Ujjain

Ujjain is a city of the central India located in the area of Malwa of the Madhya Pradesh, on Right Bank of the Shiprâ, one of the most Western affluents of the Gange. It is one of the oldest cities of the country and it belongs to the Holy Cities of India. It is held there each twelve years a Kumbhamelâ (the last in 2004). The city is known under various names, whose Avantî , Visyhâlâ , Padmâvatî , Bhoghavatî , Hyranyavatî , Ptolémée calls it Ozênê . It was an important center of astronomical and mathematical studies.

Caption and History

According to the legend, it is there that Shiva would have overcome the fortress of the Asura. The legend also says that the city would have been creates by king Pradotya, a contemporary of the Bouddha, who would have made the war against the king Bimbisâra of the Magadha and against Pukkusharin, the king of Takshashîlâ. The city is quoted besides in the Buddhist texts like an important power of the north of India.

Ashoka occupies the station of viceroy there before succeeding his father. It is there that the court was held of the king Vikramâditya. The city is then the capital or an important city of the territory of the Shâtavâhana, Kshaharâta (around year 100), then Paramâra (of the Xe at the 12th century).

The sultan of Delhi Îltutmish puts it at bag in 1235. Akbar seizes some and makes of it the capital of the Mâlvâ. During second half of the 18th century it is the general headquarter of the Râja marathes Sindhia. When Sindhia settle then with Gwâlior, Ujjain remains part of the state of Gwâlior, and this until Indian independence in 1947.

During the British Raj, Gwâlior becomes a princely State after the defeat of the Marathes during the third war anglo-marathe, and Gwâlior, Ujjain, and the princely States close become part of the Central India Agency . After Indian independence, the State de Gwâlior is integrated into India and Ujjain becomes part of the State of Madhya Bharat and, in 1956, Madhya Bharat amalgamates with the State de Madhya Pradesh.

Inheritance

Very important for the Hindu pilgrim, the town of Ujjain is not main interest for the Western visitor. One will note however:

the Gopal Mandir : dating from the 19th century and located in the bazaar of the city, the construction of this temple dedicated to Krishna is due to the Mahârâni of Daulat Râo Scindia. It comprises a furnace bridge covered with a marquetry of marble and comprising doors with the money plating which one says that they come from the temple of Somnath to Goujerat. They would have been flights by Mahmûd de Ghaznî in 1026 when it destroyed the temple and brought back in the town of Ghaznî, then from there in Lâhore by Mahmud Shah Abdati. The chief marathe Mahadji Scindia would have recovered them and installed in the temple.
the temple of Mahakaleswar : At the XIXe century, the marathes rebuild this important temple, more visited city, dedicated to Shiva and which contains one of the twelve Jyotirlingam or lingam of light.
the Jantar Mantar or observatory Vedh Shala : Located outside the city, it was built like those of Jaipur and Delhi by the maharaja Jai Singh II of Jaipur in 1730.

Simple: Ujjain

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