Jal Abhishek only from R.O water to Mahakaal: Supreme Court

The Supreme Court on Friday approved new worship norms for Mahakal Temple in Madhya Pradesh’s Ujjain and directed that RO water should be used for ‘jal bhishek’, to save the shivling from shrinking. Apart from this, the apex court has also quantified the amount of water. It has decided that devotees can only take half a litre of water with them for ‘jal bhishek’.

The top court has also set the quantity of milk for ‘dugdhabhishek’. It has said that devotees cannot use milk more than 1.25 litres for the ritual.

The court had formed a committee of experts that visited the Mahakaleshwar temple in Ujjain recently. The committee has recommended several restrictions to save the Shivling.

A body of intellectuals, Ujjaini Vidwat Parishad, had claimed that the Shivling was shrinking due to excessive “bhaang shingar” (offering of bhaang) and panchamrit (milk, curd, honey, sugar and ghee).

Earlier on September 7, the expert committee, consisting of officials of Archaeological Survey of India and Geological Survey of India said that bhaang offering is not the reason of shrinking of the Shivling.

The panel has, however, recommended that restrictions should be imposed on the number of devotees in the sanctum sanctorum of the temple.

The next hearing in the case will take place on November 30.