Maheshwar and Ujjain: Where Heritage Speaks And The Mind Soars

Maheshwar and Ujjain, where Lord Shiva pervades, connects you to the heritage, culture and spiritual energy of India. Ahilya Bai Holkar's legacy, the ghats, temples, streets and deep-rooted culture take you back in timeless time and elevate your consciousness as well as your conscientiousness.

Maheshwar, "the abode of Lord Shiva" is a town situated on the banks of river Narmada in Madhya Pradesh. This peaceful riverside town has long held spiritual as well as historical significance. The town finds it's mention by the name of Mahishmati in Mahabharata and Ramayana. It continues to draws pilgrims to its ghats and temples.

Maheshwar is synonymous with Rani Ahilya Bai Holkar. A devotee of Lord Shiva and the Holkar Queen of the Malwa kingdom, she moved her capital of Holkar from Indore to Maheshwar. The entire town was constructed amidst the Holkar Fort.

Rani Ahilya Devi's simplicity is seen in the construction of this beautiful Maheshwar Fort and residing temples. It is said that she spent a major amount of her funds on the renovation of various temples across India.

I had seen a couple of pictures of Maheshwar earlier, and was pulled by its splendor and simplicity. A town that looked like a miniature of Kashi, in no time made it to my list of must-visit places.

We had gone to Indore to attend a wedding. Little did we know that it would be so difficult for us to take time out to make an excursion to Maheshwar. From the unavailability of cabs in the city outskirts (the wedding venue) to getting busy in the wedding functions to my father falling sick, our plans kept getting canceled.

Finally, when we left for Ujjain, we reached a junction where Maheshwar was towards the right and Ujjain towards the left. We simply turned right and left for Maheshwar. There was something about the place which attracted us towards it.

Statue of Rani Ahilya Bhai Holkar

We entered the town the Maheshwar and it felt like an accomplishment. We hired a guide to get better insights about the place. A grand statue of Rani Ahilya Bai Holkar holding a Shivling greets you at the entrance of the fort.

We then entered Rajwada, which was the queen's courtyard and palace. Her simplicity is seen in the construction and architecture of the palace. The palace is now partially converted into a heritage hotel.

The most interesting part is Rani Ahilya Bai Holkar's place of worship. There are rooms full of Shivlings from the Devi's era and all of them are worshipped to date. During the reign of Maharani Ahilya Bai, she started the lingarchan puja. The puja was meant to bless all the inhabitants of the state. Everyday, 111 brahmins would prepare a board with 1,000 little shivlings made out of the soil of the fields, each ling representing the 1,10,000 population. The lingams were collected and finally offered to river Narmada. Even today, the tradition is continued by eleven brahmins.

People here believe that every stone found in the river Narmada is Shiva in the form of a shivling.

As you walk down towards the ghat, you can see the beautiful chaatris and temples dotted along the banks of the river Narmada.

On the way to the ghat

The ghat welcomes you with the magic of the river Narmada. The life source of Maheshwar, the river is said to have been born by the teardrop of Lord Shiva. You can feel the serenity and purity of the river in the whole atmosphere. As you walk on the ghat, you will see shivlings of various sizes placed along it.

It is a beautiful place to just sit and watch the river flow by. We took a twenty-minute boat ride in the serene waters. Watching the ghat from the other side will make you fall in love with the place all over again. The boat ride also takes you to Baneshwar temple, located in the middle of the river. It is said that the temple is located on the axis connecting the center of the Earth to the North Pole.

View from the boat ride

We visited the Kashi Vishwanath Temple, which is a re-creation of the original temple in Kashi. We came across pilgrims who had made a stop there doing their Narmada Parikrama. The parikrama is a 2,600 km journey which starts at Amarkantak in Madhya Pradhesh. ( https://www.outlookindia.com/traveller/mp/inspire-me/culture/narmada-parikrama-great-circumambulation/). This was fascinating indeed!

Intricate architecture

Next, we visited one of the most auspicious temples - Sri Rajarajeshwar Temple. This is again one of the many temples consigned to Lord Shiva. The temple is known for its Akhand Jyoti Deepak or the eleven eternal lamps that it houses. The lamps have been lit for many centuries. This temple is also partially dedicated to Sahastraarjun - the mighty king who made Ravana a prisoner for many years.

( More about the story of Sahastraarjun: https://www.quora.com/Who-was-Kartavirya-Arjuna-When-did-he-rule-What-was-his-story )

After strolling around the ghats for a while, we explored a couple of Maheswari handloom stores. The biggest living legacy of Rani Ahilya Bai is the Maheshwari Sari. The town is synonymous with its Maheshwari silk and handlooms. You can spot colorful handlooms as you walk around the town. Rehwa society is an NGO run by the Holkars to employee local women and keep the tradition of Maheshwar handlooms alive.

Maheshwari handloom

This quaint riverside town with its rich heritage, serene Narmada river, century-old history, colorful streets, historic buildings and a rich spiritual connection, Maheshwar is always going to have a special place in my heart.

At dusk, we left for Ujjain. This holy city of Ujjain finds its mention by the name of Avantika in the Puranas. It has been attracting pilgrims for more than hundred years. It is one of Hinduism's seven sacred cities and also one the four cities that hosts the gigantic Kumb Mela festival every twelve years. We had dinner at Apna Sweets. Apna Sweets and Shree Ganga are two popular sweet and farsan shops in Ujjain. These two-storey shops also serve delicious food to indulge in.

The next day, early morning we visited the Mahakaleshwar Temple. Mahakaleshwar temple is one of the twelve Jyotirlingas and is said to be amongst the most sacred abodes of Lord Shiva. It is situated near the banks of the Shipra river and the lingam is a Swayambu (self-manifested). You can feel the positivity and divine energy in the temple complex.

Life in the city of Ujjain revolves around this prestigious and powerful temple. Several food stalls around the temple serve authentic dishes. Our breakfast was set with hot Poha, kachoris and jalebis followed by a stroll along the magical Ram ghat. Witnessing the morning rituals being performed by the ghat by several Brahmins and Sadhus was a sight to behold.

Ram Ghat

The same day, we visited the Sandipani Ashram, Kal Bhairav Temple and Bhartrihari Caves.

As you enter the Sandipani Ashram, you'll be calmed by the peaceful environs of lush greenery that is present in the temple complex. This is the spot where Guru Sandipani coached Lord Krishna, Balaram and Sudama. Gomti Kund, situated in the same complex, holds a blend of all the holy waters in the world which was collected by Lord Krishna.

We visited the the Kal Bhairav Temple and offered alcohol as prasad. It is quite a sight to see the various brands of alcohol being sold near the temple to offer to the idol. It is indeed a unique experience.

Later, we went shopping for some of Ujjain's batik prints. Before heading back to the hotel, we stopped at Govindam Restaurant to enjoy Ujjain's authentic local delicacy - Dal Bafna.

Dal Bafna thali

With this, we ended our trip to Ujjain and headed back home. An undeniable spiritual energy pervades this charismatic temple town. You can feel it in the temples, river ghats and the alleyways. All the sacred spots in the city transform you back in time with their simplicity and mythological significance.

Though this was largely a religious trip, I was stunned by the heritage, culture and mythological stories attached to these two fabulous towns. These places are what truly define our culture and preserve India's diverse history.