The form of the presiding deity appears to be different from those in the temples of Tamilnadu.  The entrance of the temple looks as that of a castle.  Beautiful paintings adore the walls.  Against the full form of Kalabhairava in Tamilnadu temples, only the head of the deity in a large size is installed in the sanctum sanctorum here.  Devotees take Madhu also to the Lord along with other puja materials as black thread, garlands, agarbathis.  Sculptures of Lords Vishnu, Vinayaka and Devi adore the walls.  Lord Shiva in Linga form and Sri Nandhi Deva are under the banyan tree.

Lord Bhairava though branded as a ferocious deity, is indeed one with all compassion to His devotees, and protects them from any predicament they are in.  Prayer to Lord Bhairava sincerely on the Ashtami day-eighth day in New Moon fortnight would bring the devotee of what he/she lost earlier and make their life happy and prosperous, is their faith.  Marriages delayed earlier would soon take place.  Enemies will disappear.  The devotee crowd is ever huge.

There are stalls outside the temple selling puja materials including Madhu of both foreign and local makes.  Depending on their purse, devotees choose this or that.  The black dog Vahan-vehicle of Kalabhairava is at the entrance.  Devotees use to cater the stray dogs in the place especially on Saturdays.  Service to dogs is service to the Lord, according to them.

Ujjain is home to Kapalika and Akori communities engaged in Tantrik pujas.  They have long hair hanging down the body with sacred ash spread over.  It is common scene to see them moving around the place.  A cone shaped Deepasthamba is in front of the sanctum sanctorum for lighting deepas.  They brighten the environment in the evenings.

Mother Bhairavi shrine is on the right side of that of the Lord.  This shrine is about 2.5 feet below the floor level.  The devotee had to bend and crawl to reach this shrine.  Tantrik pujas are performed here only.

Lord Kalabhairava is the Kshetrapalaka – chief security officer – in Shiva temples.  He is the caretaker of all worlds, the holy places and holy water sources.  Generally, in Shiva temples, Bhairava worship is part of Shiva worship.  Even Jains and Buddhists worship Bhairava with special devotion.  He is the HoD of the school of Tantrik philosophy.  He controls all and every malefic spirits such as Bhoodas, Vedalas and devils and eradicates their evil impact on people.

A demon called Andhakasura obtained powerful boons from Lord Shiva by performing intense penance standing amidst fire pits.  With the boons, he became arrogant and cruel and proud of the boons he had.  He began to harass devas in the celestial world and people on earth.  No power was able to control him.  All surrendered at the feet of Lord Shiva.

Lord Shiva flew into passion and decided to destroy Andhakasura misusing and abusing the boons granted to him.  He created Bhairava and ordered him to kill the demon and his army.  Bhairava challenged the demon and destroyed his men and finally killed him with a powerful trident.  Devas expressed their gratitude to Lord Shiva and Bhairava prostrating at their feet.  The event happened on the eighth day – Ashtami in a new moon fortnight.

Kala Bhairava is the first of Ashta – eight – Bhairavas.   While he is the Kshetrapalaka in some Shiva temple, He is the presiding deity in some temples.  One of them is in Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh on the banks of Shibra River.  The ancient temple was built by king Badrasen according to a mention in the Avanthika canto of Skanda Maha Purana.

The mystery behind the partial disappearance of the liquor nivedhana offered to Kalabhairava still remains undiscovered.  No scientist, Indian or foreign had succeeded in their researches.