Andhra Prades

Ahobilam temple closed as archaka tests positive

All daily rituals will be held inside closed doors, temple officials said.   | Photo Credit: U. SUBRAMANYAM

The Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Devasthanam temple at Ahobilam in Allagadda mandal has been closed for devotees till June 30 after one of the archakas tested positive for COVID-19, Executive Officer Ganji Mallikarjuna said.

The ekantha seva, aradhana and other daily rituals will be continued inside the main temple complex, but devotees will not be allowed to have darshan, he said.

The temple was closed on Monday following orders from the Endowments Commissioner, and all the 119 temple staff members have been tested for COVID-19 along with 59 of the family members of the archakas and the neighbours of the person who tested positive for the virus.

The entire temple premises was being sanitised by regularly spraying sodium hypochlorite, which will help disinfect places that are regularly touched by the archakas and devotees.

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