Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan hailed Ujjain-Avantika as a city embodying Indian civilisation, blending science, culture, literature, and spirituality. Speaking at the "Mahakala: The Master of Time" conference, he highlighted Ujjain as a knowledge hub. CM Mohan Yadav and Pradhan also inaugurated the Ujjain Science Centre and laid foundations for key development projects.
Ujjain (Madhya Pradesh): Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Friday described Ujjain-Avantika as a city that embodies the essence of Indian civilisation, blending science, culture, literature, and spirituality. He made the remarks while addressing the International Conference "Mahakala: The Master of Time", which was also attended by Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav.
Speaking at the event, Pradhan said, "We are all present in Ujjain-Avantika, the city of one civilisation. In India, whatever spiritual sites, temples, or places of tradition we see today, we generally view them from a religious perspective. When we go to those places, study them deeply, read their history, and review their civilisation and character, we get to know that all these centres, be they Ujjain, Kashi, Kanchi, or Puri Dham, are living laboratories based on the Indian knowledge tradition, encompassing science, art, culture, literature, and spirituality."
He added, "Someone before me said, 'Science is incomplete without spirituality.' Ujjain, where Mahakal resides, is a unique place in our Indian tradition, with a scientific and cultural background."
Pradhan emphasised that understanding India's spiritual centres requires looking beyond the purely religious lens. "When we study these places, we realise that they are not just centres of worship but repositories of knowledge where astronomy, architecture, literature, and cultural practices flourished," he said.
