Dharmendra Pradhan bats for 'Mahakal Standard Time': Why it matters
What's the story
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has proposed that Ujjain, an ancient temple city in Madhya Pradesh, should be the new global center for time measurement. He suggested replacing Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) with Mahakal Standard Time (MST). "Ujjain is the place where the Equator and the Tropic of Cancer meet," he said at the International Conference Mahakala: The Master of Time.'
Historical perspective
Pradhan emphasizes Ujjain's historical significance
Pradhan emphasized Ujjain's historical importance as a center for astronomy as well as time calculation. He said modern artificial intelligence tools also recognize it as an original center of time calculation. "The time has come to logically establish 'Mahakal Standard Time' (MST) in place of 'Greenwich Mean Time' (GMT)," he said.
Spiritual science
Spirituality and science intertwined in Ujjain
Addressing the conference, Pradhan said that spirituality and science are intertwined in places like Ujjain. He cited a ritual at Mahakal Temple where water is poured over Lord Shiva as both a religious practice and scientific solution for summer heat and environmental management. "This demonstrates that our society has possessed a scientific understanding of time calculation," he said.
Government backing
Madhya Pradesh CM supports proposal
Madhya Pradesh's Chief Minister Mohan Yadav also supported Pradhan's proposal, calling Ujjain a global center for timekeeping and astronomy. He said traditional Indian methods of time measurement were more accurate than GMT due to their alignment with sunrise, sunset, and planetary movements. Yadav announced efforts to develop Ujjain as both a religious and scientific hub.