LUCKNOW: Religious places opened in parts of Uttar Pradesh on Monday as the
state government eased curbs in the current phase of the
coronavirus lockdown. However, very few devotees turned up to offer prayers with the
authorities restricting the number of people paying obeisance to five at a time at a place of worship.
Malls too opened in the state. In the Lucknow's Gomtinagar area, a prominent mall opened. However, the footfall was rather thin. Thermal screening of every visitor was done and their details noted by the mall authorities.
In the state capital, the famous Hanuman Setu temple opened to devotees early on Monday morning, where thermal screening was done.
The temple's
chief priest Bhagwan Singh Bisht told that devotees were not allowed to come near the idol of the presiding deity.
"They were allowed to have a glimpse of the deity from the temple gate on University Road. On the first day, relatively less number of devotees turned up," he said.
At the Lucknow's Eidgah, Imam Khalid Rashid Firangi Mahali offered namaz (prayers) while wearing a mask.
He told reporters that a handful of people offered namaz and they prayed for the elimination of coronavirus.
Father Donald De Souza, Chancellor of the Catholic Diocese of Lucknow, said, "After more than 70 days of closure, our churches were finally opened. We had the holy mass at 6.30 am in the lower chapel in which a few people participated and received the holy communion.The Sunday holy mass, however, will continue online in the month of June."
Rajinder Bagga, chairman of
the Lucknow Gurudwara Parbandhak Committee, said each and every guideline issued by the Centre and the UP government was followed.
"On Monday, relatively less people turned up," Bagga said.
Similar reports of the opening of religious places came from other districts of the state.
The Ram Janmabhoomi temple in Uttar Pradesh's Ayodhya opened to devotees after a gap of over two months with precautions in place to prevent the
coronavirus spread.
According to Acharya Satyendra Das, chief priest of the temple, only five people will be allowed to pay obeisance at a time and that too 15 metres away from the idol of Ram Lalla.
"No prasad will be allowed as earlier and devotees will have to follow the coronavirus protocol," he said.
In Allahabad, the Bade Hanuman temple located near the Sangam-a confluence of the rivers Ganga, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati--also opened around 5 am.
Mahant Narendra Giri told reporters that priests wore masks while hygiene was ensured before the devotees entered the temple area.