Author: Piyush Roy
Publication: The Indian Express
Date: February 3, 2008
URL: http://www.indianexpress.com/story/268256.html
Built on the right bank of the river Shipra,
Ujjain has seen the rise and fall of many kingdoms and rulers-from Vikramaditya
to emperor Ashok and Iltutmish. Now the city sprawls on both sides of the
river like any other Indian small town, its garish billboards grinning at
squat concrete houses. But all roads in Avantika, one of the many names that
the city has collected over centuries, still lead to the old town and its
gallis of incense-filled flower shops.
On the streets, a quaint vehicle chugs past
the curious traveller every few minutes. It's neither a jeep, nor an autorickshaw-more
colourful and spacious than the former but slower and on three wheels like
the latter-and it cannot but make you itch for a ride. And if your pondering
stance has tourist written large over it, one of the garrulous tempo drivers
will stop and offer you a ride. Like our driver, Ram Singh, who convinced
us that a ride through the city couldn't be better undertaken than in his
rattletrap. So our group of 10 trooped in for a leisurely journey-the tempo
rides at about 20km/hr-into the temple town. For starters, Ram Singh throws
us a challenge. "If you fill a sack of rice, and leave a grain each at
the doorstep of every temple you visit, the sack will eventually empty, but
the number of temples to see about town would still be far from over."
Indeed, Ujjain isn't only about its famed
Mahakaleshwar Temple, one of the 12 Swayambhu jyotirlings (where, according
to mythology, the lord voluntarily chooses to reside), in the country. Shiva
is a common presence in most of Ujjain's temples, irrespective of the resident
deity, be it as a lingam, an image or that rare sculpted idol.
But the one that would shock purists is the
alcohol-guzzling Kaal Bhairav on the town's outskirts. A normal puja thali
here is incomplete without a bottle of alcohol. The pundit empties half the
bottle into the mouth of the Shiva idol, pours a quarter into his kamandal
and returns the remaining quarter as prasad. The unique rituals can be sourced
to the Kaal Bhairav's original devotees, the Aghoris, Kapaliks and their Tantric
ways of propitiation. No visit to Mahakaleshwar is considered fruitful unless
complimented by a worship of the Kaal Bhairav. So you better take your own
bottle of alcohol along, unless you want to buy the exorbitantly priced liquor
available off the temple.
Not far from the Kaal Bhairav's seat is the
Bhairogarh village, home to the famous Bhairogarh prints. For an outsider
they may look like another shade of Batik, but the signature Malwa prints
have many a local tale to tell and style to preserve.
Medieval history finds an echo in the Persian architecture of the Kaliadeh
Palace, surrounded by the Shipra and other man-made tanks with inscriptions
recording the visits of emperor Akbar (who made Ujjain the capital of Malwa)
and the 17th century Jantar Mantar built by Raja Jai Singh. Part of his five
famous observatories in Delhi, Jaipur, Banaras and Mathura, this one still
works and is even used for weather forecasts. Do avail the services of an
official guide and you will return back with your scientific temper reasonably
enhanced on Ujjain's status as India's Greenwich from the 4th century BC.
But not every thing from the past is forever
and even this ancient city too is changing. Our favourite mode of transport
till now, the tempo is also on the verge of extinction having already made
way for sleeker, environment friendly options in the bigger cities of Madhya
Pradesh like Indore and Bhopal. "They are now just limited to Ujjain
and Ratlam (in neighbouring Rajasthan), though here too they will be phased
out by the end of 2008," informs Singh. "So click enough pictures
to keep this ride for keeps," he laughs, as he drops us back at one of
the many sweet shops at the city centre. We gorge on platefuls of rabri and
gazaks which I bet they don't make any better anywhere. No wonder, so many
gods have opted for Ujjain as their earthly abode.
