his temple stands on the bank of the Shipra. It is mentioned in the Avanti Khanda of the Skanda Purana and is known for the unusual offering of liquor to the deity.
In the Puranic tradition a sacred city has a guardian who watches over it — a kshetrapal. In Ujjain that is Kal Bhairav, the fierce form of Shiva. Devotees usually go to him after Mahakal, so that the pilgrimage to the city’s lord closes with a visit to its guardian.
Timings and rules are the temple’s own and change; check before you go. This page describes the place and its traditions.
Bhairava is a fierce form of Shiva, and the tradition counts eight Bhairavas. A guardian of this kind is thought to protect a holy place and the people who come to it, which is why his shrine is part of a pilgrimage rather than an extra to it.
Ujjain’s Bhairava carries the name Kal — time — which ties him to Mahakal himself, the Lord of Time.
The antiquity of the temple is attested by its mention in the Avanti Khanda of the Skanda Purana. Tradition credits its first building to a king named Bhadrasen, on the bank of the Shipra.
Like most of Ujjain’s shrines it was rebuilt during the Maratha period, and what a visitor sees today is that later temple.
Kal Bhairav is one of the few deities in India to whom liquor is offered. In the Tantric tradition madira is a customary offering to Bhairava, and here it is given as prasad. The priest holds the vessel to the deity’s lips, and it is said to disappear.
Whether to offer it is a matter of personal custom; many devotees offer flowers, coconut, a lamp or sweets instead. The temple regulates what may be brought, so follow its instructions on the day.
The Ashtami of the Krishna paksha is Bhairava’s tithi, and Bhairav Ashtami — Kal Bhairav Jayanti — is the day the temple draws its largest crowds of the year, with a long queue from the early morning.
Kal Bhairav is on the Shipra side of the city and is often visited together with Siddhavat, Mangalnath and Sandipani Ashram in a single morning. Mornings are quieter than evenings.
We are an independent booking service, not the temple’s office; the offerings and entry rules are the temple’s own.
Worship at Kal Bhairav is done in person at the temple. If you would like a pooja performed on your behalf, our poojaris can arrange Rudrabhishek, Maha Mrityunjaya Jaap and other rites. Booking through us is free.
In the Tantric tradition liquor is an offering to Bhairava, and the practice continues here as prasad. It is optional: many devotees offer flowers, coconut or a lamp instead.
Yes. The temple is mentioned in the Avanti Khanda of the Skanda Purana, which describes the sacred places of Ujjain.
Tradition credits King Bhadrasen with its first building. The temple was rebuilt in the Maratha period, and that is the structure seen today.
It is a custom rather than a rule. Many devotees go to the guardian after the lord of the city, but either order is fine.