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Navratri fest to be low key in Ayodhya
The Vishwa Hindu Parishad has already cancelled the 84-Kosi Parikrama which was scheduled to start from April 27.
Lucknow: Given the surge in Covid-19, the nine-day Navratri festival ( April 13 to 21) is likely to be a low key affair in Ayodhya this year.
The Vishwa Hindu Parishad has already cancelled the 84-Kosi Parikrama which was scheduled to start from April 27.
A large number of saints and devotees from all over the country take part in this annual event.
The parikrama is taken out by the VHP every year under the banner of Hanuman Mandal, Ayodhya, after Chaitra Navratri.
The Mela scheduled on April 21, when the Navratri ends, is a major event in Ayodhya in which several lakh people from adjoining areas participate. However, this time the Ayodhya administration is yet to issue any official order in this regard.
“In the larger interest of locals and in view of the pandemic the Navratri Mela this year might be scaled down. The administration is yet to make a final announcement in this regard,” said Sharad Sharma, regional spokesperson, VHP, who operates from Karsevakpuram, Ayodhya.
The state government has already issued a guideline for Navratri and Ramzan, restricting entry of five people at a time at a religious place.
“We will all follow the guidelines issued by the state government for Navratri. These instructions are in the larger interest of the devotees and everyone must abide by them,” said Sunil Pathak, head priest of Badi Devkali Mandir.
Last year in Navratri (March 25 to April 2), the temple was closed due to the nationwide lockdown imposed to fight Covid -19 and devotees could not worship the deity.
