Ujjain: New Year was celebrated with devotion and reverence in Ujjain, the city of Baba Mahakal. Thousands of devotees took the blessings of Lord Mahakal by participating in the morning Bhasma Aarti.
New Year's Bhasma Aarti and special event
On Wednesday morning, Lord Mahakal was anointed with 'Panchamrit' after which special ash was offered and the deity adorned as a king. After this, the Bhasma Aarti was performed. By participating in the unique worship, the devotees wished for happiness, prosperity and well-being in the new year. As per the district administration, around 10 lakh devotees arrived in the city from December 31 to January 1.
Special arrangements for devotees
This time the administration gave priority to the convenience of common devotees as the number of VIP passes for Bhasma Aarti was limited. To give the devotees a better experience of the pilgrimage, arrangements for moving Bhasma Aarti had been made, through which one could have darshan in just 40-45 minutes. Apart from this, extensive security arrangements were put in place for arrival of a large number of devotees.
Surveillance through CCTV and drone cameras
The entire city was monitored through more than 700 CCTV cameras. The administration deployed special drones for crowd management and security. At the same time, wheelchairs, shoe stands, lost and found and enquiry centers were set up for differently-abled devotees. For the convenience of the devotees, the traffic police had prepared a special plan for diversion and parking of vehicle.
Arrangements for parking
1. For four wheelers: Indore/Dewas route: Karkraj and Bhil Samaj parkingBarnagar/Nagda route: Mohanpura Bridge to Kartik Mela GroundAgar route: Makodia common area
2. Two wheelers: Narsingh Ghat parking and Harsiddhi Pal parking3. Heavy vehicles: Diversion on all major routes.4. Exit route: Karkraj to Bhookhi Mata Marg and Jaisinghpura to Lalpul.5. Reserve parking: Engineering College and Prashanti Chauraha.
Earlier, the world-famous Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga temple in Ujjain has witnessed a significant rise in both the number of devotees and the generosity of donors following the completion of the Mahakal Lok project. From January to December 13, 2024, the temple received an unprecedented Rs 1.65 billion (Rs 165 crore) in donations, a threefold increase compared to previous years.
The donations include a mix of cash, gold, silver and other offerings, significantly boosting the temple’s treasury. According to Ujjain Mahakal Temple Committee Chairman and Ujjain Collector Neeraj Singh, this year’s income has tripled, highlighting the increased faith and devotion of the temple's visitors.
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