The inauguration of the first phase of ‘Shri Mahakal Lok’ is yet another assertion of New India’s pride in its rich cultural and spiritual heritage. As Prime Minister Narendra Modi said at the dedication event, “India is reclaiming its glory, what it had lost, and the power of ‘Mahakal’ will help India lead the world to the path of peace.” Our Cover Story encapsulates the grand event at Ujjain, incorporating key elements of the PM speech and explaining salient features of the new corridor. The crux of our report is that having become an important player on the world stage with its supremacy across diverse fields, India is now claiming to be the spiritual superpower by reconstructing its past glory. This Mahakal will encourage India’s tradition and culture and give it new life, said PM Modi, while stressing “where there is innovation, there will be renovation. In this period of Independence, India’s glory was being reconstructed.”
The Cover Story package spills over to the Centrespread with two related reports and select pictures of the Ujjain event. Going into the background of the ‘Shri Mahakal Lok’, our report says it is the culmination of the first phase the Mahakal Vistar Parisar Yojana planned and executed with a unique blend of tradition, divinity and modern urban planning. Under the plan, the Mahakaleshwar Temple complex of around 2.82 hectares has been increased to 47 hectares and the new corridor has been built on 108 pillars, says or report.
The other report is about the enthralling ‘Shiva Stuti’, a special anthem dedicated to Lord Shiva, composed and performed by well-known singer Kailash Kher at the event. It quotes the artiste as saying that in composing the new anthem, he had drawn inspiration from the ancient heritage of the famous shrine and the glory of old city Ujjain.
The Cover Page is also embellished with a powerful write-up on Amitabh Bachchan, the legend who turned eighty this week. Contributed by one of the top journalists in the country, the piece covers the over-five decade career of Big B – his entry into the film industry, the long period of struggle, his manifold achievements and failures as also his amazing range of persona that has captivated Indians of all class, caste and age. While the front page mention is meant to entice the readers, they would surely relish the full piece inside.
The curious case of Spain, which continues to be the ‘Permanent Guest’ at the premium global forum despite having the 14th largest GDP in the world, is the top story on G20 Podium this week. Backed by official figures, our story stresses that though G20 represents 80 per cent of the world’s GDP, it does not necessarily represent top 20 world economies. Essentially it is G7 plus 12 politically, regionally and economically powerful countries along with the EU, argues our report. The other report is about the World Bank being upbeat on India’s capability of addressing key concerns of the developing nations during its presidency. Enjoy the package!
