Covid-19: Karnataka govt to decide on opening of temples to public

Artists and Yakshagana performers connected with state’s ‘A grade temples’ are likely to get their remuneration pending since the lockdown was enforced

The Karnataka government will soon decide on opening temples in a phased manner for the public. “At first only A grade temples will open.” said Kota Srinivas Poojary, the state minister for Hindu religious organisations, according to a report by local media Prajavani on Wednesday. “I will have a series of meetings with the chief minister and the health minister in this regard” he added.

Karnataka has around 400 A-grade temples including Kukke Subramanya, Kateel Durgaparameshwari, Kollur Mookambika, Mysuru Chamundeshwari, Horanadu Annapoorneshwari and Melkote Cheluvanarayana. (File photo)

Poojary added that the state health department has also studied this matter and will come up with a decision soon. “If the inter-departmental meeting is successful, then initially after being opened certain religious activities will be allowed in the temples. Activities like darshan, worship and mass feeding will not be allowed,” Poojary said.

“There is always a risk of people crowding the temple when they are opened, but we are working out a solution for minimising the crowding of people at one place. We have to take a decision before July 5, which is when the lockdown will be eased,” Poojary was quoted as saying by the local media.

The minister also assured that the artists and Yakshagana performers connected with state’s ‘A grade temples’ will also be given their due remuneration that had been pending since the lockdown was enforced. He said that the officials of the various temples in the state, will also be directed to work in this regard. “The temple officials will be told to draw out a plan for releasing payments soon to all such functionaries of the temples,” Poojary said.

There are only 400 A-grade temples in the state, out of 40,000 temples of various levels. They include, Kukke Subramanya, Kateel Durgaparameshwari, Kollur Mookambika, Mysuru Chamundeshwari, Horanadu Annapoorneshwari and Melkote Cheluvanarayana.

Among them, Kukke Subramanya receives the highest footfall as well as revenue. This temple receives the second highest revenue among all the temples in India, after Sri Venkateswara temple at Tirupati, added the Hindu religious endowments officials.