Demand grows to ban non Hindus entry at Mahakal Temple:Priest and Hindu Jagran Manch demand same system across all 12 Jyotirlingas

Amid ongoing demands to ban the entry of non-Hindus into Uttarakhand’s Char Dham Yatra and its associated temples, a similar demand has now begun to surface at Ujjain’s Shri Mahakaleshwar Temple. Senior priest of the Mahakal Temple, Mahesh Sharma, along with the Hindu Jagran Manch, has urged both the central and state governments to impose a ban on the entry of non-Hindus into major temples of the city, including the Mahakal Temple. Momentum after Gangotri Dham decision Following reports of a ban on the entry of non-Hindus at Uttarakhand’s Gangotri Dham, demands for implementing a similar arrangement across the country’s twelve Jyotirlingas have started gaining momentum. This movement now appears to be taking shape in Ujjain, beginning with the Mahakaleshwar Temple. Senior Mahakal Temple priest Mahesh Sharma stated that non-Hindus who have faith in Sanatan Dharma should not be stopped from visiting the temple. However, he added that individuals entering the temple merely for sightseeing or with inappropriate intentions, and whose presence hurts the sentiments of Sanatan Dharma, should be barred from entry. Call to extend the system to all Jyotirlingas Ritesh Maheshwari of the Hindu Jagran Manch said that such a system should not be limited to the Mahakal Temple alone. He demanded that the same restrictions be implemented at all twelve Jyotirlingas across the country. According to him, the entry of non-Hindus should be prohibited, except in cases where individuals have returned to the Hindu faith. Claim of Non-Hindus caught inside temple premises Maheshwari claimed that in 2025, the Hindu Jagran Manch identified and caught more than a dozen youths at the Mahakal Temple complex who had entered the premises along with girls. He said the Mahakal Temple area has always been sensitive, making heightened vigilance essential. He further stated that similar restrictions should be imposed at other prominent temples in Ujjain, including Kal Bhairav Temple, Mangalnath Temple, and Sandipani Ashram, to maintain the sanctity and sensitivity of these religious sites.