Chaubis Khamba Temple

The Chaubis Khamba Temple takes its name from the twenty four ornate pillars supporting its structure, dating from the ninth or tenth century. Dedicated to the goddesses Mahamaya and Mahalaya, the shrine is believed to have once served as the entrance gate to the sacred Mahakala forest that surrounded the original Mahakaleshwar Temple. Located on the path to Patni Bazaar, the site rewards visitors with a tangible sense of the deep antiquity that runs beneath Ujjain's more famous pilgrimage stops.