The Ujjain Simhastha Mela area
How the Simhastha ground is laid out along the Shipra — and the plans to make much of it permanent.
Riverfront (planned)
~29 km
Ghat pathway along the Shipra announced for 2028
Kumbh city land
2,378 ha
Earmarked through land pooling for a permanent Mela ground
Core
Ram Ghat
Old city, east bank of the Shipra
The idea
A Mela ground being made permanent
Ujjain's Kumbh, the Simhastha, has always spread along both banks of the Shipra around the old city. What sets the coming cycle apart is that Madhya Pradesh has announced plans to turn much of the Mela ground into permanent infrastructure rather than rebuilding it from scratch each time.
Plans announced in 2025 include about 2,378 hectares of land brought together through a land pooling scheme for a permanent "Kumbh city" with roads, services and plots for camps, and a continuous ghat pathway of around 29 km along the Shipra, running from the Shani temple area at Triveni to the Nagda bypass. The plans also call for separate ghats for saints and akhadas, so their processions and bathing do not share space with general pilgrims.
These are announced plans; details can change as works progress. For the ghats themselves, see Ghats of Ujjain.
Zones
How the Simhastha ground is organised
| Zone type | Where it tends to be | What it's for |
|---|---|---|
| Bathing ghat zones | Along both banks, centred on Ram Ghat and Dutt Akhada Ghat | Controlled access to the river, with entry and exit corridors and holding areas |
| Akhada zones | Dedicated areas near the river with their own ghats and routes | Camps for the thirteen akhadas and their processions |
| Tent city zones | Open land around the Mela ground | Pilgrim accommodation with water, power and sanitation |
| Service & control zones | Spread through the ground | Police, medical posts, control rooms and information centres |
| Parking & transit zones | On the approach roads, away from the river | Vehicle holding with shuttle links inwards |
Zone and sector names are fixed by the Mela administration each cycle.
The river
Keeping the Shipra fit for bathing
A small river, a huge gathering
The Shipra carries little water in the dry months, and the Simhastha usually falls in spring. Water supply to the ghats is a central part of Mela planning.
Narmada water
Since 2015, Narmada water has been piped into the Shipra to keep it flowing.
Keeping the Khan out
The Khan river, which carries urban runoff, joins the Shipra near Triveni. A closed-duct diversion of around 30 km is planned to carry its flow past the Mela stretch.
Barrages
Small barrages are planned on the Khan and the Shipra to hold water along the ghats.
Worth knowing
Getting to Ujjain
Road links from Indore are being widened, and a metro line between Indore and Ujjain has been approved. Indore airport is about 55 km away.
Event dates: Ujjain on Kumbh Mela Dates →
Before you go
Finding your way in the Simhastha
Think in banks
Ram Ghat and the old city are on the east bank; Dutt Akhada Ghat faces it from the west. Crossing between them takes time on busy days.
Temples are part of the route
Mahakaleshwar and Harsiddhi sit right above Ram Ghat. On bathing days, darshan queues and ghat crowds overlap.
Heat is a factor
The Simhastha falls in the Malwa spring, which gets hot. Carry water, cover your head, and rest in shade.
Know your sector
Note your camp's sector and a landmark, and use official Mela maps and information booths.
Outer ghats are calmer
Ghats upstream at Triveni or downstream towards Mangalnath are usually less crowded than Ram Ghat.
Check official advisories
Traffic diversions and ghat timings are announced by the Mela administration during the event.
Keep exploring
Continue exploring
Ghats of Ujjain
Every ghat on the Shipra.
The 13 akhadas
Who camps where, in every city.
Prayagraj Mela area
Compare with the floodplain city.
Questions
Frequently asked
The name for the Kumbh Mela held at Ujjain on the Shipra river.
Plans announced in 2025 earmark about 2,378 hectares through land pooling for a permanent Kumbh city, alongside a ghat pathway of around 29 km.
Along both banks of the Shipra, centred on Ram Ghat and Dutt Akhada Ghat, with many more ghats up and downstream.
Yes — the announced plans include separate ghats for saints and akhadas.
A planned closed duct of around 30 km to carry the Khan river's flow past the Mela stretch so it does not enter the Shipra near the ghats.