Bhubaneswar: Amidst concerns of rise in COVID cases, the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) Monday allowed Maha Shivratri celebrations at Lingaraj Temple in state capital on March 11 with strict adherence to COVID-19 guidelines.
Ahead of the festival, the civic authority Monday held a preparatory meet with the representatives of the sevayat groups and trust bodies of the 11th century shrine to discuss the arrangements for the festival both within and outside the temple in view of the pandemic restrictions. The meeting was chaired by the BMC Commissioner Prem Chandra Chaudhary.
“It has been decided that those above 60 years and younger than 10 years will not be allowed into the temple for darshan as they have been categorised as the most vulnerable section of people. Moreover, no devotee will be allowed inside the sanctum sanctorum (Garbha Gruha) of the shrine. However, they will be allowed to see the rituals of the Lord at the Adakatha (outside the sanctum). There will be barricades to ensure social distancing as per COVID-19 norms,” Chaudhary informed.
The BMC Commissioner added that arrangements for sanitation and thermal screening will be made at the entrance of the temple. While devotees will be allowed entry from Singhdwara they will exit through Dakshinadwara and Uttaradwara of the shrine. “In case, a devotee is found down with any symptom of COVID-19, he/she will be taken for antigen test at the camps installed outside the temple,” he said.
Keeping in view of rise in the mercury, drinking water and shades will be made available for the devotees. Lighting of earthen lamps will be allowed inside and outside the temple. However, people will be allowed to sit with ‘diyas’ inside the shrine keeping in view the availability to space and adherence to COVID-19 protocols.
It is worth mentioning here that earlier state government had instructed for seven-day mandatory home isolation for people coming from 12 high-risk states by planes and trains.
It had asked all district Collectors, municipal commissioners, directors of Bhubaneswar and Jharsuguda airports and the general manager (operation) of East Coast Railways to increase surveillance and testing on people coming from Maharashtra, Kerala, Telangana, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Punjab, Delhi, Chandigarh, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.