Mahakal Temple Sees 9 Lakh Devotees in 4 Days; New Year Visitors Face Major Changes

• Ujjain's Mahakal Temple witnessed 900,000 devotees in the last 4 days, with 500,000 on a single Sunday, ahead of New Year.
• Temple administration suspended VIP protocol darshan from Dec 25 to Jan 5 and made Bhasm Aarti permission offline.
• On January 1, Bhasm Aarti bookings (online/offline) will be closed; darshan will be via continuous entry only.
• Specific entry routes designated for general and quick darshan (Rs 250), leading to some dissatisfaction among quick darshan seekers.
• Ujjain hotels are full, and railway stations are crowded, as the temple expects devotee numbers to double in the next 7 days.

Why It Matters: Mahakal Temple is experiencing unprecedented crowds; New Year visitors must be aware of significant changes.