How to take your Simhastha snan in the Shipra at Ram Ghat and Ujjain's other ghats—ritual, etiquette, the evening aarti, Siddhavat rites and safety in summer.
The Shipra (Kshipra) is the sacred river of Ujjain, and Ram Ghat is its most important ghat, the focus of the Simhastha. Here is how to make your snan meaningful and safe.
Ram Ghat and the new ghats
- Ram Ghat is Ujjain's oldest and most important ghat. Tradition associates it with Lord Rama.
- For 2028, the state has planned permanent ghats along both banks of the Shipra to spread out the crowds. On busy days you may be directed to a specific ghat, and the merit of the snan is the same.
- The Kanh diversion project aims to keep polluted water out of the Shipra at Ujjain.
The ritual (simple form)
- Face the river, fold your hands and make your sankalp.
- Enter carefully, using the steps and railings.
- Take three, five or seven dips, chanting Om Namah Shivaya or Jai Mahakal.
- Offer arghya to the Sun, and flowers or a diya to the river.
- Collect Shipra water to take home.
- Change, then go for Mahakal darshan.
Follow your family or sampradaya tradition where it differs.
Etiquette
- No soap or shampoo, and leave no clothes or plastic behind.
- Never photograph people bathing.
- Move out promptly on busy days, and give way to sadhus and processions.
Safety in summer
- Bathe early (before 8–9 a.m.). Stone steps get scorching by midday.
- Hydrate before and after. Fasting plus heat is a common cause of fainting.
- Hold railings and stay within the marked areas.
- Children and seniors should bathe at quieter sections with an adult beside them.
- Follow police and SDRF instructions.
Evening Shipra aarti
The aarti at Ram Ghat at sunset, with lamps floating on the river, is a beautiful close to the day.
Rites for ancestors
Families wishing to perform pind daan or tarpan often go to Siddhavat, the sacred banyan on the Shipra. See the western circuit.
Plan your snan
Read Surviving the heat. Our Ujjain packages include a snan-day escort.
By KMII Travel Desk · Updated 3 Oct 2026
