The ‘Mahakal Lok’ project around the revered Mahakal temple in Ujjain, the first phase of which is to be inaugurated on Tuesday evening by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is being developed on the lines of Kashi Vishwanath corridor in Uttar Pradesh by the Madhya Pradesh BJP government’s own admission.
The high-profile inauguration of the first phase of the Rs 800 core-project comes a year ahead of the 2023 Assembly polls in the state, just as the inauguration of the Kashi Vishwanath corridor had come a few months short of the UP Assembly polls of February-March 2022.
Also, the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government has promised to complete the second and final phase of the project in 2023-24. It is therefore expected that the mega religious project will feature high on the list of achievements as well as promises to be drawn by BJP in the run up to the Assembly polls.
It is not surprising therefore that the opposition Congress has jumped into the credit-seeking race, lashing out at Chouhan for ‘spreading lies’ that the Congress government (December 2018 to March 2020) had stalled the project initiated by his (Chouhan’s) government in its previous term in 2017.
The Congress has said that it was the Kamal Nath-led government that initiated the project in 2019 and also took steps to give it shape. Leader of opposition Govind Singh said in a press conference on Monday that in August 2019, a meeting presided by Nath was convened wherein the details of a Rs 300 crore first phase of the project for development of Mahakal temple was put before the cabinet members and priests. The outline of the second phase of the project was also given out at this meeting. Not only this, Nath also constituted a three-level committee of ministers for ensuring speedy work on the project. This committee included the then Ujjain in-charge minister Sajjan Singh Verma, minister of spirituality department P.C. Sharma and urban development minister Jaivardhan Singh.
On Tuesday, ahead of the inauguration, the Congress came out with a video showing old official posts on social media that showed the steps taken by the Congress government for the project.
Kamal Nath himself has repeatedly accused the BJP government of false credit-taking and turning every occasion into an event. He said that the government files would prove that the project was initiated by the Congress government.
Mega preparations, religious fervour
The BJP government in the state has meanwhile made mega arrangements to give a festive and religious fervour to the occasion of inauguration of the ‘Mahakal Lok’ project. At the main event, PM Modi will participate in religious rituals before inaugurating the project and then address an expected crowd of about 60,000 people at the Kartik Mela Ground in Ujjain. Before this, singer Kailash Kher will present Mahakal Stuti gaan (devotional song).
The entire way from Indore to Ujjain has been attractively decorated. Lamps will be lit across Ujjain for the occasion. Also, arrangements have been made to hold religious rituals, devotional songs, blowing of conches and clanging of bells and lighting lamps in temples, river banks and households across the state. Also community feasts are to be organised and LED screens set up at prominent temples in villages and urban areas to telecast the Ujjain event live. LED screens will also be set up on all the ghats (quays) on the Kshipra River in Ujjain where hundreds of devotees are expected to gather.
People from all villages of Indore and Ujjain division have been specially invited to attend the PM’s programme along with the local people’s representatives, traditional village heads and priests.
In a social media message ahead of the inauguration, Chief Minister Chouhan said that the entire state is full of enthusiasm and happiness and the day will be immortalised in the history of Madhya Pradesh. He said that the PM will be inaugurating the project that will serve as a centre to spread Indian culture, ethos and ideology.
Key attractions
The main attraction of the first phase of the project is the 200 metre-long walking pathway to the temple, which is flanked by a 25 feet high and 500 meters long mural wall - a part of the corridor around the Rudra Sagar pond, which has been revived. The murals on the wall narrate tales from Shiva Puran. Other religious idols have also been set up. Harsiddhi temple, Char Dham temple and Vikram Tila have been refurbished and 108 Shiva Stambh (pillars) showing Lord Shiva in various forms, have been completed.
Other attractions include lotus pond, open-air theatre, lakefront area and facilities like e-rickshaws and ways for emergency vehicles, a government note said.
