Ujjain: The district administration in Ujjain has finally been forced to bow down to massive public pressure and religious sentiment regarding the controversial relocation of the revered Khade Hanuman temple. Authorities have officially clarified that the ancient statue will not be removed without achieving a complete general consensus among the public. The administration issued a formal statement ensuring that the deep faith and religious sentiments of devotees will be completely respected. Any decisions concerning the relocation of the temple or the idol will not be implemented without taking all concerned stakeholders into confidence.
Since early morning on Wednesday, large crowds of devotees flooded the Khade Hanuman temple premises, leading to long queues around the sacred site. Various Hindu organizations, including Bajrang Dal and Vishva Hindu Parishad, gathered at the location to recite the Hanuman Chalisa and demand that the statue remain undisturbed in its original spot. Throughout the demonstration, continuous chants hailing Lord Hanuman resonated through the air. The unanimous demand of all gathered citizens was that the governing administration should refrain from playing with public sentiments and instead honor the devotion of the followers. They insisted that if Lord Hanuman Himself is unwilling to move from His place, the administration must drop its stubborn stance and allow the temple to remain where it stands.
Mahamandaleshwar And Gurukul Students Recite Chalisa
Weighing into the protests, Mahamandaleshwar Atuleshanand Maharaj of Ahwan Akhara arrived at the temple accompanied by his supporters and students from a local gurukul. The gurukul students sat directly in front of the idol and recited the Hanuman Chalisa in unison. Addressing the gathering, the Mahamandaleshwar stated that the Khade Hanuman idol has stood at this exact location for the past 200 years and will continue to remain there. He remarked that those who wanted to employ their cunning intellects to remove it had already made their attempts, and Lord Hanuman had given a fitting reply Himself. He claimed that all machinery and engineering efforts had completely failed, and since the deity had manifested His divine will, the sacred statue must not be touched and should be preserved right where it is.
Congress MLAs Lead Protests And Recite Prayers
Political figures also joined the agitation, with Congress MLAs Mahesh Parmar and Dinesh Jain Boss marching in a large rally to the Khade Hanuman temple alongside hundreds of supporters. Congress workers marched carrying saffron flags and chanting religious slogans to the accompaniment of beating drums. Under the joint leadership of the two MLAs, a collective recitation of the Hanuman Chalisa was organized at the temple site. MLA Mahesh Parmar stated that he had visited the deity and prayed, emphasizing that their single demand is to honor the religious sentiments of the public. He warned that people's feelings should not be hurt and pointed out that the public does not want the statue removed. He criticized local administrative officers, including the divisional commissioner, SP, collector, and municipal commissioner, calling them novices, and suggested they watch the film Hanuman Ansh to understand that hurting religious sentiments leads to destruction.
Meanwhile, Congress MLA Dinesh Jain accused the government and the local administration of misleading the public. He questioned the underlying motives behind attempting to remove the statue and asked whether the authorities intended to provoke riots in the area. Affirming their strong opposition to the administrative action, he reiterated that the Hanuman statue must not be relocated under any circumstances.
District Administration Issues Official Press Note
Amid escalating tensions, SDM L.N. Garg released a formal statement clarifying the administration's stance. He stated that the administration holds complete respect for the emotions, sentiments, and unwavering faith of all devotees and citizens regarding the Khade Hanuman issue. No decisions or administrative steps will be taken without carefully considering the feelings of all concerned parties. He acknowledged that while development works for Simhastha 2028 are undeniably important, the preservation of Ujjain's religious heritage and public faith holds equal significance. The administration assured that it will engage in dialogue with devotees and domain experts to arrive at a universally accepted resolution.
Notably, the Khade Hanuman temple falls within the alignment zone of the road widening project planned for Kanthal Chauraha and Chhatri Chowk routes in Ujjain. Although administrative authorities attempted to shift the statue, their efforts failed as the idol remained firmly fixed in its place. Last Thursday night starting at 11 PM, municipal corporation staff initiated shifting operations without success, and subsequent inspection visits by an archaeological team also failed to yield any workable solution.
