India is a land of extremely rich religious and cultural heritage. Known for exotic religious places, religious tourism has been one of the reasons of developing India. Many places like Kedarnath, Jagannath puri, Tirupati, Gangotri, Yamunotri, Badrinath, Kashi Vishwanath, etc are most visited religious places in India. Even foreigners also come to India to visit these places. Each pilgrimage in India adds to a popular attribute of Indian historic culture with a long history. One such mesmerizing place to visit is the Mahakaleshwar Temple, in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh. And in this blog, we share some facts about the auspiciousness of this temple and how the recent upgradation will help it.

The Historical Significance of Mahakaleshwar Temple

Mahakaleshwar Temple is one of the 12 sacred jyotirlingas in the world and is among top 10 tantra temples of India. People worship at Mahakaleshwar Temple to prevent untimely death. This temple is mentioned significantly in several ancient poetic texts that originated in India. The present structure was built by Maratha general Ranoji Shinde in the year 1734. An interesting fact about the Mahakal temple is that it is the only jyotirlinga that faces south, a unique feature upheld by the tantric shivnetra tradition. The images of Ganesh, Parvati and Karttikeya are installed in the west, north and east of the sanctum sanctorum. To the south is the image of Nandi. The idol of Nagchandreshwar on the third storey is open for darshan only on the day of Nagpanchami. On the day of Mahashivaratri, a huge fair is held near the temple, and worship goes on through the night. Its shikhar soaring into the sky, an imposing façade against the skyline, evokes primordial awe and reverence with its majesty.

The temple holds great significance in the lives of city people. The Mahakal dominates the life of the city and its people, even in the midst of the busy routine of modern preoccupations, and provides an unbreakable link with ancient Hindu traditions.

The Mahakal Lok corridor project

Recently, our PM Sh. Narendra Modi inaugurated the first phase of Mahakal Lok corridor, a 920-metre-long mega corridor, at Mahakaleshwar temple in Ujjain on 11 October 2022. The project aims to decongest the entire area and put special emphasis on the conservation and restoration of heritage structures.

The mahakal lok corridor project is dedicated at enriching the experience of pilgrims visiting the temple by providing them with world-class modern amenities. With this development, the existing footfall of the temple, which is currently around 1.5 crore per annum, is expected to be doubled. The entire project is estimated to cost around ₹850 crores. Under the project, the temple precinct will be expanded nearly seven times.

What’s New

The newly inaugurated Mahakal Lok Corridor area measures over 920 metres in length, one of the largest in the country. Shiva devotees who throng the place round the year, who had to pass through a congested area, will now enter through the newly inaugurated Mahakal Lok Corridor. Entry is through two majestic gateways, the Nandi Dwar and the Pinaki Dwar. There are 53 murals and 108 ornate sandstone columns in a row, with the 'Trishul' design on top and various 'mudras' of Lord Shiva etched on the pillars which depict Anand Tandav Swaroop (Dance form) of Lord Shiva. Many religious sculptures depicting the life of Lord Shiva are installed along the Mahakal Path.

The Plaza area, which is spread over 2.5 hectares, is surrounded by a lotus pond and contains the statue of Shiva along with fountains. Taking care about safety & security of pilgrims, the entire premise will be monitored 24x7 by Integrated Command and Control Centre with the help of artificial intelligence and surveillance cameras.

The other facilities within the ujjain mahakal lok corridor complex include a parking lot, a park and playing area for children, the Triveni Museum, an open-air theatre which overlooks the Rudrasagar lake, restaurants and shops, etc.

Key Takeaways

If you are planning a trip to seek the blessings of the almighty, here’s what you need to know :

- Visiting timings for devotees open from 6 AM till the sleep aarti, 11 PM. The last entry to the corridor will be given till 10 PM.

- The place is around 200 kilometres away from Bhopal, the capital of Madhya Pradesh and you can reach here by availing bus or taxi.

- Visit it in the evening to experience its beautifully decorated corridor with lights and mesmerising reflections of the corridor in the water.

- You can also visit Kal Bhairav Mandir, Kaliadeh Palace Jantar Mantar and Bhartrihari Caves

- The Bhasmarti in early morning, Mahasivaratri, Pancha-Krosi Yatra, Somavati Amavasya etc. are special occasions worth witnessing.

So, pack your bags for a memorable trip to Ujjain.

References

- https://www.livemint.com/news/india/mahakal-lok-corridor-inaugurated-by-pm-modi-in-ujjain-details-here-11665495943965.html

- https://www.tourmyindia.com/blog/mahakal-lok-ujjain/

- https://www.gktoday.in/topic/mahakal-lok-corridor/

- https://shrimahakaleshwar.com/temple