Cops, officials deployed to complete Mahashivratri darshan within 40 minutes

Ujjain: Police and administrative officials have been deployed on Mahakaleshwar temple premises to help devotees complete darshan within 30-40 minutes on Mahashivratri on Sunday."Our target is to facilitate darshan for devotees within 30-40 minutes. We have prepared accordingly," temple management committee chairman and collector Roshan Kumar Singh said, adding that VIP darshan may take longer to complete.The temple will remain open at stretch for approximately 44 hours during the festival. As the only jyotirlinga among the 12 where Shiv Navratri is celebrated as a festival, celebrations that began on Feb 6 will continue until the day after Mahashivratri.To expedite darshan process, two-wheeler users will be given shoe bags to hang on vehicles, eliminating trips to shoe stands. Bags for mobile phones will also be provided. A carpet has been laid to protect devotees from heat while standing in queue, while the entire queue area has been covered with shade. Ambulances have been stationed at multiple locations, with medical counters set up every 100 metres.The temple gates will open at 2:30 am on Sunday for Bhasma Aarti, followed by Dadyodak Aarti at 7:30 am and Bhog Aarti at 10:30 am. The Maha-abhishek puja will begin at 10:30 pm and continue throughout the night, with 11 Brahmins performing rituals, including abhishek with various offerings.On Monday, Feb 16, the highlight will be the once-a-year midday Bhasma Aarti at noon, following morning sehra darshan. The festival will conclude on Wednesday with the annual darshan of Panchamukharavind.