A fresh debate has broken out over the true name of the sacred, salvation-granting river that flows through Ujjain. Mention Ujjain, the city of Baba Mahakal, and one river comes to mind, the Shipra, on whose banks crores of devotees take a holy dip during every Kumbh Mela. But government files have long carried two different spellings for the same river, 'Shipra' in some records and 'Kshipra' in others, and now an attempt has been made to settle the confusion.
Why CM Mohan Yadav issued the order
During a government meeting in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav came across a file that referred to the river as 'Kshipra' and objected to it. Citing classical textual evidence, CM Mohan Yadav directed officials that government documents should henceforth use the name 'Shipra' for the river. For years, both 'Shipra' and 'Kshipra' have been used interchangeably in official records as well as everyday speech, and devotees continue to bathe, offer tarpan and give donations at the river's sacred ghats.
What scholars say about the original name
According to Padma Shri litterateur Dr. Bhagwati Lal Rajpurohit, the river's original name is believed to be 'Shipra', even though 'Kshipra' has become more common in current usage. He explained the linguistic reason behind this: in the Malwa region's spoken dialect, the letter 'sh' is often pronounced like 's'. This is why, in local speech, the river came to be called 'Shapra' first and then gradually 'Shipra'. Literature also backs this up, the great poet used the word 'Shipra' for the river in his celebrated work Meghadootam. Meanwhile, the Malvi dialect also has another variant, 'Sipra', reflecting the local diversity of the name.
Both names appear in religious scriptures
Vedic scholar Pandit Akshat Vyas takes a different view on the matter. He says there should be no real confusion over the names Shipra and Kshipra, since religious texts contain both. In the Avanti Khand of the Skanda Mahapurana, this sacred river is referred to by both the names Shipra and Kshipra. In the centuries-old scriptures of pilgrimage priests, as well as in mantras and tarpan rituals, the name Kshipra appears prominently. Interpreted by meaning, Kshipra refers to a swift-flowing stream, symbolising the river's fast current during the monsoon season.
The mythological origin tied to Vishnu and Shiva
A mythological tale is associated with the river's origin. According to it, Lord Shiva once carried the Brahmakapal and went to seek alms from Lord Vishnu. Lord Vishnu offered alms by pointing with his finger, which Shiva took as disrespect, and in his anger he struck Vishnu's finger with his trishul. The stream of blood that flowed from that strike descended from Vishnu Lok to the earth and became the Shipra river. This is why Shipra is also known as the 'divine stream of blood'.
Why Ramghat, linked to Lord Rama, matters
The Skanda Purana describes another episode, according to which, during their period of exile, Lord Rama, Lakshman and Sita arrived in Ujjain. There, on the banks of the Shipra river, Rama performed tarpan and shraddha rites for his father, King Dashrath. This is why Ramghat is considered the most sacred ghat on the Shipra river. Even today, lakhs of devotees come to this very ghat to perform tarpan, pind daan and take a holy dip in pursuit of spiritual merit.
