'Mahakal Lok' Corridor Inauguration: Ujjain all decked up; event to be live-streamed in 40 countries

'Mahakal Lok' Corridor Inauguration: According to reports, the ceremony will be telecast live in 40 countries to connect the devotees of Lord Shiva. Here in Madhya Pradesh, all prominent temples of Lord Shiva will be decorated with hundreds of earthen lamps.

Bhopal: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the first phase of the Rs 856-crore Mahakaleshwar Temple corridor development project on Tuesday which is expected to significantly boost tourism in this holy city of Madhya Pradesh. The holy city of Ujjain, which is also called Mahakal’s Nagari after the ancient Mahakaleshwar temple here, will witness the grand inauguration of the newly developed ‘Mahakal Lok’, which will be live-streamed across 40 countries.

According to reports, the ceremony will be telecast live in 40 countries to connect the devotees of Lord Shiva. Here in Madhya Pradesh, all prominent temples of Lord Shiva will be decorated with hundreds of earthen lamps.

The Madhya Pradesh unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has prepared an elaborate arrangement to make the occasion extravagant. The project in the holy city of Ujjain, which is expected to significantly boost tourism in the state, is a key part of the party`s "cultural resurgence" plank to increase its support base in the state, country and across the globe ahead of the 2023 Assembly and then 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

The state BJP president Vishnu Dutt Sharma said the party`s NRI cell reached out to NRIs in 40 countries, including the US, the UK, the UAE, New Zealand and Canada. "We reached out to the people from Madhya Pradesh residing in these countries. Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and I held a virtual meeting with them and they were excited to join the event. We are planning to extend the list of countries to 50. Apart from virtually attending the event, the NRIs will organise special ceremonies like the lighting of lamps to mark the occasion," Sharma said.

MP CM Shivraj Chauhan welcomed the PM ahead of his arrival. "Here is a festive atmosphere here today. I welcome PM Modi on behalf of all people of Madhya Pradesh, he is an inspiration to all of us," CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan said.

Madhya Pradesh | There is a festive atmosphere here today. I welcome PM Modi on behalf of all people of Madhya Pradesh, he is an inspiration to all of us: CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan on PM Modi's visit to Ujjain to inaugurate Mahakal Temple Corridor today pic.twitter.com/961HDeguxy — ANI MP/CG/Rajasthan (@ANI_MP_CG_RJ) October 11, 2022

1000 screens to be put up for public viewing of the event

Over 1,000 giant screens will also be put up across the state to facilitate the public viewing of the event as part of the BJP`s efforts to draw more people to the party. The party workers have been exhorted to organise `Diwali-like events` at the booth level to celebrate the event.

According to state Home Minister Narottam Mishra, Prime Minister Modi is scheduled to arrive in Indore from Ahmedabad at 4 pm and then will reach Ujjain between 5 to 5.30 pm. The Prime Minister will offer his prayers at the Mahakaleshwar temple and then will inaugurate the newly constructed part of the temple.

Ujjain decked up for the event

Ahead of PM Modi's visit, the Ujjain city has been decked up with colourful flags on a large number of lamp posts, while many streets and flyovers have been decorated with lights, including the Hari Phatak flyover that overlooks the new corridor which has turned into a selfie point of sorts for locals.

The city has been decorated with fairy lights, and 'diyas' giving an appearance of an early Diwali. From October 7, several cultural events have been hosted in the run-up to the inauguration, including a laser show, Ramlila at Ram Ghat and daily 'mahaarti' on the banks of Kshipra river.

A large-size 'shivaling' covered in strands of 'moli' (sacred) threads has been placed below the grand gateway - Nandi Dwar - of the 'Mahakal Lok', sources said, adding that according to plan, the prime minister will officially unveil the 'shivaling' to symbolically mark the opening of the mega corridor.

The Mahakal Lok Corridor measures over 900 metres in length and is dotted with 108 ornate sandstone columns in a row which bear decorative 'trishul' design on top and 'mudras' of Lord Shiva. It also has gushing fountains surrounded by artistic sculptures of the deity as well as 53 illuminated murals depicting stories from the Shiv Puran.

Mahakaleshwar Temple 

The Mahakaleshwar Temple is one of the 12 'jyotirlings' in the country and gets devotees throughout the year. The mega corridor in Ujjain is located around 200 km from the state capital Bhopal. The Mahakaleshwar Temple is considered one of the holiest places on earth by Hindus, and lakhs of people converge here from all parts of the country during the Shravan month of the Hindu calendar or Mahashivratri.

Ujjain Smart City Project

Ujjain Smart City Ltd has described the project with the tagline -- "Adbhut. Anupam. Allokik". Twitter feeds of various government departments and other agencies are filled with images of the Mahakaleshwar Temple and cultural events being held prior to the opening. 

Chief Executive Officer of Ujjain Smart City Ltd, Ashish Kumar Pathak said that after the opening, the excitement of people will only multiply and lead to a "huge jump" in tourist footfall. The project after completion will expand the temple complex area from 2.87 ha earlier to 47 ha, and the holding capacity will be significantly enhanced, officials said.

'Mahakal Lok' development also includes a mid-way zone, a park, a multi-storied parking lot for cars and buses, florist and other shops, solar lighting, a facility centre for pilgrims, water pipeline and sewer line, among others. A light and sound system has also been developed, and work on phase two of the project is currently underway, under which Rudrasagar Lake has been rejuvenated.