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{{Short description|Hindu temple in Madhya Pradesh, India}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2017}}
{{Use Indian English|date=March 2017}}
{{Infobox Hindu temple
|name = Kal Bahirav temple
|image = Kal Bhairav temple Ujjain.jpg
|map_type = India
|coordinates = {{coord|23.218174|N|75.768618|E|type:landmark_region:IN|display=inline,title}}
|map_caption = Location in India
|native_name = काल भैरव मन्दिर
|country = [[India]]
|state = [[Madhya Pradesh]]
|district = [[Ujjain district|Ujjain]]
|locale = Bhairavgarh, [[Ujjain]]
|elevation_m = 481
|deity = [[Kal Bhairav]]
}}
'''Kal Bhairav temple''' is a [[Hindu]] temple located in the [[Ujjain]] city of [[Madhya Pradesh]], [[India]]. It is dedicated to [[Kal Bhairav]], the [[guardian deity]] of the city.<ref name="NIE_2013_guardian"/> Located on the banks of the [[Shipra River]], it is one of the most active temples in the city, visited by hundreds of devotees daily.<ref name="ITV_2013_offer">{{cite news |url=http://www.indiatvnews.com/news/india/ujjain-s-kalbhairav-the-god-to-whom-hindu-devotees-offer-liquor-20258.html |title=Ujjain's Kalbhairav, the god to whom Hindu devotees offer liquor |date=20 February 2013 |publisher=India TV }}</ref> [[Liquor]] is one of the offerings made to the temple deity.<ref name="IT_1994_tantrik"/>

== History ==

The present-day temple structure was built over the remains of an older temple. The original temple is believed to have been built by an obscure king named Bhadrasen. It has been mentioned in the ''Avanti Khanda'' of the ''[[Skanda Purana]]''.<ref name="Ujj_NIC_temples"/><ref name="ITV_2013_offer"/> Images of [[Shiva]], [[Parvati]], [[Vishnu]] and [[Ganesha]] belonging to the [[Paramara dynasty|Paramara]] period (9th-13th century CE) have been recovered from the place.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.kalidasaakademi.nic.in/holy_city_ujjain/body_holy_city_ujjain.html |title=Holy City – Ujjain |publisher=Kalidasa Akademi |accessdate=28 September 2015 |archive-date=7 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160307203902/http://www.kalidasaakademi.nic.in/holy_city_ujjain/body_holy_city_ujjain.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> The temple walls were once decorated with [[Malwa painting]]s. However, only traces of these paintings are visible now.<ref name="Ujj_NIC_temples"/>

The present-day temple structure shows [[Maratha Confederacy|Maratha]] influence. According to the local tradition, after the Maratha defeat in the [[Third Battle of Panipat]] (1761 CE), the Maratha general [[Mahadaji Shinde]] offered his [[pagri (turban)|pagri]] (turban) to the deity, praying for victory in his campaign to restore the Maratha rule in North India. After successfully resurrecting Maratha power, he carried out restoration of the temple.<ref name="AajTak_2015_hi">{{cite news |url=http://aajtak.intoday.in/story/shri-kaal-bhairav-temple-ujjain-in-m.p-1-747082.html |title=ग्रहों की बाधाएं दूर करते है उज्जैन के कालभैरव |publisher=Aaj Tak |date=17 January 2015 |language=Hindi }}</ref>

A replica of the temple has been established on the [[Bhuj]]-[[Mundra]] road in [[Gujarat]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/At-this-temple-you-offer-foreign-liquor/articleshow/45392091.cms |title=At this temple you offer foreign liquor |author=Paul John |newspaper=The Times of India |date=6 December 2014 }}</ref>

<gallery mode="packed">
Kal Bhairav Ujjain - entrance.jpg | Temple entrance
Kal Bhairav Ujjain - Deepmalika.jpg | ''[[Deep Jyoti Stambh|Deepmalika]]'' or tower of lamps
File:Kal Bhairav Ujjain - devotees feeding gray langurs.jpg | Devotees feed [[gray langur]]s outside the temple
</gallery>

== The deity ==

As the name suggests, the temple is dedicated to [[Kal Bhairav]] (or Kala Bhairava). The deity's image is a face in form of a rock layered with [[kumkuma]] or [[sindoor|vermilion]]. The deity's silver head is adorned with a Maratha-style pagri, a tradition dating back to the days of Mahadaji Shinde.<ref name="AajTak_2015_hi"/>

The worship of [[Ashta Bhairava]] ("eight [[Bhairava]]s") is a part of the [[Saivite]] tradition, and the Kal Bhairav is considered their chief. The worship of Kal Bhairav was traditionally popular among the [[Kapalika]] and [[Aghori|Aghora]] sects, and Ujjain was a prominent centre of these sects.<ref name="Ujj_NIC_temples">{{cite news |url=http://www.ujjain.nic.in/TouristInfo/temples/temples.html |title=Temples |publisher=District Collector, Ujjain |accessdate=28 September 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150921131905/http://www.ujjain.nic.in/TouristInfo/temples/temples.html |archive-date=21 September 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Kal Bhairav is the [[guardian deity]] of Ujjain:<ref name="NIE_2013_guardian">{{cite news |url=http://www.newindianexpress.com/lifestyle/spirituality/article1473100.ece |title=Where Lord Shiva is guardian and ruler |author=V Guhan |date=24 February 2013 |publisher=Indian Express |access-date=29 September 2015 |archive-date=4 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304221911/http://www.newindianexpress.com/lifestyle/spirituality/article1473100.ece |url-status=dead }}</ref> he is considered [[Senapati]] (Commander-in-Chief or Chief General) of the town.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PyC4o7i9tnEC&pg=PA238 |title=India: A Sacred Geography |author=Diana L. Eck |author-link=Diana L. Eck |publisher=[[Three Rivers Press]] |year=2013 |isbn=9780385531924 |page=238 }}</ref>

== Liquor offering ==

[[Liquor]] is offered to the temple deity as one of the five [[tantra|tantric]] ritual offerings known as [[panchamakara]]: ''madya'' (alcohol), ''maansa'' (meat), ''meena'' or ''matsya'' (fish), ''mudra'' (gesture or parched grain) and ''[[maithuna]]'' (sexual intercourse). In older times, all five offerings were made to the deity, but now only alcohol is offered; the other four offerings are in form of symbolic rituals.<ref name="IT_1994_tantrik"/>

Outside the temple, vendors sell baskets of offerings, containing coconuts, flowers and a bottle of liquor.<ref name="ToI_2006_whisky"/> In 2015, the State Government set up liquor counters outside the temple to ensure that the devotees are not swindled by unlicensed vendors of alcohol. The counters sell both [[desi daru|country liquor]] and [[Indian-made foreign liquor|foreign liquor]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/ujjain-nod-to-liquor-outlets-near-kal-bhairav-temple/ |title=Ujjain: Nod to liquor outlets near Kal Bhairav temple |date=1 February 2015 |author=Milind Ghatwai |newspaper=Indian Express }}</ref>

Every day, hundreds of devotees offer liquor to the deity.<ref name="ITV_2013_offer"/> The devotees hand over the liquor bottles to the priest, who pours the liquor in a [[saucer]]. He then offers prayers and takes the saucer near the deity's lips, which have a slit. He tilts the plate a bit, and the liquor starts disappearing.<ref name="IT_1994_tantrik"/> About one-third of the bottle is returned to the devotee as [[Prasad (food offering)|prasad]].<ref name="ToI_2006_whisky">{{cite news |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/sunday-times/When-gods-accept-whisky/articleshow/414121.cms |title=When gods accept whisky |newspaper=The Times of India |date=12 November 2006 |author=Nilanjana Sengupta }}</ref>

The temple priests, as well as several devotees, claim that the slit doesn't have any cavity, and that the deity miraculously swallows the liquor offered to him. However, the temple priest does not allow the visitors to examine the statue. He also claims that only he can perform the miracle, and that the others who have tried to make the statue swallow the liquor have failed.<ref name="IT_1994_tantrik">{{cite journal |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/offtrack/story/19940731-tantrik-cult-worships-deity-with-offerings-of-liquor-in-ujjain-809449-1994-07-30 |title=One for the lord |author=N.K. Singh |date=31 July 1994 |journal=India Today }}</ref>

<gallery mode="packed">
File: Lord Kal Bhairav, Ujjain.jpg | Liquor being offered to the deity
File:Kal Bhairav Ujjain - Puja basket.jpg | A typical basket of offerings, containing [[desi daru]] (country liquor), a pack of [[incense stick]]s and [[tagetes|marigold]] flowers
File:Kal Bhairav Ujjain - government liquor shop.jpg | Government liquor shop outside the temple
File:Kal Bhairav Ujjain - liquor vendor.jpg | A non-government vendor outside the temple, selling liquor, flowers and books
File:Kal Bhairav Ujjain - vendor.jpg | Another non-government vendor outside the temple, selling liquor, flowers and framed photographs
</gallery>

Although no official figures are available on how much liquor is offered at the temple daily, the amount is estimated at several hundreds of litres.<ref name="HT_2015_dedicated">{{cite news |url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/bhopal/mp-ujjain-kal-bhairav-temple-to-get-dedicated-liquor-counters/story-Q5sPVh7AgjLD9VZcXa1e2O.html |title=MP: Ujjain Kal Bhairav temple to get dedicated liquor counters |date=1 February 2015 |author=Sunil Magariya |newspaper=Hindustan Times }}</ref> During the 2016 [[Ujjain Simhastha]], the state government banned liquor sales in Ujjain for a month, but allowed the shops in front of the temple to sell alcohol.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/indore/liquor-banned-in-ujjain-but-sales-surge-at-bhairav-temple/story-URBlPSZtfsi5KnqgjcF86O.html |title=Liquor banned in Ujjain, but sales surge at Bhairav temple |author=Vinit and Ritesh Mishra |newspaper=Hindustan Times |date=24 April 2016 }}</ref>

== References ==
{{Reflist|30em}}

[[Category:Hindu temples in Ujjain]]
[[Category:Shiva temples in Madhya Pradesh]]
[[Category:Bhairava temples]]

Kal Bhairav Temple, Ujjain - Revision history

CelestaWolf314: creating new place nd citations!