Kailash Kher to sing special anthem during opening of Mahakal Lok corridor in Ujjain

An anthem dedicated to Lord Shiva, the resident deity of the ancient Mahakaleshwar Temple in Ujjain, will be sung by Kailash Kher here on the day the mega corridor will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, officials said on Saturday.

An anthem dedicated to Lord Shiva, the resident deity of the ancient Mahakaleshwar Temple in Ujjain, will be sung by Kailash Kher here on the day the mega corridor will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, officials said on Saturday. The anthem ‘Jai Shri Mahakal’ has been composed to mark the creation of 'Mahakal Lok', as the corridor has been named.

On Saturday, the state's culture department and Mahkaleshwar Temple jointly released a poster of the anthem on Twitter. Modi on October 11 will dedicate the first phase of the Rs 856-crore Mahakaleshwar Temple corridor development project here, around 200 km from the state capital Bhopal. ''Mega arrangments are being made for the opening of the 'Mahakal Lok' that will be dedicated to the people by the PM. After reaching Ujjain, he will drive to the temple complex in his motorcade, and perform a 'puja' at the Mahakaleshwar Temple.

“After that he will go to the 'Nandi Dwar', the main gateway of the new corridor, and inaugurate the corridor,'' said a senior official of Ujjain Smart City Ltd, which has executed the project.

As he will travel through the corridor, artistes will perform along the route.

''Later, at a grand event the same day, well-known singer Kailash Kher will perform a special anthem, a 'Shiva Stuti' dedicated to Lord Shiva. ''The anthem has been composed especially to mark the creation of 'Mahakal Lok','' Chief Executive Officer of Ujjain Smart City, Ashish Kumar Pathak, told PTI here. Kher will perform along with his team Kailasa, another official said. A 30-second video issued by the state’s publicity department showed Kher addressing the public and claiming that the anthem too will be inaugurated by PM Modi.

The 'Teri Deewani' fame singer, in the past has sung songs like 'Babam Bam', 'Shivoham', and 'Devon Ke Dev', all in veneration of Lord Shiva. Sources said the new anthem has been composed by Kher and it also draws from the ancient heritage of the famous shrine, whose devotees chant 'Jai Shri Mahakaal' in its honour.

The Mahakaleshwar Temple is one of the 12 'jyotirlingas' in the country and gets devotees throughout the year. The Shivling housed in its sanctum sanctorum is believed to be a 'swayambhu' ling, or self-originated one, and is visited by lakhs of people, especially during the Shravan season of the Hindu calendar or Mahashivratri. The over 900-meter-long corridor billed as one of the largest such corridors in India, has been named 'Mahakal Lok' by the state government, and is becoming popular among the youth through social media. Two gateways -- Nandi Dwar and Pinaki Dwar -- separated by a short distance, have been erected near the starting point of the corridor, which winds its way to the entrance of the ancient temple, offering aesthetic views along the way. The corridor is decorated with 108 ornate sandstone columns bearing trident-style design on the top and 'mudras' of Lord Shiva on its faces. It also has gushing fountains surrounded by artistic sculptures of the deity and illuminated murals. Preparations are in full swing for Modi's visit to the city on October 11, where he is scheduled to arrive in the evening.

Work is underway to erect a grand stage at the Kartik Mela ground where Modi and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan will reach after the inauguration of the corridor for an event to mark the occasion. Kher and other artists will perform at Kartik Mela ground venue, officials said.

Sources said the theme of the stage will be inspired by symbols associated with 'Mahakal Maharaj', and a huge 'trishul' will be installed on top of the stage backdrop. The plan is also to play images and videos of the Mahakaleshwar Temple and other holy sites in Ujjain on huge screens before the arrival of the PM at Kartik Mela ground, they said.

Madhya Pradesh Housing and Urban Development Minister Bhupendra Singh here on Thursday had said the PM is expected to spend about 2-2.5 hours in Ujjain before returning. He described Prime Minister Modi as an ''ardent devotee of Mahakal Maharaj.'' 

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)