A fire erupted during the Bhasma Aarti ceremony at the renowned Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga temple in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, on Monday morning. The incident, which occurred amid the Holi celebrations, resulted in 13 people sustaining burn injuries, including the temple priest.
Holi gulal came in contact with lit lamp
The fire broke out in the sanctum sanctorum or 'garbhagriha' of the temple, causing panic among the worshippers. According to Ashish Sharma, a temple priest, the traditional Holi celebrations were underway when the unfortunate incident transpired. It is believed that the fire ignited when gulal came into contact with a lit lamp.
The flames were swiftly brought under control, potentially stopping further damage.
Victims identified
Eyewitness accounts reportedly suggest that during the Bhasma Aarti ritual, an individual allegedly threw gulal onto the priest, inadvertently causing the ignition. The ensuing chaos led to multiple injuries, with the injured rushed to the district hospital for medical attention.
Among the injured are Sanjeev Pujari, Manoj, Vikas, Sevadhari Anand, and Kamal Joshi, who suffered burns during the ordeal. District Collector Neeraj Kumar Singh confirmed the incident, stating that an investigation has been initiated to ascertain the circumstances leading to the fire.
Holi festivities started in temple on Sunday
The Holi festivities commenced on Sunday evening in the courtyard of the popular Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga temple. Initially, during the evening aarti, thousands of devotees participated in the Holi festivities. Following this, the ritual of Holika Dahan took place in the courtyard.
