New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today (October 11, 2022) inaugurated the first phase of the Mahakaleshwar Temple corridor development project in the holy city of Ujjain. The Mahakaleshwar Temple, one of the 12 'Jyotirlings' in the country that gets devotees throughout the year, is considered one of the holiest places by the Hindus, and lakhs of people converge here from all parts of the country during Shravan month of the Hindu calendar. During the inauguration, PM Modi said that the Mahakal Lok corridor will add to "Ujjain's vibrancy". He also said that Ujjain has been central to India's spiritual ethos.


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"The grandeur of Mahalkal Lok is unparalleled and this will add impetus to the global cultural significance of the country," PM Modi said.




"Spirituality is contained in every particle and divine energy is being transmitted in every corner of Ujjain," the prime minister expressed.


"Ujjain has led India's prosperity, knowledge, dignity and literature for thousands of years," he added.




Ahead of dedicating to the nation the first phase of the 'Shri Mahakal Lok' corridor, Prime Minister Modi also performed puja at Lord Mahakal temple in Ujjain. Modi, attired in traditional dhoti and gamcha (stole), entered the sanctum sanctorum of the Lord Mahakal temple at around 6 PM.



He was accompanied by Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Union minister Jyotiraditya Scindia.


Mahakal Lok project


The corridor is dotted with 108 ornate sandstone columns in a row bearing decorative 'trishul' design on top and 'mudras' of Lord Shiva on its faces and has gushing fountains surrounded by artistic sculptures of the deity and 53 illuminated murals depicting stories from Shiv Puran.


Phase I of the Mahakal Lok project will help in enriching the experience of pilgrims visiting the temple by providing them with world-class modern amenities. The project aims to decongest the entire area and also put special emphasis on the conservation and restoration of heritage structures.



Under the project, the temple precinct will be expanded nearly seven times and the existing footfall of the temple, which is currently around 1.5 crore per annum, is expected to be doubled.


The total cost of the entire project is around Rs 850 crore and the development of the project has been planned under two phases.


The Mahakal Path contains 108 stambhs (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 Mural wall along the Path is based on Shiva Purana stories such as the Act of creation, the Birth of Ganesha, Story of Sati and Daksha among others.


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.


The entire premise will be monitored 24x7 by Integrated Command and Control Centre with the help of artificial intelligence and surveillance cameras.