Ujjain is the largest city in Ujjain district of the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. It is the administrative centre of Ujjain district and Ujjain division. An ancient city situated on the eastern bank of the Kshipra River, Ujjain was the most prominent city on the Malwa plateau of central India for much of its history. It emerged as the political centre of central India around 600 BCE. It was the capital of the ancient Avanti kingdom, one of the sixteen mahajanapadas. It remained an important political, commercial and cultural centre of central India until the early 19th century, when the British administrators decided to develop Indore as an alternative to it. Ujjain continues to be an important place of pilgrimage for Shaivites, Vaishnavites and followers of Shakta. Ujjain has been selected as one of the hundred Indian cities to be developed as a smart city under PM Narendra Modi's flagship Smart Cities Mission. Ujjain is considered one of the holiest cities in India, and is a popular pilgrimage centre. Some of the notable sacred places in the city include: Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga (an ancient temple that was destroyed by Iltutmish and then restored by the Scindias of Gwalior), Kal Bhairav temple, ISKCON temple, Chintaman Ganesh temple, Gopal Mandir (built by Sawai Jai Singh of Jaipur), Chamunda Mata temple, Ved Shala, Sandipani Ashram, Kaliadeh Palace.