Bhubaneswar: The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Friday issued a set of guidelines to be followed by priests and sevayats of the Lingaraj temple in the city and devotees during ‘Shivratri’ festival.
The BMC, in an official order, stated that as per the direction of the Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) authorising the municipal commissioners to decide the entry of devotees into religious institutions, it has made an assessment of the current COVID scenario.
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Following the assessment, the BMC has set the following guidelines to be followed during the celebration of ‘Shivratri’ festival at Lingaraj temple on March 1:
- The sevayats of the temple who will perform their religious rites on the day by following the COVID appropriate behaviour like wearing face masks, maintaining social distancing and hand hygiene.
- Devotees will be allowed for darshan of Lord Lingaraj from Singhadwar to Aadakatha
- There will be no puja during darshan of the deity by the devotees near Aadakatha
- Sahan Mela darshan and Garvagruha darshan are not allowed on Maha Sivaratri Day
- The devotees will have to maintain social distance at all times during the festival. The temple authority will ensure entry of the number of devotees to the temple so that social distancing of 6 feet is maintained at all time. It is mandatory for all devotees to wear masks.
- Provision of hand washing/hand sanitizer for the devotees must be ensured by the temple authority.
- Spitting inside and outside the premises and chewing pan or ghutka is strictly prohibited.
- The person with SARI/ILI like symptoms will not be allowed inside the temple. Other vulnerable groups such as persons with comorbidities, old persons, pregnant women and children below 12 years should avoid the event.
- Any kind of mela or congregation of temporary vendors which will cause gathering is strictly prohibited outside the temple premises.
The BMC stated that all its guidelines will have to be followed scrupulously by all concerned without any deviation.
