The controversy surrounding the standing Hanuman temple and its idol, established amidst road widening work in Ujjain, is no longer just a local matter. Due to various claims and videos going viral regarding attempts to remove the idol on social media, this statue has become a topic of discussion across the country. Some people described it as a matter of faith, while others linked the idol's inability to be displaced to a miracle. However, behind all these claims lie their own realities and the administration's perspective.
On Friday, upon visiting the Khade Hanuman Temple near Chhatri Chowk, a different scenario emerged beyond the dispute. Long queues were lined up outside the temple, and these queues were not only filled with residents of Ujjain. A family from Maharashtra, people from Delhi, a woman from Odisha, and devotees from Bihar were also present. This meant that people from various parts of the country were reaching Ujjain to have darshan of Khade Hanuman.
For the local people, faith in Khade Hanuman is nothing new, and the significance of this idol has been long-standing. However, in recent days, the most attention-grabbing aspect outside the temple was the presence of devotees from other states. It was natural to ask what exactly drew people from thousands of kilometers away to see this idol.
First, three young women who were residents of Delhi and worked in an IT company in Gurugram were spoken to. They had originally come to see Mahakal in Ujjain, but continuous reels of Khade Hanuman appearing on social media increased their curiosity. After seeing Mahakal, they decided to go directly to the Khade Hanuman Temple. Thus, the discussion happening on social media did not remain just a video or post for them, but led them to the temple.
A hotel receptionist mentioned that a family from Maharashtra was also found in the temple queue. When asked how they reached to see Khade Hanuman, their answer was different from social media. The family stated that the receptionist at the hotel where they stayed informed them about this idol. They were told that there had been an attempt to remove the idol, but it could not be removed. This curiosity led them to the temple.
Upon researching online, mentions of Roshan Chopra, a Chartered Accountant from Delhi, and his family in the context of Khade Hanuman were found everywhere. He mentioned that his visit to Ujjain was scheduled about five days prior. When he started searching for places to visit in Ujjain online, the Khade Hanuman Temple was mentioned almost everywhere. The videos circulating on social media, television news, and the continuous discussion about the idol further increased their curiosity. Consequently, after seeing Mahakal, their next destination was also the Khade Hanuman Temple.
The story of the devotees from Odisha and Bihar was similar. Priyanka Gupta, who came from Odisha and was in the queue, was also interviewed. She said that she has been a devotee of Lord Hanuman since childhood. When she learned through social media that there was a discussion about removing this idol in Ujjain, she decided to come here. Her wish was not just to have darshan, but she wanted this idol to remain in place. Ashish Tiwari from Bihar also supports this view, believing that the Khade Hanuman idol should remain in its current location. One thing was common among all these people during the conversations, and that was the influence of social media.
Various claims are being made about Khade Hanuman on social media. Among these is the claim that the administration attempted to remove the idol four times and failed every time. Some reels have even been created using AI to show the crane breaking down during the removal of the idol. These videos and claims have generated curiosity among people, which is now drawing people towards Ujjain.
However, there is another side to this development. The administration has called these claims misleading, stating that there was never any attempt to remove the idol. Speaking with the SDM of Ujjain, L.N. Garg, he termed the information spread on social media as misleading. He clarified that the administration has neither attempted to remove the idol by machinery nor manually. He also clarified that no final decision has been taken regarding the idol currently.
At the request of the temple priests, a team of experts has been called to conduct a scientific test of the idol, although no scientific examination has taken place yet. Whatever decision is made in the future will be based on the report of the scientific test. The administration says that the feelings of local residents and devotees will also be taken into account in this entire process. Despite the clarification from the administration, the ground reality tells a different story; the demand to keep the idol in place is gaining momentum, and signatures are being collected from people with a large poster near the temple supporting this.
