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A powerful storm that hit Ujjain on Sunday caused six idols of Saptarishis at Mahakal Lok to be toppled and smashed. These idols, which are between 10 and 25 feet tall, are made of red stone and fiber-reinforced plastic. The incident occurred at the newly inaugurated Mahakal Lok complex at the world-famous Jyotirlinga Mahakaleshwar Temple, which was officially inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 11, 2022.
No casualties were reported in the incident, but devotees present at the site narrowly escaped damage. The incident also shed light on the poor quality of construction observed at Mahakal Lok.
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Upon receiving information about the incident, the district collector rushed to the scene and instructed that the damaged idols be repaired and restored.
In light of the incident, Mahakal Lok has temporarily closed its doors to facilitate the resettlement process.
During the storm, another tree near the revered Shri Sandipani Ashram was uprooted and fell, narrowly missing many devotees who were present at the time. Notably, one of Saptarishi's idols at Mahakal Lok sustained head damage due to strong winds.
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The six fallen idols, which measure between 10 and 25 feet tall, are reportedly made of red stone and fibre-reinforced plastic. Artisans from Gujarat, Odisha and Rajasthan, associated with the Gujarat firm MP Babaria, participated in the specialized crafts.
District Magistrate Kumar Purushottam stated that a powerful storm had hit the area, causing one idol to be toppled, while the remaining idols remained intact. Efforts will be made to restore and reinstall fallen idols, using cranes for the task. The storm, which lasted for about an hour, caused widespread damage throughout the district, including downed trees.
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On October 11, 2022, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the magnificent Mahakal Lok complex at the famous Jyotirlinga Mahakaleshwar temple in Ujjain. This highly anticipated event marked the completion of the first phase of Shri Mahakal Lok, a two-phase project, with an investment of approximately Rs 356 crore in its construction. A total of Rs 855 crore is allocated for the overall development of the complex.
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