Sabarimala temple opens; RT-PCR report or vaccine certificate must
Sabarimala temple has reopened for five days from July 17 to July 21, officials said, adding that pilgrims wishing to visit will be allowed to enter the shrine only if they show a Covid-19 vaccination certificate of both doses or a negative RT-PCR report issued within 48 hours.
The Sabarimala temple in Kerala, forced shut due to the rising cases of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) cases, on Saturday reopened its doors for pilgrims for its monthly rituals. The temple has reopened for five days from July 17 to July 21, officials said, adding that pilgrims wishing to visit the Sabarimala temple will be allowed to enter the shrine only if they show a Covid-19 vaccination certificate of both doses or a negative RT-PCR report issued within 48 hours.
An upper limit has been fixed on the number of devotees allowed to enter the Sabarimala temple through the online booking system each day. Only 5,000 people will be allowed to enter the Sabarimala temple, officials said.
The Kerala government officials have stressed people must follow Covid-19 safety norms as the hill shrine opens its doors to devotees. Officials have been instructed to ask people to wear masks and maintain social distancing as the temple is set to see devotees flocking to worship Lord Ayyappa.
The famed Lord Ayyappa shrine in Sabarimala and several other major temples remained shut for devotees in May this year in the view of the lockdown to bring the surge in Covid-19 cases under control. In an order issued by the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB), the top body in the southern state which manages over 1,200 temples, shrines under its management were not allowed to permit devotees in its premises for darshan during the lockdown period.
However, daily rituals would be conducted without any fail, TDB authorities said.
Even though the Sabarimala temple opened for the monthly rituals in May for five days, it did not permit devotees for darshan at the hill shrine as the cases surged.
The southern state has been battered by the deadly viral disease outbreak. Kerala on Friday recorded 13,750 new Covid-19 cases and 130 deaths on Friday, taking the infection count to 31,30,833 and the death toll to 15,155.
The test positivity rate stood at 10.55 per cent, Kerala health minister Veena George said. The state government has also decided to ease the lockdown curbs on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday in view of Bakrid which falls on July 21.
During this period, on July 18, 19 and 20, fewer restrictions will be in place allowing shops, including textile, footwear, electronic, fancy and jewellery, to remain open till 8pm and this is applicable to A, B and C category local self-government bodies.