Madhya Pradesh Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya said that the fire that broke out at the renowned Mahakal Temple in Ujjain on Monday morning might have been triggered by chemicals present in ‘gulal’, a colored powder commonly used in rituals and during Holi celebrations.
The incident occurred in the ‘garbha griha’ (sanctum sanctorum) of the temple at 5:50 am, resulting in injuries to 14 priests and assistants (‘sevaks’). Eight of the injured were subsequently transferred to the Sri Aurobindo Institute of Medical Sciences in Indore.
“It seems all the injured at SAIMS are out of danger, But they will be under observation for the next 24 hours,” Vijayvargiya told reporters after visiting the health facility.
“Every year, Holi is celebrated in Mahakaleshwar Temple by throwing gulal. Maybe, some chemical in the gulal caused the fire. However, we are not going to stop the tradition of playing Holi with Lord Bholenath in Mahakaleshwar Temple,” he said.
He further assured that measures would be taken to ensure that no gulal containing chemicals is used in the future.
Additionally, the local magistrate has initiated an inquiry into the incident to determine the cause of the fire.
Vijayvargiya mentioned that the offices of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah have expressed concern and inquired about the health status of the injured individuals.
(With inputs from PTI)
