Delhi Temples Prepare To Welcome Devotees During Navratri Under COVID-19 Shadow

New Delhi, Oct 16: With the auspicious Navratri festival starting on Saturday, temples in Delhi have geared up to handle the rush of devotees by putting in place several measures, including installation of sanitisation tunnels and banning offerings like flowers and prasad’ to Goddess Durga, amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Kishor Chawla, chief executive officer of Katyayani Shaktipeeth temple in Chhatarpar, said the devotees will not be able to receive prasad in the temple premises.

Social distancing will be maintained in the entire temple complex, he said, adding that prasad will be given to the devotees in packets. Entry of devotees not wearing masks is strictly prohibited, Chawla asserted.

“We have installed two full body sanitisation tunnels at entry points of the temple. No devotee will be allowed to offer anything to the goddess like flowers or prasad,” he added. The famous Jhandewalan Devi Mandir authority has decided to send eight chariots equipped with the idols of the goddess to different localities across the city.

According to the plan, the chariots especially designed for the festival will be sent daily for nine days, starting from October 17, so that the devotees get an opportunity to worship the deity in their own localities and avoid crowding in the temple. Kalkaji Mandir in south Delhi will also open on Saturday with strict implementation of anti-coronavirus measures after a review meeting was held by the district and police authorities.

Taking to Twitter, AAP MLA Atishi Marlena said it was decided that the temple will be open for devotees but with social distancing norms in place. .

Disclaimer: This post has been auto-published from an agency feed without any modifications to the text and has not been reviewed by an editor