UJJAIN, India — The Shri Mahakaleshwar Temple Management Committee opened bookings on Thursday for a new pilot programme offering free VIP-style darshan slots to all devotees, allowing ordinary pilgrims reserved entry times at one of India's most-visited shrines.

The committee announced the scheme to reduce hours-long queues and end the perception that smooth darshan was reserved for those who could pay. Devotees can register through the temple's official website and portal, selecting a fixed time window for entry into the sanctum.

Mahakaleshwar, one of the twelve Jyotirlinga shrines dedicated to Lord Shiva, draws tens of thousands of visitors daily, with numbers swelling further during the festival season. Temple administrators said the pilot would run for a limited period before assessing whether to make the system permanent.

The Ujjain district administration and temple committee said the booking system aimed to improve crowd management and safety after earlier congestion at the popular Bhasma Aarti and general darshan lines. District officials urged devotees to carry valid identification matching their online registration.

The launch reflects a broader trend among major Indian temples moving toward digital slot-based entry to manage record pilgrim numbers, accelerated by crowd-safety concerns at large religious gatherings across the country.