– 6 idols of Saptarishis were damaged
Ujjain (Ujjain). Changes in weather are continuing in Madhya Pradesh. On Sunday evening, there was heavy rain in Ujjain with strong thunderstorm in Ujjain. Due to this the life in the city got disrupted. 6 out of 7 idols of Saptarishis fell and damaged due to strong storm and rain in the recently built Shri Mahakal Lok in the courtyard of world famous Jyotirling Lord Mahakal. ) happened. Other idols have also been damaged. The devotees were not near, due to which the accident was averted. A total of 127 idols have been installed in Mahakal Mahalok. The fallen idols were lifted with the help of cranes. Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has taken cognizance of the damage caused by the bad weather. He discussed with Ujjain Collector and Commissioner over phone and gave instructions for relief work.
It is noteworthy that on October 11, 2022, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the new complex ‘Mahakal Lok’ of Mahakaleshwar Temple in Ujjain. More than 190 huge idols of other gods and goddesses including Lord Shiva have been installed here. Rs 310 crore was spent on the first phase of the Mahakal Lok Project. After this, the work of the second phase started at a cost of 778 crores. Under this, the Mahakal complex is being expanded and beautified. On Sunday evening, six idols of Saptarishis fell and got damaged in the strong storm and rain. These idols, 10 to 25 feet high, are made of red stone and Fiber Reinforced Plastic (FRP). Artists from Gujarat, Odisha and Rajasthan associated with MP Babariya firm of Gujarat have done workmanship on these.
As soon as the information about the fall of idols was received, the team of administrative officers reached Mahakal Lok. The devotees were thrown out. Collector Kumar Purshottam says that the idols have fallen down from the pedestal due to a very strong storm. The life of these idols made of red stone and fiber reinforce plastic is 10 years. It will take time to make stone idols. At present, the company itself has to maintain them. The idols will be re-installed with the help of cranes. Action will be taken by fixing responsibility for the incident. For the time being, Mahakal Lok has been closed to restore the idols.
Actually, the weather suddenly changed in Ujjain on Sunday evening and a strong storm started blowing with thunder and lightning. The wind speed was so strong that hundreds of trees were uprooted within a few minutes. Many trees were uprooted and fell in Mahakal Mandir, Dewas Road, Dussehra Maidan, Freeganj, Khakchowk, Hiramil ki Chaal etc. areas. Many big branches broke and fell on the ground. A Peepal tree fell on a tailor’s shop in Chhota Sarafa. The young man working here died due to being buried between the branches. Another person lost his life due to electrocution in the rain. Along with this, people have also suffered economic losses.
Two houses were damaged after a huge banyan tree fell near the Mahakal temple. The relief rescue team had not reached the spot even two hours after the incident. Apart from the Mahakal temple, trees fell at more than a dozen places in the city. The sheets of the houses were blown away. A car was damaged when a tree fell in front of Sandipani Ashram in the morning. There has been a lot of damage due to the storm in Nagda etc. areas of the region.
questions on quality
The state government had constructed Mahakal Mahalok at a cost of about Rs 800 crore. It was inaugurated by Prime Minister Modi on 11 October 2022. Since then, thousands of devotees from all over the country are reaching to see it everyday. Since Mahaloka was built, questions were being raised about the quality of the idols. Sunday’s strong storm has exposed its quality. The force of the wind was so strong that many idols installed in Mahakal Lok were uprooted and fell on the ground. It is said that at the time when the storm and rain started, a large number of devotees were present in Mahakal Lok. Some devotees narrowly escaped.
Now the entry of devotees is closed
According to the officials, till the condition of the idols is improved, the entry of devotees to Mahakal Mahalok has been stopped. It is worth mentioning that ten to 25 feet tall idols in Mahalok have been made of red stone and fiber reinforced plastic.
Congress doing politics in times of natural calamity, spreading confusion- Shivraj
Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan took information from the Ujjain commissioner and collector over phone late evening about the damage caused by the storm in the vicinity of Ujjain in the Malwa region and gave instructions to conduct relief work. He said that instead of standing with the people, the Congress is doing politics in the event of such a natural calamity where two people have died and people have been injured in a strong storm. Without putting any facts in front, only spreading confusion, which is condemnable.
Officials told the Chief Minister that a natural calamity-like situation had arisen due to the storm in Ujjain and surrounding areas. In which two people died and three people were injured in Ujjain and Nagda. 50 trees and numerous power poles were uprooted. Out of 155 idols of Mahakal Lok, three have been broken. All these will be installed by the concerned agency.
Read the Latest India News Today on The Eastern Herald.
