Devotees throw caution to the wind on Ganga Dussehra

Prayagraj: The state government might have allowed temples to reopen from June 8, but the district administration got a glimpse of how difficult it would be to get the public to follow precautions in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic as most devotees who turned up on ghats on Monday for Ganga Dussehra chose to ignore safety guidelines.
On Ganga Dussehra, devotees throng banks of Ganga to take a holy dip. Various organisations also organise ‘bhandara’ (community feasts), while temples organise special puja.
Most devotees who visited the ghats on Monday were seen ignoring social distancing and only a few people, mostly senior citizens, were seen wearing masks.
Authorities said that the number of people who turned up for puja and taking a dip at ghats on Ganga Dussehra was lower than last year because of the lockdown enforced in wake of the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak.
The devotees started arriving at the ghats since early morning and most of them were seen without masks. Some of the women did cover their faces with their sari or a scarf.
Devotees were seen standing side by side while taking a dip and thereby nor maintaining distance. “Maa Ganga is there to protect us, but that does not mean that we should not take care for ourselves,”said Shesh Narayan Mishra from Shambhu barrack, who was one of the few elderly citizens spotted wearing masks.
With places of worship set to reopen next week, city temples have started making arrangements to ensure they follow all safety precautions. “We are getting circle made on the temple premises to ensure that devotees follow social distancing. We will only allow 10 devotees at a time inside the temple,” said Mahant Narendra Giri of the Bade Hanumanji temple.