Plan your visit
Bhartrihari Gufa, near Gadkalika Temple, bank of the Shipra river, Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh 456006, India
- Best time to come
- October to March, when the weather is cool. Early morning is quietest and the air inside the caves is freshest.
- How long to keep
- 30 to 45 minutes; allow an hour on busy days.
- Entry fee
- Free according to most guides. Donations are voluntary.
- What to wear
- No formal dress code is published. Modest clothing that covers shoulders and knees is appropriate, and footwear is left outside the shrines.
- Photography
- Reports differ. At least one visitor account says photography is not allowed inside the caves. Ask the sadhus before taking pictures, and do not photograph ascetics without consent.
How to reach
- By train
- Ujjain Junction (UJN) on the Western Railway is the nearest station, about 4 km from the gufa. Autos and e-rickshaws are available outside the station.
- By air
- Devi Ahilyabai Holkar Airport, Indore, is the nearest airport, about 53 to 55 km from Ujjain. Taxis and buses run from Indore to Ujjain.
- By road
- Ujjain is about 53 km from Indore and 183 km from Bhopal by road, with regular buses from Indore, Bhopal, Ratlam, Kota and Omkareshwar. The gufa has parking space.
- Within Ujjain
- From Mahakaleshwar temple the gufa is about 3.5 to 4.5 km to the north, 10 to 15 minutes by auto, e-rickshaw or taxi. It is a short ride or walk of under a kilometre from Gadkalika temple.
Good to know before you come
- The entrance is very narrow and the ceilings are low, about seven to eight feet in the chambers and lower on the stairs. Bend down and move slowly.
- Air circulation inside is limited and dhuni smoke lingers. People with asthma, breathing trouble or claustrophobia should stay near the entrance or skip the lower chambers.
- The steps are steep and uneven. Elderly visitors and anyone with knee or mobility problems should take help or view the complex from above.
- There is electric lighting, but it is dim. A phone torch is useful.
- Entry and exit are by the same narrow door, so queues build up on holidays and festival days. Weekday mornings are easiest.
- Be respectful with the resident Nath sadhus. Their dress and practices may be unfamiliar; greet them with Adesh and do not disturb those in meditation.
- Combine the visit with Gadkalika, Pir Matsyendranath, Kal Bhairav, Mangalnath and Sandipani Ashram, which lie on the same side of the city.
Nearby places
- 0.5 kmPir Matsyendranath
Shrine on the Shipra bank dedicated to Matsyendranath, the guru of Gorakhnath; revered by Hindus and Muslims alike.
- 0.7 kmGadkalika Temple
Ancient shrine of Goddess Kalika, by tradition worshipped by the poet Kalidasa; very crowded in both Navratris.
- 2.5 kmKal Bhairav Temple
Temple of Ujjain's guardian deity in Bhairavgarh, mentioned in the Avanti Khanda of the Skanda Purana.
- 3 kmSandipani Ashram
The hermitage where, by tradition, Krishna, Balarama and Sudama studied under Guru Sandipani.
- 4 kmMangalnath Temple
Shiva temple on the Shipra regarded as the birthplace of Mangal (Mars); known for Mangal dosha worship.
- 4 kmSiddhavat
Sacred banyan tree on the Shipra bank where rites for ancestors are performed.
- 4 kmMahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga
One of the twelve Jyotirlingas and the principal temple of Ujjain.
- 4 kmHarsiddhi Temple
Shakti Peeth near Mahakaleshwar, known for its two tall lamp towers; associated with King Vikramaditya.
Questions people ask
Where is Bhartrihari Gufa?
It is in the northern part of Ujjain, on the bank of the Shipra river near the Gadkalika temple, about 4 km from Ujjain Junction and roughly 3.5 to 4.5 km from Mahakaleshwar temple.
Who was Bhartrihari?
Bhartrihari is the Sanskrit poet of the Shatakatraya. Tradition remembers him as a king of Ujjain and brother of Vikramaditya who renounced the throne and became a Nath yogi under Gorakhnath. Historians date the poet to about the fifth century CE and treat the royal story as legend.
What are the timings?
There is no official published schedule. Most guides say the caves open at 6 AM; closing is given as 7 PM, 8 PM or 9 PM depending on the source. Visiting between 6 AM and 6 PM is the safe choice.
Is there an entry fee?
Most travel guides report that entry is free. An older Hindi article mentioned a fee, so carry a little change; offerings and gaushala contributions are voluntary.
How many caves are there?
Visitors are shown two caves: the main cave of Bhartrihari with its underground chambers, and the smaller cave of Gopichand. Some descriptions count three caves.
How old are the caves?
The stone structure is generally dated to about the tenth or eleventh century CE, the Paramara period, with later repairs. Tradition places Bhartrihari's stay here far earlier, in the age of Vikramaditya; that belief is a matter of faith, not of archaeological dating.
What is the handprint shown in the cave?
According to tradition, Indra tried to break Bhartrihari's tapasya by striking with his vajra or dropping a rock, and the yogi stopped the stone with one hand. A mark on the slab above his seat is revered as that handprint.
Is it safe for elderly people and children?
The upper complex is easy for everyone. The caves themselves have a narrow door, steep steps, low ceilings and little fresh air, so they are not advisable for people with breathing problems, claustrophobia or limited mobility. Keep children close.
Who manages the gufa?
The site is in the care of ascetics of the Nath sampradaya, who have a math here, tend the dhuni and conduct the worship.
Where is Bhartrihari's samadhi?
Traditions differ. The Ujjain gufa is honoured as his place of tapasya, and some writers also speak of a samadhi here. The best-known samadhi shrine of Baba Bharthari is in the Sariska hills of Alwar district, Rajasthan, and Chunar near Varanasi has its own Bharthari shrine.