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Tirumala temple opens on June 8, devotees told to keep 6ft distance
Initially, the opening of Tirumala temple would only be for a trial run for a few days to test the implementation of physical distancing norms to contain spread of Covid-19.
The famous temple of Lord Venkateshwara on Tirumala hills in Andhra Pradesh’s Chittoor district will be thrown open for devotees from June 8, after a gap of over two months.
The order to this effect was issued by special chief secretary (endowments) JSV Prasad on Tuesday to Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), which manages the country’s richest temple.
However, initially, the opening of Tirumala temple would only be for a trial run for a few days to test the implementation of physical distancing norms to contain spread of Covid-19.
“During the trial run, only TTD employees and local people of Tirumala would be allowed to have darshan of the Lord. Only a limited number of people would be allowed at a time, duly maintaining a physical distance of 6 feet between persons at all times and all points,” Prasad said.
The TTD will take a call on resumption of darshan of Lord for all the other pilgrims after assessing the situation during the trial run.
The Tirumala was shut on March 19. This is for the first time in the history of the temple that it was closed for darshan for such a long period.
The endowments department is yet to take a decision on opening of other temples. However, last month, the department suggested a series of measures to be followed in all major temples in the state which had been closed since March 20, prior to the imposition of nationwide lockdown.
According to the instructions issued by the department to the temple authorities, devotees intending to have darshan of the deity should book the time slot for the same in advance. The time slot allotments would be made a day in advance and communicated to the devotees by way of text messages to their mobiles.
The devotees have to produce Aadhaar card as an ID proof at the time of coming for darshan as per the time slot allotted to them. The darshans would be provided only from 6 am to 6 pm. “On an average, not more than 250 devotees would be allowed per hour for darshan,” the circular said.
Unlike in the past, devotees cannot enter into inner circles of the temple (Antaralaya darshanams) or sanctum sanctorum (Garbhalaya darshanams) at least for the time being. They would also not be blessed with Satari (a replica of Lord’s feet to be placed on the head of devotee) or offered Teertham (Holy water) as minimum physical distance has to be maintained for the safety of Archakas (priests).
The temple authorities have also been asked to ensure adequate safety measures in the temples so as to avoid spread of virus. Every temple should plan installation of disinfectant tunnels wherever feasible so that devotees can pass through them before entering the temple.
They should also have facilities for the devotees to wash their feet and with soaps, besides sanitisers with stands at all entry points. All devotees should invariably wear face masks which should be readily available in sufficient numbers for sale in the nearby shops.
The temple authorities shall workout methods for maintaining minimum physical distance of 6 ft between two devotees at any given point of time. They shall also examine the feasibility of arranging queue lines with alternative materials like queue makers (like in airports), instead of metal railings.
In order to mobilise financial resources, the endowments department has also asked the temple authorities to increase online subscriptions for in-absentia pujas (Paroksha Seva) in their respective temples and give publicity for such worship.
