Ujjain : Nearly 50,000 Shiva devotees thronged the 6th century Mahakaleshwar temple on the first day of the Shravan month. The devotees were seen in a serpentine queue holding water pots to pour over Lord Mahakaleshwar. The temple administration officials said they had made special arrangements for the devotees who were going to offer water to the deity during the holy month of Shravan, an auspicious month in the Hindu calendar.
The temple would open at 3 am during the month except Mondays. On Mondays, the temple will open at 2.30 am. The first Sawari (grand procession) of lord Mahakaleshwar will be taken out on Monday at 4 pm. Collector BM Sharma and SP Anurag inspected the procession route on Sunday. They visited Gudri Chauraha, Harsiddhi Paal and Ramghat.
The duo also instructed to make proper arrangements for amenities during the Sawari. The officials were told to ensure that every common man should able to see the deity during the procession. Municipal commissioner Vivek Kshrotriya, ADM Avadesh Sharma, MTMC administrator Jayant Joshi and many other officials were present during the inspection.
The temple administration is making arrangements for the live online broadcast of all processions. Devotees will now be able to see live streaming of all Sawari’s online at mahakaleshwar.nic.in.
The collector also instructed the officials to ensure basic amenities to Kawadiya and pilgrims arriving in the city. Kawadiyas and pilgrims would start arriving in the temple town during the Shrawan month to offer prayer at Mahakaleshwar Temple and other Shiva temples in the city. The administration has deputed seven officers to review the arrangements for Kawadiya pilgrims. Three officers have been placed on reserve duty. A six-member team led by SDM Rohan Saxena and CSP Vijay Dawar has been appointed to maintain law and order during the processions. The same team will also make arrangements for band and tableau during the sawari. Thousands of devotees are expected throng the shrine during month and the administration has put up barricades in front of the temple to control the crowd. The administration has also made arrangements for drinking water and medical facilities for the devotees.According to temple sources, the turnout of devotees on the first day was low. However, the flow of devotees and will increase in the following weeks. The Ujjain Municipal Corporation has also taken special measures to maintain sanitation around the temple during this holy month.Devotees in large numbers paid obeisance at Lord Shiva temples in the city and offered Ganga jal, milk and bilva leaves on the first day of the Shravan month. Long queues were witnessed at various Shiva temples from early morning on Sunday.
