The Kal Bhairav temple on the northern side of the city is one of Ujjain's oldest and most distinctive shrines, dedicated to the fierce Bhairava form of Shiva who guards the city as its Kotwal (police chief). The temple has been a centre of tantric worship and the more transgressive currents of Shaivism for centuries.
The idol of Kal Bhairav is ancient and blackened with offerings. The atmosphere inside the temple is intense and occasionally chaotic, with pilgrims pressing through a narrow passageway to get darshan (sight of the deity). The offering of liquor to the deity is not a tourist novelty but a genuine ritual that has been continuous here for hundreds of years.
The temple is on the bank of the Kshipra, a short ride north from the Mahakaleshwar area. Visit in the late morning when the crowd pressure is slightly less than at peak worship hours.