Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to inaugurate the first phase of the ‘Mahakal Lok’ corridor on Tuesday evening (October 11) in Madhya Pradesh’s Ujjain city.
The project is said to help in enriching the experience of pilgrims and boost tourism in the city. On Sunday, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan reviewed the preparations for the grand opening of the Mahakal Lok.
Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra said that the inauguration will be a “memorable moment”. “The entire state is waiting for that moment and we all will participate in the event in some way or the other,” he was quoted by the news agency PTI.
Union Culture Minister G Kishan Reddy on Monday shared glimpses of the Mahakal Lok corridor on Twitter. “The first phase of the Shree Mahakaleshwar Temple Corridor of Ujjain is all set to be inaugurated by Hon’ble PM Shri @narendramodi Ji tomorrow 11th, October,” he wrote.
All you need to know about the ‘Mahakal Lok’:
1. The inauguration of the first phase of the ‘Mahakal Lok’ – over 900-meter-long corridor – is a part of the ₹856 crore Mahakaleshwar Temple corridor development project. The corridor has been developed at ₹316 crore.
2. The Mahakal Lok will skirt around the old Rudrasagar Lake, which has also been revived as part of the redevelopment project around the ancient Mahakaleshwar Temple.
3. Two majestic gateways – Nandi Dwar and Pinaki Dwar which have been separated by a short distance – have been erected near the starting point of the corridor, which winds its way to the temple’s entrance and offers an aesthetic view along the way.
4. A colonnade of 108 ornate pillars made of intricately carved sandstones have been built. Artists and craftsmen from mainly Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Orissa have worked on the aesthetic pillars.
5. Gushing fountains and a running panel of more than 50 murals depicting stories from the ‘Shiv Puran’ are among the major highlights of the Mahakal Lok.
6. Several religious sculptures depicting the life of Lord Shiva are installed along the Mahakal Path.
7. The mural wall along the corridor is based on Shiva Purana stories such as act of creation, the Birth of Ganesha, Story of Sati and Daksha, among others.
Meanwhile, the work on phase two of the corridor is underway. Once completed, the temple complex and the holding capacity will be expanded.
Source: Manjiri Chitre/HTPhoto Credit: NDTV