Mahakaleshwar Temple authorities BAN mobile phones from December 20 due to THIS reason

Hotels and places of lodging near Mahakaleshwar temple have been instructed to put up this information so devotees arrive at temples without phones.

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Ujjain: Various temples across India have banned the entry of devotees with mobile phones. As per the authorities, phones work as distractions and often create obstructions while offering prayers. Hence, many temple authorities have prohibited phones within temple premises. Having said that, from now on devotees at the famous Mahakaleshwar Temple in Madhya Pradesh's Ujjain city will not be permitted to carry their mobile phones inside the premises from December 20 for security reasons. The temple management committee headed by its chairman and district collector Ashish Singh took the decision at a meeting held on Monday (December 5). After the meeting, Singh informed that mobile phones would be prohibited inside the temple from December 20 for security reasons.

Hotels and other places of lodging have been directed to put up this information so that devotees arrive at the temple without mobile phones, the collector said. The Mahakaleshwar Temple is one of the 12 'Jyotirlingas' in the country and attracts a large number of devotees. Many other decisions were also taken by the temple management committee.

The collector said luxury air-conditioned electric buses will be operated in the city for tourists. The buses will be run on routes covering all temples and tourist places on a hop-on-hop-off basis, for which visitors need to purchase only a single ticket, he said. A call centre will also be started soon with 50 parallel phone lines to help devotees, the collector said.

Meanwhile, earlier this week, Madras High Court ordered the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment (HR&CE) Department to ban the usage of mobile phones inside all the temples across Tamil Nadu. This order comes to maintain ‘purity and religious sanctity.’ 

A public interest litigation (PIL) was filed by M Seetharaman seeking a direction to prohibit mobile phones inside the Subramaniya Swamy Temple at Tiruchendur in the Tuticorin district. 

(With agency inputs)