Every year, millions of pilgrims arrive in Ujjain to receive blessings in ancient temples, strolling through the city's sacred corridors, which boast centuries of spiritual heritage. However, few consider what Ujjain looked like before these temples appeared.
The Historical Appearance of Ujjain
Before becoming one of India's most revered pilgrimage centers, ancient texts described the area as Mahakal Van—an extensive forest where nature and spirituality harmoniously coexisted. Nevertheless, over centuries, urbanization gradually displaced the green zone, leaving behind a city with extremely limited open natural spaces.
The Forest Officer's Initiatives
For Anurag Tiwari, an Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer from the Madhya Pradesh batch of 2018 and the Divisional Forest Officer of Ujjain, this forgotten past serves as a roadmap for the city's future. He noted that the initial task was to identify areas where afforestation could take place, as land in the ancient city presents a complex problem.
Historically, Mahakal Van is believed to have covered a significant part of modern Ujjain, an area that today spans from 51.83 to 157 sq km. Finding suitable locations proved difficult because most of the city's vacant land is under the jurisdiction of the Revenue Department, not the Forest Department. Therefore, Tiwari and his team began searching for places where nature could return in a way that also aligned with people's faith.
Recreating the Sacred Forest
This search led them to study scriptures. According to the Skandapurana, Ujjaini is described as the City of Mahakal Van. It is believed that many of the city's famous temples stand where shrines once existed in this vast forest. Inspired by these texts, the Forest Department is creating Aastha Vans—sacred groves along the Panchkoshi Yatra route. Each grove combines local tree species with plants traditionally associated with the deities worshipped in the region, thus merging ecology and faith.
The department's efforts go beyond simply planting saplings. Attempts are also being made to restore species that have subtly disappeared from the Ujjain landscape. For example, tamarind, once common, is now found only in scattered places, and miswak, once native to the Shipra river basin, is now mainly found in South India.
Tiwari emphasized: 'We are trying to develop Aastha Vans that can function as sacred groves while showcasing local biodiversity. The idea is to reconnect people with nature through Ujjain's spiritual identity.'
Engaging the Public in Care
This is not Tiwari's first urban greening project. During his previous work in the Barwani division of Hargone district, he developed three biodiversity-focused urban forests, earning him recognition in the World Book of Records. Now, he is applying that experience to Ujjain.
Planting trees is just the beginning. Protecting them for decades requires local participation. Instead of managing the groves entirely through the Forest Department, the plan involves transferring each Aastha Van to nearby temple trusts and Gram Panchayats. Tiwari explained: 'The idea is for the temple organizations and Gram Panchayats to become the custodians of these sacred groves.'
The response has been encouraging: planting work is underway, and there is active public participation. To strengthen this bond, the department organized a six-day Van Mela earlier this year. This event gathered over 60 Non-Timber Forest Product (NTFP) cooperatives, more than 100 traditional healers, and herbal brands. Over 1.5 lakh people visited the fair, and herbal product sales exceeded 1 crore rupees, demonstrating how conservation can support local livelihoods.
Ecological Protection and Crime Fighting
The department's activities extend beyond forest restoration. Since Ujjain is one of India's busiest pilgrimage destinations, it sometimes becomes a transit point for prohibited wildlife, such as Hata Jodi and Sekhi Singh, linked to poaching and superstitions. To combat this, the Forest Department has increased surveillance, conducting four to five major raids in a single month.
Concurrently, a 210-hectare naturalistic zoo is being developed on reserve forest land. This project has already received preliminary approval from the Central Zoo Authority and is part of a broader green vision for the city ahead of the Ujjain Simhastha Kumbh Mela in 2028. For Tiwari, however, the essence of the effort lies precisely in the Aastha Vans. If the sacred groves thrive, local species will return, and local communities will continue to care for them, allowing Ujjain to once again become a city where faith and forests grow together. His vision is simple: not just to plant more trees, but to help one of India's oldest sacred cities regain the forest that once gave it its unique identity.
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