Ujjain’s ‘Mahakal Lok’ thrown open, devotees visit mega corridor in MP: Officials

PTI

Ujjain, October 12

The ‘Mahakal Lok’ was thrown open to people on Wednesday as devotees from Ujjain and other parts of the country visited the mega corridor, a day after it was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the holy city, a senior official said.

The corridor measures over 900 metres in length and has two majestic gateways—Nandi Dwar and Pinaki Dwar. It is dotted with 108 ornate sandstone columns in a row which bear decorative ‘trishul’ design on top and ‘mudras’ of Lord Shiva.

The corridor also has gushing fountains surrounded by artistic sculptures of the deity as well as 53 illuminated murals depicting stories from the Shiv Puran.

“The ‘Mahakal Lok’ was thrown open to the visitors today after its inauguration by the prime minister. Devotees and other visitors from Ujjain and other parts of the country have been visiting the newly-inaugurated corridor since it opened,” a senior official told PTI.

Amid Vedic chants, Prime Minister Modi had unveiled a large ‘shivaling’ covered in strands of sacred red threads, placed below the Nandi Dwar of the ‘Mahakal Lok’ to mark the inauguration of the mega corridor on Tuesday.

“Blessed to have got the opportunity to dedicate #ShriMahakalLok to the nation. This is an important endeavour which will deepen the connect of our citizens with our rich history and glorious culture,” Modi tweeted on Tuesday night.

In a separate tweet, he said, “In addition to the Shree Mahakaleshwar Temple, the #ShriMahakalLok is yet another reason why you all must visit Ujjain!,” and shared some pictures of the corridor from his visit.

Devotees, both locals and those who have covered long distances in the past few days, were eager to enter the ‘Mahakal Lok’ corridor and pay obeisance to Lord Mahakal at the Mahakaleshwar Temple, one of the 12 ‘jyotirlings’ in India.

Rahul Kumar, a local resident, who lives near the corridor site, visited it on Tuesday.

“Tourism in Ujjain will grow with the opening of this corridor as there is another attraction in the old city,” he said.

The annual footfall of tourists visiting the ancient Mahakaleshwar Temple in Ujjain is “expected to double” after the opening of the grand ‘Mahakal Lok’, Chief Executive Officer of Ujjain Smart City Ashish Kumar Pathak had earlier said.

Modi on Tuesday inaugurated the first phase of the Rs 856-crore Mahakaleshwar Temple corridor development project here, located around 200 km from state capital Bhopal.

“About 1.5 crore people visit the temple every year. And, this annual figure is expected to double to about three crore after the opening of the ‘Mahakal Lok’,” Pathak had told PTI here.

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