Key takeaways
- The sawari leaves Mahakaleshwar Temple at 4 PM, gets Shipra abhishek at Ram Ghat and returns via Gopal Mandir.
- 2026 Sawan-Bhadau sawaris: 3, 10, 17, 24 and 31 Aug, with the Shahi Sawari on 7 Sep.
- The Shahi Sawari takes a longer return loop via Mirza Naim Beg, Teliwada, Kanthal, Satigate and Sarafa.
- Forms build up through the season; the 2026 Shahi Sawari carried seven forms.
- 2027 Sawan sawari dates are not announced yet; Shravan 2027 begins 19 Jul per Drik Panchang.
The Mahakal sawari route starts at Mahakaleshwar Temple at 4 PM, after puja in the Sabha Mandap. The silver palki moves through Mahakal Chauraha, Gudri Chauraha, Bakshi Bazaar and Kaharwadi to Ram Ghat on the Shipra River. It returns via Ramanujkot, Kartik Chowk, Dhaba Road, Tanki Chauraha, Chhatri Chowk, Gopal Mandir and Patni Bazaar.
The 2026 Sawan-Bhadau season ended with the Shahi Sawari on 7 September 2026. This page covers the route, the usual timing, how the Shahi Sawari differs, a recap of all six 2026 sawaris and what we know about 2027, as of October 2026.
The sawari is the procession in which a form of Mahakal, the deity of the Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga in Ujjain, is carried in a palanquin from the temple to Ram Ghat for abhishek and back. It is held on Mondays of Shravan and Bhadrapada.
Mahakal sawari route, stop by stop
Free Press Journal, Patrika and Bhaskar Digital all reported the same outbound route for 2026, and Patrika also listed the return stops. The table below puts the regular route and the Shahi Sawari route side by side.
| Stage | Stops in order | Regular sawari | Shahi Sawari |
|---|---|---|---|
| Start | Puja in the Sabha Mandap, Mahakaleshwar Temple | Yes | Yes |
| Outbound | Mahakal Chauraha → Gudri Chauraha → Bakshi Bazaar → Kaharwadi → Ram Ghat | Yes | Yes |
| At Ram Ghat | Puja and abhishek with Shipra water | Yes | Yes |
| Return, first part | Ramanujkot → Modh ki Dharamshala → Kartik Chowk → Khati Samaj Mandir → Dhaba Road → Tanki Chauraha | Yes | Yes |
| Return, second part | Chhatri Chowk → Gopal Mandir → Patni Bazaar → Gudri Chauraha → temple | Yes | Joins here after the extra loop |
| Shahi extra loop | Tanki Chauraha → Mirza Naim Beg → Teliwada Chauraha → Kanthal → Satigate → Sarafa → Chhatri Chowk | No | Yes |
Outbound: temple to Ram Ghat
The palki leaves the temple after puja in the Sabha Mandap. News reports use three names for the first stretch outside the temple. Most call it Mahakal Chauraha, one Free Press Journal report calls it Mahakal Lok, and Akashvani called it Mahakal Ghati. All three mean the same stretch.
From there the procession goes through the old city lanes of Gudri Chauraha, Bakshi Bazaar and Kaharwadi. These are narrow streets, so the crowd here stands close to the palki.
At Ram Ghat: the Shipra abhishek
Ram Ghat is the turning point. Here the forms are worshipped with water from the Shipra (Kshipra) River. On the Shahi day in 2026, Akashvani reported that Chandramouleshwar and Manmahesh were worshipped with Shipra water at the ghat. For more on the ghat itself, see our Ram Ghat guide.
Return route to the temple
After the puja, the palki returns by a different road: Ramanujkot, Modh ki Dharamshala, Kartik Chowk, Khati Samaj Mandir, Dhaba Road, Tanki Chauraha, Chhatri Chowk, Gopal Mandir and Patni Bazaar, then back through Gudri Chauraha to the temple. One report of the 2nd sawari also names Satyanarayan Mandir on this stretch.
Some older pages list stops like Tower Square or Daulatganj. None of the 2026 reports we checked name them, so we have left them out.
Shahi Sawari: how the final Sawan-Bhadau procession differs
The Shahi Sawari, Ujjain’s royal procession, is the last sawari of the Sawan-Bhadau season; it is not held every Monday. Reports suggest the usual pattern is a sawari on each Monday of Shravan and on the first Mondays of Bhadrapada, with the Shahi Sawari last. In 2024 there were seven sawaris. In 2026 there were six.
Extended return route (Tanki Chauraha to Gudri)
The Shahi Sawari follows the regular route up to Tanki Chauraha. Then it takes a longer loop through Mirza Naim Beg, Teliwada Chauraha, Kanthal, Satigate and Sarafa. It rejoins the normal path at Chhatri Chowk and comes back past Gopal Mandir, Patni Bazaar and Gudri Chauraha. The longer loop means the palki returns later than on a regular sawari, though no exact return time has been published.
Seven forms on Shahi day
Akashvani reported that Mahakal appeared in seven forms at the 2026 Shahi Sawari. The 2026 theme was a Simhastha-2028 tableau with a drone flower shower. The reports we found did not publish the names of all seven 2026 forms, so the forms table below uses the list given for the 2024 Shahi Sawari.
Mahakal sawari 2026: the six Sawan-Bhadau dates and themes (recap)
The 2026 schedule was announced at a meeting chaired by the Ujjain Collector, who also heads the Shri Mahakaleshwar Temple Management Committee. Shravan 2026 ran from 30 July to 28 August, which is why the last two sawaris fell in Bhadrapada. For other festivals through the year, see the Mahakal festivals calendar.
| # | Date (2026) | Month | Theme | Forms (as reported) | Notable (as reported) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 Aug | Shravan | Vedic chanting by 1,100 batuks | Chandramouleshwar in the silver palki | Left the temple at 4 PM (pre-event report) |
| 2 | 10 Aug | Shravan | Folk dances | Chandramouleshwar, Manmahesh | Free Press Journal reported about 7.80 lakh devotees |
| 3 | 17 Aug | Shravan | Police, army, home guard and school bands | Chandramouleshwar, Manmahesh, Shiv Tandav | Bhaskar Digital quoted the administration: more than 7.80 lakh had darshan |
| 4 | 24 Aug | Shravan | Environmental conservation | Announced: Chandramouleshwar, Manmahesh, Shiv Tandav, Uma-Mahesh | Line-up from a pre-event report |
| 5 | 31 Aug | Bhadrapada | 84 Mahadev tableau | Not reported | Wire reports: CM Mohan Yadav took part; helicopter flower shower at Ram Ghat |
| 6 (Shahi) | 7 Sep | Bhadrapada | Simhastha-2028 tableau, drone flower shower | Seven forms (names not published) | 4 PM start; Akashvani broadcast it live |
Tribal dance groups and LED chariots were reported with the sawaris through the season. One Free Press Journal list puts the environment theme on 25 August. That looks like a typo, as every report gives the 4th sawari date as 24 August.
The sources we checked published no crowd count for the Shahi Sawari on 7 September 2026, so none is given here.
Which forms of Mahakal are carried
Chandramouleshwar rides in the silver palki on every sawari. Other forms join as the season goes on, so the line-up grows week by week. The table shows what was reported for 2026 and, for the Shahi day, the list Akashvani gave for 2024.
| Form | Vehicle | When it joins |
|---|---|---|
| Chandramouleshwar | Silver palki | Every sawari (2026) |
| Manmahesh | Elephant | Reported from the 2nd sawari (2026) |
| Shiv Tandav | Garud rath | Reported from the 3rd sawari (2026) |
| Uma-Mahesh | Nandi rath | Announced for the 4th sawari (2026) |
| Holkar State mukharvind | Dol rath | As listed for the 2024 Shahi Sawari |
| Ghatatop | Not stated in the source | As listed for the 2024 Shahi Sawari |
| Saptadhanya mukharvind | Not stated in the source | As listed for the 2024 Shahi Sawari |
A mukharvind is a face form of Mahakal. The Holkar State mukharvind rides on a Dol rath, not an elephant; the elephant carries Manmahesh.
The forms carried on the 5th 2026 sawari were not reported. The count of seven for the 2026 Shahi day is confirmed, but the 2026 names are not. Treat the 2024 list as a guide to what is usually carried.
Mahakal sawari time and where to stand
The 4 PM start is the one fixed time. Akashvani reported it for the 2026 Shahi Sawari, and the same start was reported in 2019, 2022 and 2024. Every other time below comes from a local guide site, changes from day to day and should be treated as approximate.
Approximate timeline of a sawari day
| Stage | Time | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Streets fill up | Approx. 2 PM | Gudri Chauraha and Ram Ghat get crowded early |
| Sabha Mandap puja | Approx. 3:30 to 4 PM | Puja inside the temple before the palki leaves |
| Departure | 4 PM | Palki leaves with a guard of honour |
| Ram Ghat | Approx. 5:30 to 6:15 PM | Abhishek with Shipra water |
| Return route | Approx. 6:30 to 8 PM | Ramanujkot to Gopal Mandir and Patni Bazaar |
| Back at temple | Approx. 8:15 PM | Regular sawari; the Shahi Sawari returns later |
Akashvani’s 2024 report said an armed-police guard of honour is given and a police band leads the procession. Private vehicles are usually stopped at outer barriers, such as Nanakheda, the Hari Phatak overbridge and Karkraj. Expect to walk the last stretch.
Spots by stage
Each stretch shows a different part of the sawari. None of them promises a clear view, and all of them get crowded.
- Outbound streets (Gudri Chauraha, Bakshi Bazaar, Kaharwadi): you see the palki pass on its way to the river. The lanes are narrow.
- Ram Ghat: this is where the abhishek happens. Along with Gudri Chauraha, it is one of the first places to fill, often by approx. 2 PM.
- Return route (Gopal Mandir, Patni Bazaar): you see the procession on its way back, later in the evening.
- LED screens: for the 3rd sawari in 2026, screens were reported at Freeganj, Dutt Akhara and Nanakheda.
If you cannot be in Ujjain, Akashvani Ujjain carried the 2026 Shahi Sawari live, in a slot of approx. 2 PM to 10 PM, on FM 102.5 MHz and the News On AIR app, as reported by News On AIR. For the temple’s own streams, see Mahakal live darshan.
What comes next: Kartik-Agahan sawaris and Sawan 2027
Kartik-Agahan sawaris have been reported for mid-November to early December 2026 (The Sootr, 7 October 2026). Confirm the dates with the Shri Mahakaleshwar Temple Management Committee closer to the time, and check our festival dates page for updates. Mahakal sawari 2027 dates for Sawan had not been announced as of October 2026. Drik Panchang puts Shravan 2027 at 19 July to 17 August, with Mondays on 19 and 26 July and 2, 9 and 16 August 2027. These are panchang Mondays, not the temple schedule. In 2026 the schedule was reported 18 days before Shravan began, and in 2025 about 19 days before. So expect the 2027 dates around late June or early July 2027.
Planning a sawari visit: darshan and Bhasma Aarti on sawari days
Watching the sawari from the roadside is separate from darshan inside the temple. In Sawan 2026, the temple doors were reported to open at approx. 3 AM daily and approx. 2:30 AM on Mondays. For the full Monday plan, read Sawan Somvar darshan and booking at Mahakal.
Bhasma Aarti and darshan slots are booked only on the official temple portal, shrimahakaleshwar.mp.gov.in. Booking has usually opened about one month ahead; check the portal for the current window. This site does not sell tickets or passes, and nobody can reserve a sawari viewing spot for you.
Tips for the day:
- Reach your chosen stretch well before 4 PM. Streets near Gudri Chauraha and Ram Ghat fill early.
- Plan to walk from the outer barriers.
- Carry water and keep your phone charged. Crowds make it hard to move around or find your group.
- Check the date with the temple committee before you travel, as schedules can change.
If you want the step-by-step booking checklist offline, it is in the Mahakal Playbook.
Sources and verification
Compiled by Kshitij Kumawat, Ujjain local guide since 2023, from the temple committee schedule as reported by Free Press Journal, Patrika, Bhaskar Digital, The Sootr and News On AIR. Times other than the 4 PM start are approximate and vary by day. The full source list follows.
Frequently Asked Questions
When are the Mahakal sawari dates for 2027?
The 2027 Sawan sawari dates had not been announced as of October 2026. Drik Panchang puts Shravan 2027 from 19 July to 17 August, with Mondays on 19 and 26 July and 2, 9 and 16 August. Those are panchang dates, not the temple schedule. The last two schedules came out about two to three weeks before Shravan, so expect an announcement around late June or early July 2027.
What time does the Mahakal sawari start?
The sawari leaves Mahakaleshwar Temple at 4 PM, after puja in the Sabha Mandap. This start time was reported for 2019, 2022, 2024 and the 2026 Shahi Sawari. Other times are approximate. The palki usually reaches Ram Ghat at approx. 5:30 to 6:15 PM and is back at the temple at approx. 8:15 PM on a regular sawari. The Shahi Sawari returns later.
What is the route of the Shahi Sawari?
The Shahi Sawari follows the regular route to Ram Ghat and back as far as Tanki Chauraha. It then takes a longer loop through Mirza Naim Beg, Teliwada Chauraha, Kanthal, Satigate and Sarafa. It rejoins the normal path at Chhatri Chowk and returns past Gopal Mandir, Patni Bazaar and Gudri Chauraha to the temple. Because of this loop, it finishes later than a regular sawari.
How many sawaris were there in 2026?
There were six sawaris in the 2026 Sawan-Bhadau season. Four fell in Shravan, on 3, 10, 17 and 24 August. Two fell in Bhadrapada, on 31 August and 7 September. The last one, on 7 September 2026, was the Shahi Sawari, when Mahakal was carried in seven forms. Shravan 2026 ended on 28 August, which is why the last two fell in Bhadrapada.
Do you need a ticket to watch the sawari?
The sawari moves through public streets, so you watch it from the roadside. None of the 2026 reports we checked mention a ticket for watching. Expect large crowds, road closures and a walk from the outer barriers. Darshan and Bhasma Aarti inside the temple are different. Those are booked only on the official temple portal, and this site does not sell any tickets or passes.
Which forms of Mahakal are carried in the sawari?
Chandramouleshwar rides in the silver palki on every sawari. In 2026, Manmahesh on an elephant was reported from the 2nd sawari, Shiv Tandav on a Garud rath from the 3rd, and Uma-Mahesh on a Nandi rath was announced for the 4th. For the Shahi day, the 2024 list adds the Holkar State mukharvind on a Dol rath, Ghatatop and the Saptadhanya mukharvind.
Related guides
Sources and verification
- Free Press Journal – Shravan 2026 sawari schedule (12 Jul 2026)
- Free Press Journal – Mahakal Sawari 2026 full schedule and routes (3 Aug 2026)
- Free Press Journal – Second Shravan sawari, 7.80 lakh devotees (11 Aug 2026)
- Free Press Journal – Shravan 2026 dates (13 Jul 2026)
- Patrika – Mahakal sawari history and route (5 Aug 2026)
- Bhaskar Digital – Third Sawan sawari 2026 (18 Aug 2026)
- NewKerala (wire) – CM joins fifth sawari (31 Aug 2026)
- News On AIR – Shahi Sawari live, 7 Sep 2026
- News On AIR (Hindi) – Shahi Sawari seven forms, 1 Sep 2024
- ujjaindarshan.com – Shravan sawari rules 2026