No disruption to offerings at Ujjain's Kal Bhairav Mandir amid MP liquor ban: Report

CM Yadav has assured devotees that liquor offerings at the Kal Bhairav would continue.

Amid the closure of liquor shops in Ujjain, following Madhya Pradesh's decision to shut down liquor vends in 17 holy towns, concerns have been raised regarding the fate of liquor offerings at the Kal Bhairav Mandir, a prominent temple where alcohol is traditionally offered as prasad (sacred offering) to the deity.

Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, on Friday, addressed these concerns, assuring devotees that liquor offerings at the temple would continue. He stated, “You may take the prasad to the temple,” confirming that even though liquor shops in Ujjain will close from April 1, access to liquor offerings at the Kal Bhairav Mandir will remain unaffected. To ensure the traditional practice continues, the state government operates liquor counters outside the temple.

As per a temple priest, cited in a Times of India report, offering alcohol to the deity is an ancient and integral part of the temple's rituals. The excise department operates two liquor counters outside the temple, ensuring that devotees are not deprived of the offering.

Chief Minister Yadav announced on Friday that the state would close liquor shops in 17 holy towns as part of its ongoing efforts to reduce alcohol consumption. This decision came during a cabinet meeting held in Khargone.

The 17 affected towns include Ujjain, Datia, Panna, Mandla, Multai, Mandsaur, Maihar, Omkareshwar, Maheshwar, Mandleshwar, Orchha, Chitrakoot, and Amarkantak. Additionally, liquor shops in six village panchayats—Salkanpur, Barman Kala, Linga, Kundalpur, Bandakpur, and Barmankhurd—will also be shut down. The liquor ban within a 5-kilometer radius of the Narmada river will remain in place.

While the closure of liquor shops in Ujjain is just the first step, Yadav suggested that the state plans to implement a phased prohibition policy, eventually extending the ban to other areas across Madhya Pradesh.

“Everyone is aware of the ill effects of liquor consumption. We don't want our youths to get spoiled, as they are the future of the country,” Yadav emphasized. He reiterated that the government's goal is to protect the younger generation from the harmful effects of alcohol.

Yadav also noted that liquor will be banned in areas associated with Lord Krishna and Lord Ram in Madhya Pradesh, underscoring the government’s commitment to safeguarding the sanctity of these revered religious sites.