The issue of Ujjain Temple Shiva Lingam shrinking day by day had been brought before the Supreme Court of India for which the SC had formed a committee of experts consisting of officials from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and Geological Survey of India (GSI) to examine the causes that were resulting in the shrinking of the Shiva Lingam. The SC formed the committee a petition was brought before it by Ujjain Vidwat Parishad that claimed that the Shiva Lingam was shrinking because of excessive bhang (marijuana leaves) offerings.
Following this, the Supreme Court of India has set new norms for devotees to worship at the Jyotirlinga Mahakaleshwara temple in Ujjain. Devotees would now be allowed to offer only half a litre of RO (reverse osmosis) water as ‘jalabhishek’.
The committe formed by the Supreme Court recently visited the temple in Ujjain. It consulted the temple managing committee and other stake holders and made the following recommendations before the Supreme Court.
- Only 1.25 litre of panchamrit – a mixture of milk, curd, honey, sugar and ghee – should be allowed per devotee.
- Only RO water should be allowed for ‘jalabhishek’ and it should be limited to half a litre per devotee.
- Installation of exhaust fans should be implemented inside the sanctum sanctorum.
- The sanctum sanctorum should be kept dry when jalabhishek is not being done.
- The Jalabhishek should not be permitted for the entire day.
- Sugar powder as offering should not be allowed on Shiva Lingam.
- Only a specified amount of ‘bel patra’ leaves should be allowed per devotee.
- Every effort should be made to keep the Shiva Lingam clean at all times.
The committee also concluded that the damaged caused to the Shiva Linga was not due to the offerings of marijuana leaves.
