SC refuses to interfere with rituals in Ujjain's Mahakal temple, approves resolution passed by its management committee

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to interfere with the rituals being observed at the historic Mahakaleshwar Temple in Ujjain while dealing with the issue of protecting the ‘Jyotirlingam’ at the ancient temple.

A bench of Justice Arun Mishra and Justice UU Lalilt, in its order, said it has neither interfered in the merit nor the religious ceremony of the temple in Madhya Pradesh.

The bench said it has incorporated all suggestions given by parties and the resolution passed by the temple management committee has to be implemented.

The temple, in its resolution, has permitted devotees to use a fixed amount of water measuring 500 millilitre in a small pot per person for jalabhishek (worship by offering water).

As per the resolution, water for jalabhishek should be taken from the Reverse Osmosis (RO) machine installed during the religious congregation of Simhastha in 2016, for which a connection was to be provided near the sanctum sanctorum.

The bench on Wednesday warned that its order should not be misinterpreted or misreported by the media.

The apex court has been dealing with the issue of protecting the ‘Jyotirlingam’, a devotional representation of Lord Shiva at the ancient Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga temple at Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh.

It had earlier taken strong exception over some display boards set up at the temple which had attributed new worshipping norms as directions of the top court.

The apex court had on 5 April said that its concern was only about the protection of the lingam at the ancient temple, while observing that it was for the temple management to discuss and decide what religious rituals should be followed and how worship should be performed there.

It had said the court had never given any direction to implement new norms of worship, which were actually submitted by temple management committee in consultation with an expert committee set up by the court.

On 25 August 2017, the apex court had constituted an expert committee to survey and analyse the ‘Jyotirlingam’ and prepare a report stating the rate at which the deterioration in its size was taking place and measures to prevent it.

The committee was also directed to study other structures and the temple and submit recommendations on steps for overall improvement of entire premises and its preservation.