Ram Ghat Ujjain – Shipra Aarti & Simhastha Shahi Snan

Tradition holds that Rama performed the last rites for his father at Ujjain, and the spot where that ritual took place became known as Ram Ghat. That association is why the ghat continues to draw people performing ancestral rites, alongside ordinary visitors.

The aarti on the ghat steps at dusk is the reason most travellers come. Lamps are floated on the water, bells carry across the river, and the crowd is generally calmer than at the temple. Arrive with time in hand and find a seat on the steps rather than pushing to the front.

Ram Ghat is where the Shahi Snan — the royal bath of the Simhastha — takes place. Ujjain is one of the four cities in India that host the Kumbh, and during Simhastha this stretch of riverbank becomes the focal point of the entire gathering. The next Simhastha falls in 2028.

The riverfront extends well beyond Ram Ghat, and the Navagraha Mandir sits on Triveni Ghat a little away from the old town. If you have time, walking a stretch of the bank gives you a far better feel for how the city relates to its river than a single stop does.

Steps down to the water can be slippery, especially after rain or during the monsoon when the Kshipra runs higher. Footwear is usually left at the top. During Simhastha and major bathing dates the ghat is managed with controlled entry and exit routes, so follow the marshals rather than your map.

The natural rhythm is temples through the day, Ram Ghat at sunset, dinner afterwards — which is exactly how our two-day Ujjain itinerary is built.

Source: District Ujjain, Government of India.

See the Ujjain travel guide, the two-day itinerary, or read more on the Shipra aarti.