Maha Shivratri: Ujjain creates Guinness World Record by lighting 21 lakh earthen lamps, adheres to ‘zero-waste’ goal

The auspicious festival of Maha Shivratri or “Great night of Shiva’ was celebrated with much fervour in all parts of India on March 1. The Madhya Pradesh government on the special occasion created a Guinness record by lighting 21 lakh lamps in the Ujjain city.

The Grand event was held at Mahakaleshwar temple in Ujjain, ANI reported. The popular shrine houses twelve major Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva. The famous temple that attracts a huge number of devotees all-round the year makes Ujjain more commonly known as the city of Mahadev.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, praising the successful execution of the programme recalled the principle of ‘Sarva Dharma Sambhav’ espoused by Swami Vivekananda and Mahatma Gandhi. He further seeked Lord Shiva’s blessings for all the citizens of the state to be self-resilient and attain the dream of ‘Atmanirbhar Madhya Pradesh.’ He said that the state government is assertive that the 11 road projects that were recently inaugurated by Union Minister Nitin Gadkari will put Ujjain on the map of religious tourism capitals in India.

The CMO informed that the district administration burned 21 lakh earthen lamps to get their name registered in the Guinness Book. The lamps were lit in temples, homes, banks of Shipra river and courtyard of Devasthali Mahakal temple.  Around 17,000 volunteers from schools, offices, social organization, sports organisations, saint, akhadas took part in lighting lamp programme. The administration further ensured that the vent is environment friendly and ‘zero-waste’ by adhering to the principle of Reduce, Resuse and Recycle.

Moreover, volunteer id cards were made from recycled paper and food was served in biodegradable cutlery. After the event the earthen lamps were taken for recycling and will be used for making idols, in-home composting, kulhads among others.  

Chouhan inspected the ongoing works in the first phase of Shri Mahakal Vistar Yojana costing Rs 750 crore. He further examined the plan for the second phase of campus expansion at Triveni Museum presented by Ujjain Collector Ashish Singh.

Mahashivratri is considered to be the most auspicious among the 12 Shivratris observed in a year. It is on this night Shiva and Shakti essence of male and female energies unite. Devotees observe fast and offer milk to the Shivling and seek blessings from the divinity.