BHOPAL: Long-standing tradition of no top minister (nation’s Prime Minister, state’s chief minister or any other minister) staying back in Ujjain – the land of Lord Mahakal – in the night, was broken by third time local BJP MLA-turned-new Madhya Pradesh chief minister Dr Mohan Yadav on Saturday.
Not only did Yadav hold a mega roadshow in his native city, but also stayed back at his home in Ujjain’s Geeta Colony locality overnight on Saturday, before leaving for state capital Bhopal on Sunday morning.
“Why won’t I stay back in Ujjain during the night. There is just one Raja (ruler) in Ujjain, which is Baba Mahakal. We’re all his children and not any ruler, then why will I not stay back in Ujjain in the night,” Yadav announced from the stage of the local BJP unit’s program in Ujjain on Saturday evening.
“The tradition of any ruler not spending night in Ujjain (as the lone ruler of the ancient city was Lord Mahakal), actually dates back to the beginning of the 19th century. This was part of well thought strategy by then Ujjain rulers, the Scindia royal family to not only shift their capital from Ujjain to Gwalior, but to equally ensure that no other ruler captured the power in Ujjain, after the capital was shifted to Gwalior,” Yadav maintained.
“I’m Lord Mahakal’s son and servant and not a ruler, why will he get angry with me, he’ll bless his son,” Yadav added. Importantly, for decades, no political ruler (head of government in MP or the centre) has stayed back in Ujjain city in the night.
Even if any head of government has stayed back in the city (which houses one of the 12 jyotirlingas at the world famous Mahakal Temple) in the night, it has been ensured that a particular leader/head of government spends the night out of the limits of Ujjain city.
“How can anyone say that Baba Mahakal’s land is confined merely to municipal limits of Ujjain? Lord Mahakal is the king of the entire universe and doesn’t merely rule Ujjain’s municipal limits and we’re his sons,” he said.
According to the Mahakal Temple’s priest Pandit Mahesh Mishra, “Though the new CM has stayed back in Ujjain city, it doesn’t break the old tradition of heads of government leaving Ujjain after sunset, as Dr Yadav wasn’t in Ujjain as the CM, but was there as the city’s resident, son and sewak of Baba Mahakal.”
No CM stayed in Ujjain overnight due to myth
For decades, no political leader (head of government in MP or the centre) has stayed back in Ujjain city in the night. Even if any did, it has been ensured that a particular leader/head of government spends the night out of the limits of Ujjain city.