At the grand inauguration of the Mahakal Corridor in Ujjain, a couple who lives near the temple expressed their profound happiness at the development.
“I am so happy that I can’t completely express my sentiments. We are staunch followers of Mahakal. He does not judge people on the basis whether they worship him or not. This is my experience. The Lord Shiva is in every cell of the body and has given us a lot. He is in you as much as in me,” Mamta Dohre told The New Indian.
Mamata is working in a private sector organisation, while her husband Yogen Dohre is a driver.
When asked if Mahakal has given them everything they ever wanted, Yogen says, “Not yet. We are living in a rented accommodation at present. If Mahakal desires, we will have our own house one day.”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday inaugurated the first phase of the ₹850 crore Mahakaleshwar Temple Corridor Development Project in Ujjain. Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, was also present at the Mahakal Lok’s opening ceremony.
On the occasion, the PM said on Tuesday that India was throwing off the shackles of colonial mentality and reclaiming its glorious position as a world leader. He also asserted India will pave the way for world peace.
The corridor is being built around the Mahakaleshwar Temple which is known to be one of the 12 existing ‘jyotirlingas’ in India. The temple was built in the 6th century AD by Kumarasena. It was redeveloped over the centuries by different leaders in Madhya Pradesh, once in the 12th century AD under Udayaditya and Naravarman, and later in the 18th century AD by the Maratha commander Ranoji Shinde under Peshwa Bajirao-I, who renovated the temple.
After completion, the Mahakaleshwar Temple complex area will be expanded to 47 hectares from the 2.87 hectares earlier.
The Mahakal Corridor initiative will not only attract a large number of devotees but will also cement Ujjain’s reputation as a major tourist destination in the state.