Ujjain: Seers unhappy with Simhastha preparations

Although the BJP government in Madhya Pradesh is claiming to have unprecedented arrangements for mega Simhastha Mela by releasing ten times of funds compared to the fair of 2004, the seers and saints of different akharas seem to be disappointed and rather angered with the state of affairs.

Although the BJP government in Madhya Pradesh is claiming to have unprecedented arrangements for mega Simhastha Mela by releasing ten times of funds compared to the fair of 2004, the seers and saints of different akharas seem to be disappointed and rather angered with the state of affairs.

Akhara saints are not happy with the state of affairs at Simhastha. (HT file photo)

The saints raised several questions on deplorable situation of pious Kshipra river, encroachments and constructions on the land meant for their camps, insufficient funds for works at akhara premises.

The newly appointed chairman of Kendriya Simhastha Committee, Makhan Singh, faced the wrath of akhara saints wherever he went during the first three days after assuming the office on Thursday.

Not only Singh but higher administrative officials, including divisional commissioner Ravindra Pastor, collector Kavindra Kiyawat and Mela officer-cum-municipal commissioner Avinash Lavniya, who visited the akharas recently, were welcomed with lots of complaints from the saints.

Seer Mahant Parmanand Puri Ji of the Juna Akhara said Simhastha couldn’t be imagined without akharas and saints. The government might have spent crores of rupees on keeping Kshipra pollution free and ample flow but the situation on the spot is just opposite.

Makhan Singh admitted that there were some issues of akharas and he would take up the same with administrative officials.