Mahakal Temple’s light and sound show is no longer free:Visitors now pay ₹100 per ticket; temple expects ₹15 lakh monthly revenue

Devotees visiting Ujjain’s Mahakal Temple will now have to pay more for another facility. To watch the light and sound show running in the temple complex, a fee of 100 rupees per person will now have to be paid. The temple management committee has implemented this system and fees are being collected from devotees who come to watch the show daily. The light and sound show based on water screen fountain and laser technology on the banks of Rudrasagar at Mahakal Temple was inaugurated on October 25, 2025, on the occasion of Diwali. Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav had inaugurated it. From the beginning, this show was kept completely free for devotees. After running free for about seven months, the temple committee has now made it chargeable. According to the temple administration, about 500 devotees visit to watch the show daily, and now everyone will have to pay 100 rupees for entry. Show prepared at a cost of 18 crore rupees According to the temple administration, this project has been developed by the Madhya Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation under the Smart City Project at an approximate cost of 18 crore 7 lakh rupees. In this approximately 25-minute show, the story of Lord Mahakal, Mother Shipra, and the ancient city of Avantika is depicted through modern technology. Due to water screens, fountains, laser lights, and sound effects, this show became very popular among devotees. 1.5 Lakh Rupees Spent Every Month The temple committee states that approximately 1.5 lakh rupees are being spent every month on the operation and maintenance of the show. Considering this expense, the decision to levy a fee has been taken. Pratham Kaushik, the temple administrator, informed that a large number of devotees come to watch the show daily. Now, entry is being given by charging a fee of 100 rupees per person. Monthly revenue of 15 lakhs can be generated From a revenue perspective, the temple committee is likely to generate good income from this decision. According to the temple administration, approximately 500 devotees visit to watch the light and sound show daily. If a fee of 100 rupees is charged from each devotee, the committee will earn approximately 50,000 rupees per day. At this rate, about 15 lakh rupees can be generated in a month and approximately 1.8 crore rupees in revenue over a year. Whereas, information has emerged that about 1.5 lakh rupees are spent every month on the operation and maintenance of the show. In this way, this arrangement can also become a new source of income for the temple committee. Fees have increased before This is not the first time that a facility at Mahakal Temple has been made paid. Before this, a fee of Rs 250 per person was also implemented for the darshan of Sandhya Aarti and Shayan Aarti from February 19, 2026. Apart from this, a fee is already being charged for Bhasm Aarti and quick darshan. Thousands of devotees visit the temple daily Thousands of devotees visit the Mahakal Temple daily for darshan. In Bhasm Aarti alone, about 1700 devotees are given online entry every day. In such a situation, after the fee is charged for the Light and Sound Show, the expenses of the devotees visiting the temple will increase further. This 25-minute show grandly presents the glorious saga of Lord Shri Mahakaleshwar, the salvation-bestowing Shipra River, and Avantika Nagari (Ujjain) through modern technology. However, the temple committee states that there are continuous expenses for the operation, maintenance, and other arrangements of the show, hence charging a fee is necessary. Meanwhile, a section of devotees considers it an additional financial burden and says that this show, operated within a religious complex, should be kept free of charge as before.