Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh Tourism Sets New Record
- 24 May 2024
- 3 min read
Why in News?
According to the sources, Madhya Pradesh greeted over 110 million tourists in 2023, achieving a historic milestone for the state’s tourism.
Key Points
- The year 2023 witnessed a significant increase in the number of tourists, with a remarkable 112.1 million visitors, compared to 34.1 million in 2022.
- Ujjain, known as one of India’s most sacred cities, emerged as the most popular destination, drawing over 52.8 million pilgrims and travelers.
- Five of the state’s top ten most visited places were revered religious sites, including Ujjain, Maihar, Chitrakoot, Omkareshwar, and Salkanpur, highlighting the growing appeal of spiritual tourism.
- Key initiatives such as Mahakal Lok in Ujjain and Ektma Dham in Omkareshwar played a pivotal role in bolstering visitor numbers.
- The 24th of May, commemorating the foundation day of the Madhya Pradesh State Tourism Development Corporation (MPSTDC), doubles up as Madhya Pradesh Tourism Day, symbolizing the state’s commitment to nurturing its tourism sector.
Shri Mahakal Lok
- The temple is believed to be governed by Mahakaleshwar, which means the ‘Lord of time’ i.e., Lord Shiva. As per Hindu mythology, the temple was constructed by Lord Brahma and is presently located alongside the holy river Kshipra.
- Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga in Ujjain is one of the 12 jyotirlingas considered the most sacred abodes of Shiva. The shrine is revered as one the 18 Maha Shaktia Peeth in India.
- It is the only jyotirlinga facing the south, while all the others face east. This is because the direction of death is believed to be the south.
- In fact, people worship Mahakaleshwar to prevent an untimely death.
- According to the Puranas, Lord Shiva pierced the world as an endless pillar of light, called the jyotirlinga.
- Besides Mahakal, these include Somnath and Nageshwar in Gujarat, Mallikarjuna in Andhra Pradesh, Omkareshwar in Madhya Pradesh, Kedarnath in Uttarakhand, Bhimashankar, Triyambakeshwar and Grishneshwar in Maharashtra, Viswanath at Varanasi, Baidyanath in Jharkhand, and Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu.
