Ghadi Wale Baba, Ujjain: Story Of Clock Saint and Clock Tree

India is truly a country with several unique spiritual places which are quite popular because of the local folklore or simply the faith of the locals. One such place is the Sagas Maharaj Karondiya Sarkar Mandir near Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, and the deity is popularly known as “Ghadi Wale Baba”.

The Sagas Maharaj Ujjain aka Ghadi Wale Baba literally translates to “the Clock Saint” as the devotees here offer clocks to the saint. (Seems like a local version of “Doctor Strange” from Avengers). The banyan tree above this small temple appears to be a “clock tree” as there are 2000 clocks tied all over the tree.

Quite a unique temple. Right?

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Here’s the story of Ghadi Wale Baba

As per the locals, the Sagas Maharaj Karondiya Sarkar Mandir has been there on the outskirts of Guradia Sanga for almost 10 years. But it gained popularity as Ghadi Wale Baba temple in the last 4-5 years when a devotee offered his wristwatch to thank the Sagas Maharaj Ujjain for fulfilling his wish.

Upon seeing his prayers answered, the word spread about the Ghari Wale Baba as a saint who fulfills wishes upon offering a clock. Soon the people from the nearby villages visited the Sagas Bavji temple in the hope that Ghadi Wale Baba would “change their bad times into good times”.

Although the villagers don’t remember the origins of the Sagas Bavji temple, now the people here have a strong faith and belief in the powers of Ghadi Wale Baba. It is the faith that attracts pilgrims from 100 km around to visit this unique temple of Sagas Maharaj Ujjain.

People offer a watch, pray to the devotee, and make a wish. If their wish is fulfilled, they return to thank Ghadi Wale Baba and offer a watch again as a token of gratitude. And times have really changed for people who are now frequent visitors to this holy site.

The Sagas Maharaj Karondiya Sarkar Mandir is quite small and is located under an old banyan tree. The temple area is just 6 feet by 4 feet which was filled with heaps of clocks, so soon the devotees started tying the clocks on the branches of the banyan tree above. Today, this tree has more than 2000 cloaks tied to it. Furthermore, devotees now have made a wall of clocks along the temple by tying clocks on the strings as supported by the bamboo poles.

The magical powers of Sagas Maharaj Ujjain or the Ghadi Wale Baba have deepened the faith amongst the devotees day by day. Upon asking the devotees, they claim that their problems were often solved once they offered a clock and prayers to the Ghadi Wale Baba. Some claim that their child’s illness, solved family problems, blessed some with happy marriage, etc.

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About Sagas Maharaj Karondiya Sarkar Mandir

The story of Ghadi Wale Baba lacks the pieces of evidence of the origins, but the strong faith and word of mouth continue to attract many devotees, especially on full-moon days and Sundays. The Sagas Bavji temple does not have any priest or a caretaker, but it is maintained by the devotees themselves.

The devotees offer a clock as per their choice. It can be a small wristwatch, a table clock, and even a fancy wall clock. Along with the clock, the devotees also offer flowers, incense sticks, dhoop and even burning cigarettes!

This temple of Ghadi Wale Baba is just on the roadside and people passing through always make a stop here to offer prayers and to marvel at the banyan tree full of clocks. They always hear the sound of ticking and it’s quite spooky at night. There is always at least one clock here that is in working condition and makes the ticking sound. 

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Location and How To Reach Ghadi Wale Baba Mandir, Ujjain

Location: CJ5J+R6P, Chidi Rawadiya, Guradiya Sanga, Madhya Pradesh 456443 

The Ghadi Wale Baba temple is located along the Unhel-Mahidpur road, approximately 40 km away from Ujjain. The temple is easily spotted after driving on this road for a few minutes after the bridge on the Shipra River. It lies on the outskirts of Guradiya Sanga village. You can easily reach this temple by a private vehicle.

• Nearest Airport: The nearest airport is the Indore Airport (100 km) which has direct flights from major Indian airports. Upon arrival, you can reach the temple by a private vehicle or by hiring a local taxi/cab. The journey takes around 3 hours and allows you to enjoy the countryside road journey.
• Nearest Railway Station: The nearest railway station is the Ujjain junction (40 km) which is well connected to other major Indian cities. You can reach the temple by a private vehicle or by hiring a local taxi after a 1-hour journey through the scenic countryside landscapes.