Shirdi Sai Baba Temple To Remain Closed At Night; No Early Morning & Night Aartis For Devotees

Shirdi: Sai Baba Temple here will remain closed for devotees during the night hours due to the 9 pm-6 am night curfew in Maharashtra, authorities of Shri Sai Baba Sansthan, Shirdi announced on Sunday.

The regular early morning and night ‘aartis’ will also be closed for devotees, it further announced.

The Maharashtra government on Friday issued new COVID-19 guidelines in view of the surge in Omicron variant cases.

In its recent order, the state government said that gatherings of more than five persons in public places across Maharashtra will be prohibited from 9 pm to 6 am.

The number of attendees in closed spaces cannot exceed 50% of the total capacity where seats are fixed and immovable at functions other than social, political or religious ones. The number of attendees cannot exceed 25% of the capacity where seats are not fixed. At sports events, the number of people cannot exceed 25% of the venue’s capacity.

Gyms, spas, hotels, theatres and cinema halls can operate at a maximum of 50% capacity. The new guidelines, issued ahead of Christmas, will come into force from midnight on Sunday.