A large ‘Shivalinga’ was discovered during excavations near the Mahakaleshwar temple complex in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, amid construction work for an event called Simhasta 2028, a massive Hindu pilgrimage gathering held every 12 years on the banks of the Kshipra River.
The discovery was made while heavy machinery was clearing land for the temple expansion project. Officials said the Shivalinga was discovered near the pre-payment kiosk area, prompting authorities to slow down the work and proceed with caution.
Akash Sharma, priest at Shree Mahakaleshwar Temple, said, “During excavation near the temple premises today, a Shivalinga was discovered while Bhasma Aarti was underway. Devotees described the darshan as very auspicious and gathered to offer ‘jal’ at the Shivalinga.”
The timing of the discovery, which coincided with Bhasma Aarti, attracted devotees to the spot, with many stopping to offer prayers and water at the site.
Assistant director of Mahakaleshwar Temple, Ashish Valwadia, said, “During the construction work, we found a Shivalinga while excavating near the advance payment booth. The work has slowed down for now. If more artifacts are found, necessary steps will be taken… We are working carefully. Let us see what else we find.”
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What is Samhasta 2028?
Simhastha 2028 is a major Hindu religious gathering held once every 12 years in Ujjain. For the next edition, the inter-ministerial committee overseeing its organization has directed that all proposed development and infrastructure works be completed by Diwali 2027, news agency PTI reported.
He also called for the immediate deployment of officers and employees from relevant departments to ensure the smooth progress of work, in addition to monitoring and reviewing development work and information, education and communication activities.
Prime Minister Mohan Yadav, who chaired the fifth meeting of the Cabinet Committee this month, stressed that all infrastructure-related works must be completed within the stipulated time frame without compromising on quality.
The committee approved 22 projects worth $Rs 2,923.84 crore.
Yadav also directed to conduct a third-party audit of the ongoing works to ensure quality and better financial management. The infrastructure being developed across Ujjain should remain useful for annual events even after Simhastha 2028, he said.
Roads, in particular, should be designed to enable easy access to the Mahakaleshwar Temple and other major pilgrimage sites.
For the convenience of pilgrims traveling from far away places, the Prime Minister said priority should be given to developing accommodation, parking facilities and public facilities within a 100 km radius of Ujjain.
