A fire broke out due to spilled gulal during Bhasma Aarti at Ujjain’s Shri Mahakaleshwar temple

13 people including the priest were injured

Ujjain (Madhya Pradesh) – A fire broke out in the sanctum sanctorum of the Shri Mahakaleshwar temple during the Bhasma Aarti on Monday morning. 13 people including the priest sustained burn injuries in the mishap. The condition of nine people is said to be critical. They have been referred to Indore.

According to eyewitnesses, gulal was being thrown inside the sanctum sanctorum as part of the Holi celebration. Someone threw the coloured gulal on an earthen lamp. They believe chemicals inside gulal may have triggered the fire. (Government should make efforts to stop the production of such colours along with creating awareness that ‘Chemical colours should not be used during Holi. – Editor)

A fire broke out at the Sri #MahakaleshwarTemple in #Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh during the ‘Bhasma Aarti’ due to the sprinkling of ‘Gulal’.

13 people including priests injured

The use of chemical colours in Holi should be avoided and the Government should strive to halt the… pic.twitter.com/JmFWChrMEh

— Sanatan Prabhat (@SanatanPrabhat) March 25, 2024

Boards have been put up with instructions saying ‘Gulal should not be spilled in Gabhara – GarbhaGruha’. These boards got burned in this fire. When the fire broke out, the fire brigade was immediately called and they brought the fire under control.

Ujjain Collector Neeraj Singh said that orders have been given to investigate the matter. A committee will investigate this mishap.

Editorial Perspective

When there is an instruction not to throw gulal in the sanctum sanctorum, action should be taken against those who violate it, so that no one will do such an act again.