Doors of prominent temples in Ponda reopen for devotees, tourists

NT NETWORK

Ponda

With improving COVID-19 pandemic situation in the state, prominent temples from Ponda reopened its doors for the devotees as well as tourists with eased out standard operating procedures (SOPs) still in force as precautionary measures.

These temples include Shree Manguesh devasthan at Mangueshi, Shree Mahalasa temple at Mardol, and Shree Kamakshi temple at Shiroda, which were closed for tourists for a long time.

All the above-mentioned temples are prominent tourist hotspots in Ponda, which used to witness thousands of tourists a day in pre-pandemic times. But after pandemic, temples were shut completely in March 2020 and later reopened only for ‘mukh darshan’ in July that year. But after the second wave in 2021, temples were shut again in April. Since then temples were shut for the devotees, especially tourists, considering the risk of spread of COVID-19. However, with the improving situation, temple committees have decided to reopen the temples for people at large without many restrictions.

According to Mangesh devasthan committee member Sudin Ambe, the committee has decided to keep the temple open from morning 8 to evening 7 which was earlier restricted to a few hours only. Offerings, especially flowers, in the temple have been permitted paving the way to the flower vendors and others to do business outside the temple. But darshan of the deity is still restricted to ‘mukh darshan’ only.  Secondly, restrictions like social distancing, wearing of the mask, using sanitisers and others are still followed in the temple premises, Ambe
informed.

Officials of Shree Kamakshi devasthan at Shiroda informed that the temple has been opened properly for the devotees since week, allowing people proper darshan of the deity. The temple will host a proper ‘amavasya’ on October 6 allowing people to participate.  Though the temple had reopened for a restricted time after the pandemic, people were not allowed to enter the temple premises on the amavasya which is a major event that the temple hosts every month. But as the COVID situation is improving, the temple will host the upcoming amavasya properly, officials said, while speaking to this daily. Only the ‘mahaprasad’ will not be distributed to the devotees, the officials added. It was also stated that other SoPs related to COVID-19 issued by the government will be followed by the temple committee during the functioning of the temple.

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