Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has said that on February 18, the festival of Mahashivaratri will be celebrated in Ujjain on the lines of Deepawali.
Shri Mahakal Mahalok is the subject of admiration not only in the country but in the whole world. On Mahashivratri, residents of Avantika will express their commitment towards Mahakal by lighting 21 lakh lamps. This unprecedented event will be possible only with the participation of the society and the government.
Chouhan was reviewing the preparations for the grand campaign of lighting 21 lakh lamps on Mahashivaratri on February 18 in Ujjain. Additional Chief Secretary Home Dr. Rajesh Rajaura, Principal Secretary Shri Sukhbir Singh, Director Culture and officials of the Culture Department participated in the meeting held at Samatva Bhawan, Chief Minister’s residence. Higher Education Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav, Commissioner, Collector and other officers from Ujjain joined virtually.
Event to be organized on the principle of zero waste
It was informed that Mahashivaratri Deepotsav has been named ‘Shiv Jyoti Aparnam 2023’. A Guinness World Record will be created by lighting 21 lakh lamps on the festival. Earlier, in the year 2022, a world record was made in Ujjain for lighting 11 lakh 71 thousand 78 diyas on Mahashivaratri. After this, in the year 2022 itself, a new world record was created in Ayodhya by lighting 15 lakh 76 thousand diyas on Diwali. The plan this time is to light 21 lakh diyas on Mahashivaratri in Ujjain. This entire event will be based on the principle of zero waste.
Temples, ghats and major places of the city will be decorated
Lamps will be lit in the city’s temples, all commercial places and houses besides the ghats of Kshipra river in Shiv Jyoti Aparnam in Ujjain. Prominent places in the city will be decorated with Rangoli and other decorations along with electrical decoration. As many as 3 lakh 10 thousand diyas will be lit at Kedareshwar Ghat on the banks of Kshipra river, 1 lakh 75 thousand at Sunehri Ghat, 4 lakh 50 thousand at Dutt Akhara, 2 lakh 50 thousand from Ram Ghat to Bombay Dharamshala, 3 lakh 75 thousand from Bombay Dharamshala to Narsingh Mandir and 4 lakh 75 thousand lamps at Mali Ghat towards Bhukhi Mata Temple. About 20 thousand volunteers will participate in this work.
Ujjain residents are committed for public participation
Ujjain residents are filling a Sankalp Patra for public participation in lighting the diyas. People are being linked to the campaign with the hashtag ‘Shiv Jyoti Aparnam’ on social media. Information about the campaign is also being given in the ongoing Vikas Yatras in Ujjain. The lamps will be lit at the major temples of the city, Mahakaleshwar, Mangalnath, Kaal Bhairav, Gadkalika, Siddhavat, Harsiddhi, Chintaman Ganesh and Tower Crossroads. Major commercial complexes of the city like Dawa Bazar, Shaheed Park, Fountain Chowk, V.D. Cloth Market, Sarafa, Patni Bazar, Chimanganj Mandi, Sabzi Mandi, Nanakheda Haat and Lakherwadi will have special decorations along with lighting of lamps. Government departments, business associations, socio-religious organizations and Vikram University are actively participating in the event.
