With Baisakhi and Navratri festivals set to be celebrated on Tuesday, gurdwaras and temples are taking extra precautions to handle large crowds.
To enter Mansa Devi Temple in Panchkula, devotees will have to apply for tokens on the temple’s website https://mansadevi.org.in. Police will set up 15 checkpoints around the temple and some cops will be deployed in plain clothes to ensure Covid protocol compliance. Those flouting the norms will be fined. A police control room has also been set up for the Mansa Devi Mela.
A Covid vaccination camp will also be organised here while no langar or sandhya would take place. The temple dharamshala will also stay closed.
Online darshan facility
Mansa Devi Shrine Board will also provide online darshan facility for the devotees on the social media. Up to 180 people would be allowed to pay obeisance at the Panchkula temple every 15 minutes, while the limit will be 120 per 15 minutes at Kali Mata Mandir in Kalka. For preferential darshan through the lift entrance at the Panchkula temple, devoteed would be charged ₹50 each, and in one hour, up to 100 would be allowed the same. Registrations will have to be done in advance on the temple website.
50% occupancy limit in Chandigarh temples
In Chandigarh, temple bodies will take similar measures to manage the devotee rush. President of Maa Kali Temple in Sector 30, Rakesh Pal Modgil said, “This time, we will only give fruits as prasad. We will ask patrons not to distribute any items like halwa in the temple premises. Prayer will be held out as per tradition, but there will be a 50% occupancy limit inside the temple complex.”
{{/usCountry}}In Chandigarh, temple bodies will take similar measures to manage the devotee rush. President of Maa Kali Temple in Sector 30, Rakesh Pal Modgil said, “This time, we will only give fruits as prasad. We will ask patrons not to distribute any items like halwa in the temple premises. Prayer will be held out as per tradition, but there will be a 50% occupancy limit inside the temple complex.”
{{/usCountry}}President of Sector 40 temple and chief of Hindu Parv Mahasabha in the city, BP Arora said, “We urge all to follow Covid protocol strictly. Devotees without masks will not be allowed to enter temples.”
All gurdwaras to serve langar
During Baisakhi celebrations, gurdwaras will also remain under strict vigil for Covid protocol compliance. However, langar will be served at all gurdwaras. Tara Singh, president, Chandigarh Samuh Gurdwara Prabandhak Sangathan, said, “We have asked langar halls to operate at 50% capacity as it is unlikely to become a problem. The footfall has already dropped drastically due to the rising number of Covid cases and we are not expecting a large turnout on Tuesday.”
Sector 20 gurdwara president Gurinder Bir Singh said, “While preparing langar, it will be ensured that the sevaks wear masks and sanitise their hands frequently. Members of the gurdwara committee will remain present during the celebrations to see that order is maintained.”