Guwahati: The Kamakhya Temple situated close to this city, closed since March due to the COVID-19 pandemic, reopened Sunday. However, temple authorities said devotees will have to follow strict COVID protocols if they want to offer pujas and visit the temple.
The ‘garbagriha’ or the sanctum sanctorum of the temple will, however, remain closed for devotees. They will be only allowed to go around to perform the ‘parikrama’ or circumambulation. During the ‘parikrama’ and they can offer their prayers outside the doors of the main temple, the Doloi of the Temple Management Committee, MC Sarma said.
There were few devotees on the first day and they had to undergo the Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) at the foot of the Nilachal Hills. It is atop the Nilachal Hills the famed Shakti temple is located. The devotes also had to sanitise their whole bodies at the sanitization chambers set up to ensure COVID-19 prevention, before entering the temple premises.
Devotees who have done their tests in the last three days can go straight up the hill after showing their reports, informed Sarma. Each devotee has been allowed only 15 minutes to remain inside the temple premises. The temple will remain open from 8.00am till sunset but the timings will change during Navaratri and Durga Puja, he added.
Sarma said that these measures have been taken following discussions with the Kamrup Metropolitan district administration. The protocols have been put in place to ensure that maximum social distancing is maintained.
The temple has remained closed for devotees since March 20 due to the outbreak of COVID-19 and subsequent lockdown. The temple authorities had decided to keep it closed even after unlock guidelines was announced due to the rising number of positive cases in this city. So far more than 48,000 cases have been reported from the Assam capital.