Ujjain: President Ramnath Kovind presented the National Award for the year 2017 to Mahakaleshwar Temple, Ujjain for empowering the disabled on the occasion of International Day for Disabled Persons on Sunday, at New Delhi. This award has been given for arranging ideal conditions to help the disabled in visiting the temple.
On behalf of Mahakaleshwar Temple Management Committee (MTMC), Collector Sanket Bhondve accepted the citation in a ceremony held at Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi. Priests Pt Ashish Sharma, Prashant Sharma, Pradeep Sharma, Ashok Sharma, Lokesh Vyas, administrator Pradeep Soni, Pankaj Maru, Bhavishya Khobradge from Urban Development Agency, Suman Shantaram Bhondve, Amol Shantaram Bhondve, Nitin Popat Gawli, Pradeep, Triyambak Ghatge, Shailendra Kumar Jain and Nitin Shrimali were present.
Mahakaleshwar Temple is the country’s first barrier free temple. Here special arrangements have been made by the MTMC for visually impaired, handicapped and deaf people so that they can easily visit the temple and perform pooja. A device similar to a special smart phone has been developed for the visually impaired. This device is connected to the ‘Google Navigation Map’ and will keep on informing devotees about turns in the temple when such devotees move. Walking sticks and wheelchairs are also provided with headphones.
Likewise, Braille indicators have been installed in the Mahakal temple. Ramp with railings have also been constructed in the Mahakal temple. For easy lodging, two rooms of the ground floor of Mahakal Dharamsala have been reserved for the disabled. Within these rooms, a barrier free environment and toilets have been built. Radium has been applied on electric buttons in reserved rooms of the Dharamsala for those with partial visual impairment.
