Legend says that the Mahakaleshwar doesn’t return anybody with empty hands. In good times legends seem like reality and are echoed in all nooks and corners whereas in bad times its legendry gets crumbled in front of political expediencies.
The flower vendors who were displaced during the expansion of the Mahakaleshwar temple corridor in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, have been assured by the Temple Committee of new shops in the renovated premises.
Legend says that the Mahakaleshwar doesn’t return anybody with empty hands. In good times legends seem like reality and are echoed in all nooks and corners whereas in bad times its legendry gets crumbled in front of political expediencies.
The first phase of the Rs 856 crores project of Mahakal corridor was unveiled by the Prime Minister amidst unprecedented fanfare in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh. But a few stakeholders are still waiting for their final settlement. Besides the entry of the Bharat Mata Mandir, that was founded in 2016 and was visited by RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat lies the old main entry of the Mahakaleshwar temple. The narrow alleys flanked by the flower vendors selling the puja essentials lead one to the grand old temple that for the believers has been there since eternity.
However, after the renovation project the main entry point has been shifted to marvellous Nandi Dwar, populated by selfie-stands that reflect the popularity of the place among the youths. The old alleys though have not been abandoned, for now their sales have got affected.
“Since the works of the corridor started, we had been moved several times. For now, our businesses are affected but we now things will be better soon when we will get the promised shops within the corridor,” said Sajan Devi, whose mother started vending flowers in the Mahakal temple premises 60 years ago.
Visually, the magnificence of the corridor has pushed them to the backside of the temple where presumably worshippers come in less numbers. “When we will get the new shops assigned for us, our businesses will be restored. For now, it is affected. As people are going to take the Nandi Dwar route, we will not get the benefits,” said Manish whose shop had been there since the days of his grandparents.
All the shops are however not affected in that way as a few of them still run, if not with the earlier potential, at least with a moderate income. Satish, a 52-year-old flower vendor while calling us to buy the ‘Prayer Thali’ told, “Still now, our business is going fine as there is no other option for the worshipper except for coming to us. If there will be new shops, things will be worse.”
In September 2020, a few of them moved to the lower court of Ujjain to get the assurance from the Temple committee that they would be given shops in the renovated corridors. Within a few months of the case, National Lok Adalat intervened and there was an outside court settlement where the Temple Committee has assured them of new shops.
“We, 32 flower vendors directly went to the court to seek help. What options did we have? By the grace of Mahakal and the support of the Lok Adalat, we will be given new shops in the corridor,” said Piyush Yadav, a flower vendor running the shop for more than 40 years.
32 petitioners whose names were there in the settlement, as per Yadav will get the priority when the new shops will be distributed. “We are the oldest one and whatever the matter may be, we cannot be displaced,” added Yadav.
Clarifying that they have nothing against the Temple committee and they are all well connected, Yadav said, “We are part and parcel of Temple. This is our bread and butter. We have full faith that we will get the shops very soon.”
Manish, though was also hopeful, he had a small objection. “The size of the shop will be smaller. Our current shops are spread in a bigger area. This may affect our business.”
Till now though there is no clarity about by when the shops will be distributed, Yadav said, “Another six months and we will be shifted.”
The hopes in their eyes to get shops in the new temple premises reflect more vibrantly in the words of Sajan Devi, “We have been part of temple committee. We are the committee and we know that nothing bad will happen to us. It is a temporal struggle that we have been through for now.”
Showing us her old shop beside the Ma Sati Mandir, Sajan Devi started reminiscing the good days of her life. “My mother started vending flowers and then the price of thalis and flowers were Re 1 or Rs 2. The rent was also lower. The time has changed as has the price of the things.”
Her indulging into the lanes of remembrance nevertheless was not confined to despair, the sparks of hope and faith in Mahakaleshwar were reflected in the optimism. As we were about to leave the alleys filled with the flavours of flowers and incense sticks, the legend appeared again.
With all the devotion from core of the heart the woman in her late 40s told, “Mahakal kisi ko khali hat wapas nahi bhejta.”(Mahakal never returns people in empty hands). It was too late for us to wait and watch her dreams being fulfilled.