Plan your visit
Shri Kal Bhairav Mandir, Bhairavgarh, Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, India
- 6:30 AM The doors open
- 8:00 AM Morning aarti
- 8:30 PM Evening aarti
- 9:30 PM The doors close
- Best time to come
- October to March is the most comfortable season. Early morning on a weekday is the quietest time; Sundays, holidays and festival days are very crowded.
- How long to keep
- About 30 to 60 minutes on a normal day; allow considerably longer on weekends and festivals.
- Entry fee
- General darshan is free. A paid sheeghra (VIP) darshan ticket of Rs 500 was introduced by the temple committee in May 2026 and is sold at authorised counters in the temple premises.
- What to wear
- There is no prescribed dress code. Modest clothing that covers shoulders and knees is appropriate, and footwear is left outside the shrine.
- Photography
- Photography is generally possible in the outer courtyard and at the gateway. It is reported to be restricted inside the sanctum, so follow the instructions of the temple staff.
How to reach
- Within Ujjain
- The temple is about 6 km from Mahakaleshwar Mandir, a ride of 15 to 20 minutes by auto, e-rickshaw or taxi. Many visitors hire a vehicle for a combined round of the temples on this side of the city.
- By train
- Ujjain Junction (UJN) on the Western Railway is the nearest station, about 7 km from the temple, and has trains to most major cities. Autos, e-rickshaws and taxis are available outside the station.
- By road
- Ujjain is connected by road with Indore (about 53 km) and Bhopal (about 183 km), with regular buses from Indore, Bhopal, Ratlam and Gwalior. From the city the temple is reached by the road to Bhairavgarh.
- By air
- The nearest airport is Devi Ahilyabai Holkar Airport, Indore. Ujjain is about 53 to 55 km from Indore, and the drive from the airport to the temple is roughly 65 km. Taxis and buses run between Indore and Ujjain.
Good to know before you come
- Come early in the morning on a weekday for a short queue. Sundays and festival days can mean a long wait.
- Offering liquor is optional. Flowers, coconut, incense and sweets are a complete offering in themselves.
- Liquor is no longer sold in Ujjain city. Those who wish to offer it must bring legally purchased liquor from outside the municipal limits and stay within the quantity the excise rules allow.
- Hand your offering to the priest. The offering is made only by the priests and visitors are not allowed to touch the deity.
- Buy darshan tickets only at the authorised counters inside the premises. The administration has warned against touts who offer quick darshan.
- Langurs and monkeys move about the compound. Keep prasad, food and loose items covered.
- Plan Kal Bhairav together with Siddhavat, Gadkalika, the Bhartrihari Caves, Mangalnath and Sandipani Ashram. All lie on the same northern side of the city and are usually covered in one auto or taxi round.
Nearby places
- 2 km
Siddhavat
A sacred banyan on the Shipra where rites for ancestors are performed. The sawari of Kal Bhairav comes here.
- 2.5 km
Gadkalika Temple
An ancient shrine of Goddess Kalika, by tradition the deity worshipped by the poet Kalidasa.
- 2.5 km
Bhartrihari Caves
Caves near the Shipra associated with the sage-king Bhartrihari, who is said to have meditated here.
- 3 km
Mangalnath Temple
A Shiva temple on the Shipra, held by tradition to be the birthplace of Mangal (Mars). Tuesdays are special.
- 3.5 km
Sandipani Ashram
The hermitage where, according to tradition, Krishna, Balarama and Sudama studied under Guru Sandipani.
- 4.5 km
Kaliadeh Palace
A 15th-century palace on the Shipra, north of Bhairavgarh.
- 6 km
Shri Mahakaleshwar Mandir
One of the twelve Jyotirlingas and the principal shrine of Ujjain. Kal Bhairav is revered as its Senapati.
- 6 km
Harsiddhi Temple
A revered Devi temple close to Mahakaleshwar, known for its two tall lamp towers lit on festival nights.
Questions people ask
What are the darshan timings of Kal Bhairav Mandir?
As reported in May 2026, the temple opens at 6:30 am and closes at 9:30 pm every day. Timings can change on festivals and sawari days, so confirm locally if your schedule is tight.
When is the aarti performed?
Aarti is performed in the morning and in the evening. A May 2026 report gives the times as 8:00 am and 8:30 pm, while several travel sites list 7:00 to 8:00 am and 6:00 to 7:00 pm. Please check at the temple on the day.
Why is liquor offered to Kal Bhairav?
The custom comes from Tantric worship, where madya is one of the five offerings called the panchamakara. Bhairava is worshipped in this tradition, and at this temple the liquor offering has continued while the other four are observed only symbolically.
Is it compulsory to offer liquor?
No. It is entirely optional. Many devotees offer only flowers, coconut, incense, laddus or chana and chironji, and receive the same darshan.
Can liquor still be offered after the liquor ban in Ujjain?
Yes. Liquor sales within the Ujjain municipal limits stopped on 1 April 2025 and the counters outside the temple were closed, but the offering was allowed to continue. Devotees who wish to offer liquor bring it from outside the municipal limits, and the temple arranges the liquor needed for the daily ritual.
Is there an entry fee or a VIP darshan?
General darshan in the regular queue is free. In May 2026 the temple committee introduced a paid darshan ticket of Rs 500, sold at authorised counters in the premises, which gives quicker access. It is reported to be paused during aarti.
How far is Kal Bhairav from Mahakaleshwar and the railway station?
It is about 6 km from Mahakaleshwar Mandir and about 7 km from Ujjain Junction by road. An auto or e-rickshaw takes around 15 to 25 minutes depending on traffic.
Why is Kal Bhairav called the Kotwal of Ujjain?
Tradition regards him as the guardian who keeps watch over the city on behalf of Lord Mahakal, much as a kotwal once guarded a town. For this reason pilgrims consider their Mahakal yatra complete only after his darshan.
When does the sawari of Kal Bhairav take place?
Twice a year: on Dol Gyaras in Bhadrapada, usually in September, and on the day after Bhairav Ashtami in Margashirsha, in November or December. The procession starts from the temple around 4 pm.
Who manages the temple?
The temple is run by a management committee (prabandh samiti) that functions under the Ujjain district administration, with an administrator appointed for the temple. Worship is conducted by the hereditary priests.