Bhubaneswar: After remaining closed for around 10 months due to the COVID-19 pandemic, several major temples across Odisha reopened on Sunday.
As many as seven temples including the famous Kapilash temple reopened in Dhenkanal district.
The COVID-19 test has been done for all servitors before opening of the temple, the district administration said.
It further informed that only servitors and their family members will be allowed in for darshan at the Kapilash temple on Sunday.
While residents of Dhenkanal district will get darshan from Monday (January 4), the shrine will be open to devotees from other districts from January 14.
Similarly, the Maa Samaleswari shrine in Sambalpur district also reopened on Sunday. In view of the pandemic, only residents of Sambalpur will be allowed in for darshan on the first five days of reopening.
The devotees will enter the temple through gate number 3 as the main door of the temple is closed.
Baladevjew temple in Kendrapada district also reopened on Sunday with strict adherence to COVID-19 norms like wearing masks and maintaining social distance for the devotees.
Likewise, the Maa Bhadrakali temple in Bhadrak district was reopened for devotees after a gap of 10 months on Sunday in accordance with COVID-19 guidelines.
The Akhandalamani Mahadev temple at Aradi village near Bhadrak was also reopened for public. Wearing of masks is mandatory for devotees entering the shrine, sources said.
