Plan your visit
Shri Harsiddhi Mata Mandir, Harsiddhi Marg, near Rudra Sagar, Jaisinghpura, Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh 456006, India
- Best time to come
- October to March is the most comfortable season. For the full experience come at dusk, when the lamp towers are lit. Navratri is the most festive time but also the most crowded.
- How long to keep
- About 30 minutes to 1 hour; allow longer in the evening or during Navratri.
- Entry fee
- Entry and darshan are free. Sponsoring the lamp towers is a separate, paid booking.
- What to wear
- No formal dress code is published. Modest, traditional clothing is expected, and footwear is left outside. Many devotees cover the head with a scarf or chunari.
- Photography
- The courtyard and the lamp towers are widely photographed. Rules for the sanctum are not published; do not photograph the deity unless the temple staff permit it, and follow the notices on site.
How to reach
- By train
- Ujjain Junction (station code UJN) on the Western Railway is the nearest railhead, about 2 to 2.5 km from the temple. Auto-rickshaws and e-rickshaws are available outside the station.
- By air
- The nearest airport is Devi Ahilyabai Holkar Airport, Indore, about 55 km away. Taxis and buses connect Indore with Ujjain.
- By road
- Ujjain is well connected by road: about 53 km from Indore and 183 km from Bhopal, with regular buses from Indore, Bhopal, Ratlam, Kota and Omkareshwar. The city's bus stands are at Dewas Gate, near the railway station, and at Nanakheda.
- Within Ujjain
- The temple is about 500 m from Mahakaleshwar Temple, on the far side of Rudra Sagar, and is easily reached on foot. Auto-rickshaws and e-rickshaws run from all parts of the city; vehicle access near the temple may be restricted on crowded days.
Good to know before you come
- Arrive 30 to 45 minutes before the evening aarti to find a place in the courtyard and watch the towers being lit.
- Combine the visit with Mahakaleshwar and Mahakal Lok; the temple is a five to ten minute walk away.
- Stand well back from the lamp towers while they are being lit. Hot oil drips from the lamps and the ground around them is slippery.
- If you wish to sponsor the deepmalika, enquire at the temple office well in advance; dates are often booked months ahead.
- For a quiet darshan, come early in the morning. Navratri, Ashtami and full-moon days draw the largest crowds.
- During Navratri the inner sanctum may be closed to the public and darshan is from outside; allow extra time for queues.
- Timings change on festivals and eclipse days. Check locally before planning around a particular aarti.
Nearby places
- 0.5 kmShri Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga Temple
One of the twelve Jyotirlingas of Shiva and the heart of the Ujjain pilgrimage.
- 0.4 kmShri Mahakal Lok
The landscaped corridor along Rudra Sagar with sculptures and murals on Shiva themes.
- 0.5 kmBade Ganesh Temple
A temple with a very large image of Ganesha, next to the Mahakaleshwar complex.
- 0.6 kmRam Ghat, Shipra River
The main bathing ghat of Ujjain, known for its evening aarti and the Simhastha bathing days.
- 4 kmGadkalika Temple
A shrine of Goddess Kalika, by tradition the deity worshipped by the poet Kalidasa.
- 5 kmKal Bhairav Temple
The temple of Ujjain's guardian deity on the bank of the Shipra, an old centre of tantric worship.
- 6 kmMangalnath Temple
A Shiva temple above the Shipra, regarded in tradition as the birthplace of Mars (Mangal).
- 6 kmChintaman Ganesh Temple
An old Ganesha temple with a self-manifested image and carved pillars of the Paramara period.
Questions people ask
Where is Harsiddhi Mata Mandir?
It is in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, on Harsiddhi Marg beside Rudra Sagar, about 500 m from the Mahakaleshwar Temple and about 2 to 2.5 km from Ujjain Junction railway station.
What are the temple timings?
MP Tourism lists the temple as open from 5 am to 7 pm every day, with a morning aarti between 7 and 8 am and an evening aarti around 6 to 7 pm. Other sources report later closing times, and hours are extended in Navratri, so please confirm locally.
When are the lamp towers lit?
They are lit at dusk for the evening aarti. Preparation begins about an hour earlier, so reaching the temple by about 6 pm is a good idea. The lighting takes place when a devotee has sponsored it, which is the case on most evenings and on every evening of Navratri.
How many lamps are there on the deep-stambhs?
Local news reports give a total of about 1,011 lamps on the two towers, which stand about 51 feet tall. Other sources quote different numbers, from 726 to more than 1,100, so the figure should be read as approximate.
Can I sponsor the lighting of the lamp towers?
Yes. The offering is called deepmalika and is booked through the temple office. Demand is high and dates are often taken months in advance. Charges have changed over the years, so ask the temple for the current amount.
Why is Harsiddhi called a Shaktipeeth?
According to tradition, when Lord Vishnu divided the body of Sati to calm the grieving Shiva, her elbow fell at this spot. Each place where a part of her body fell is revered as a Shaktipeeth.
What does the name Harsiddhi mean?
The Skanda Purana relates that the goddess Chandi slew the demons Chanda and Prachanda at Shiva's call. Shiva then named her Harasiddhi, the one who brought success (siddhi) to Hara, that is, to Shiva.
What is the connection with King Vikramaditya?
Harsiddhi is remembered as the kuldevi of Vikramaditya, the legendary king of Ujjain. Tradition credits him with founding the temple, and a popular legend says he offered his head to the goddess eleven times.
Is there an entry fee?
No. Entry and darshan are free for everyone.
What is the best time to visit?
Evening, for the lighting of the deep-stambhs, and the two Navratris for the festive atmosphere. For an unhurried darshan, come early on an ordinary morning between October and March.