Maa Baglamukhi Temple, Nalkheda

On the quiet banks of the Lakhundar river at Nalkheda, some 120 kilometres north of Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh's Agar Malwa district, stands one of India's three most revered shrines to Maa Baglamukhi — the yellow-robed goddess also known as Pitambara Devi.

• Together with the temples at Datia and at Bankhandi in Himachal's Kangra valley, Nalkheda completes a trio that draws seekers from across the country.
• Baglamukhi is counted among the ten Mahavidyas, the tantric wisdom-goddesses, and is worshipped as the deity of stambhana — the stilling or paralysing of adversity.
• She is imagined seated upon a golden throne, clad head to toe in yellow, one hand raising a mace and the other holding the tongue of the forces she subdues, a vivid image of speech and obstacle brought under control.
• By long tradition the shrine is linked to the Mahabharata and the Pandavas, who are said to have propitiated the goddess here before battle; the sanctum enshrines Baglamukhi flanked by forms of Lakshmi and Saraswati.
• Whatever the precise age of the structure, the site has been a living centre of worship for generations, and its atmosphere is unmistakably devotional rather than touristic.
• Yellow is everywhere — marigold garlands, turmeric-smeared offerings, saffron-gold cloth — and the temple is best known for the continuous havan (fire rituals) that pilgrims commission for success in litigation, examinations, disputes and health.
• The rhythmic chant of mantras and the smoke of the sacred fire give the small complex an intense, focused calm.
• Because it lies a good three hours by road from Ujjain, most visitors treat Nalkheda as a dedicated day trip, setting out early and returning by evening; the shrine is busiest during Navaratri and on Shivratri and other auspicious days, when queues lengthen considerably.
• Dress modestly, expect to remove footwear, and allow time for a slow, unhurried darshan.
• For food, Nalkheda is a small temple town, so keep expectations simple and pure-vegetarian.
• The temple's own bhojanshala and prasad counter offer sanctified vegetarian food, and the lanes around the shrine have modest bhojnalayas and dhabas serving Malwi staples — dal-bafla, poha-jalebi, fresh sabzi-roti thalis and hot chai.
• Ask for the pure-veg kitchen, and carry water for the road; for a wider choice of vegetarian meals, plan to eat back in Ujjain or in Shajapur en route.
• Stick to plain, bhang-free thandai or lassi if offered a cooling drink.