BMC Allows Sital Sasthi Festival Of Lord Lingaraj With COVID Protocol

Bhubaneswar: The divine marriage of Lord Lingaraj and Goddess Parvati will be performed inside Kedargauri Temple as part of the Sital Sasthi celebrations in Odisha capital city.

The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation has given its approval to conduct the festival as a special case on compensatory grounds. The marriage function will be held on June 15 and 16 but with limited number of servitors and no public participation.

“The Lingaraj Temple Trust, Bhubaneswar is hereby allowed to conduct the sacred marriage celebration of Lord Lingaraj Mahaprabhu and Devi Parvati from 15.06.2021 to 16.06.2021 inside the Kedargauri temple premises during the COVID- 19 lockdown period,” read an official order by the BMC.

The following protocols have to be adhered to during the conduct of Sital Sasthi:

• Maximum of 7 Sevayats will be allowed to perform the sacred marriage celebration. The Executive Officer, Lingaraj Temple Trust has to submit the names of 7 sevayats to Commissioner, BMC.
• Devotees /localities will not be allowed to the temple for worship/any other purpose whatsoever and all temple gates to remain closed to avoid gatherings of any kind.
• Tent decoration/miking /sound system/Genset /fireworks/feast are not allowed
• On June 15, the deity will be taken from Lingaraj Temple to Kedar Gauri Temple in a Biman and Palinki at 11 pm and reach by 11.45 pm.
• On June 16, the deity will return at 10.30 pm and reach Lingaraj Temple by 11.45 pm.
• Strict personal hygiene and social distancing have to be followed at all times
• The location of sacred marriage celebration should be sanitised after completion of the celebration.
• Any sevayat develops SARI’ILI symptoms, they will not be allowed to participate and the members have to immediately inform Executive Officer, Lingaraj Temple Trust/ZDC/Ward Officer for necessary action.
• No decoration of any kind is allowed in both the temples
• Any deviation from the protocols will attract revocation of the permission.
• Police security will be set up under the supervision of DCP, Bhubaneswar