Bhopal, May 5 (IANS) A sudden blaze erupted at the revered Mahakal Temple in Madhya Pradesh's Ujjain on Monday, but was soon tackled, and no casualties were reported in the incident, officials said. The fire is reported to have erupted around noon at the control room situated above the pollution board’s facility within the temple premises at the Avantika Gate, designated as Gate No. 1 of the temple complex. The flames consumed the structure soon, triggering anxiety among onlookers. Billowing flames and smoke were visible from afar, sending waves of alarm through the vicinity.

Swiftly responding to the situation, authorities suspended the entry of devotees to ensure safety. As the news of the conflagration spread swiftly across Ujjain, fire brigade teams raced to the scene to quell the blaze and succeeded in dousing it soon. However, they did not comment on the cause of the sudden fire. Senior officials, including the District Collector and Superintendent of Police, arrived to oversee the situation. "No human casualty has been reported so far," a senior official said. Officials said that once the fire was extinguished, the temple gates would be reopened, restoring access to the devotees.

Preliminary assessments suggest an electrical short circuit as the likely origin, yet a definitive conclusion awaits a detailed inquiry. The blaze is said to have sparked from the batteries of the Air Quality Management System operated by the pollution control board. Each day, thousands of devotees make their way to the “Baba Mahakal” (Lord Shiva) temple, and the unexpected fire created anxiety and disorder. The Centre had developed the Mahakal Lok Corridor at the Mahakaleshwar Temple in Ujjain, with the 900-metre-long corridor expanding the temple premises from three hectares to 47 hectares, incorporating new pathways and upgrading facilities to enhance the spiritual experience for devotees.

/IANS