Thiruvananthapuram, Jun 9: Malls, restaurants and places of worship opened in Kerala on Tuesday morning after over two-and half months of Coronavirus induced lockdown. There were very few visitors in the malls and restaurants in the early hours and people preferred takeaways in eateries.
Various temples, including the famous Lord Krishna temple at Guruvayoor, a few churches and mosques opened in the state for the devotees. The Guruvayur shrine opened at 9.30 am and around 150 people, who had booked through virtual queue system, offered prayers.
Devotees wearing masks were seen standing adhering to the social distance norm. A faithful at the guruvayur temple said he had booked for darshan on Sunday and was happy to be offering worship after a long gap. "This is a realisation of a dream", he said.
In the state capital while the famed Lord Padmanabha swamy, Pazhavanangadi Ganapathy and Attukal Bhagavathy temples remained shut, the SreekanteshwaraShiva shrine and Lord Hanuman temple near the state assembly were among those which opened for darshan. The names, age and other details of the worshippers are also being collected by the temple authorities before letting people in. Another devotee said it was very painful not to go to the temple and expressed happiness over reopening of the shrines.
The virtual queue booking for devotees to offer worship at the hill shrine of Lord Ayyappa temple at Sabarimala would commence from Wednesday. Devotees from other states have to produce a Covid-19 negative certificate while booking,sources in the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB), administers the temple, said.
The Ayyappa shrine would open from June 14 to 28 for the five day monthly pooja and temple festival and only 10 people would be allowed inside the shrine at a time, sources said.
Most of the over 1,200 temples under the TDB, have opened while those under the Nair Service Society (NSS), an organisation of the Nair community and few other shrines were shut. The state government, which had come under attack from the BJP and Hindu Aikya vedi for opening the temples in a "hasty manner" has maintained that the decision was taken in line with the Centre's Unlock-1 guidelines and said those opposing the move had earlier wanted devotees to be allowed into the shrines.
As per the centre's Standard Operating Procedures, social distancing should be followed in all the places of worship and devotees should wear face mask are among other precautions in view of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Those above 65 and children below 10 years would not be allowed in places of worship, distribution of food, refreshments and offertory blessings (prasadams), sandalwood paste or ashes should be avoided. Thermal scanners to check body temperatures, sanitiisers, arrangements for washing hands, were all provided in the temples and other places of worship which opened this morning, In churches in the state capital, Kochi and Kozhikode, allowedthe faithful inside after disinfecting the place.
The orthodox church synod is being held on Tuesday which will take a decision on whether or not to open their places of worship. Few mosques were also open in some places.
Comments
KAR-NATAKA...
:(
Most of the picture shows they are laughing also the police.. Which raises question of understanding!
Der was a statement frm our Dept regarding d stiff action. Is dis called stiff action?
Stiff action wud b a reality if scenario was different, if muslims was protest without permission.
Double standard
why laathi is not working here ??
Enough drama...Dirty politics...
Wah eth maryadeyna janaklu.. and oh my deware what a huge huge dozens of crowds.. oh my deware i cant even count how many they are :D
You foolish guys, Tippu did not destroy temples but in fact he built them and renovated them all....
In fact you destroyed babri masjid a few years back....how bad you guys are....moreover killing innocent muslims at that time and as well during modi's regime in Gujrath...bad people....
Tippu Zindabad!
How they laugh each other like children are playing. this is nothing else they know each other very well because both are chaddis.
In delhi how they drag Najeeb's mother .
well done BJP protest till end.
Kateel is a elected Member of Parliament. He should keep it in mind that all community from his constituency voted for his current position.
Every indian can protest. Then why Mr. Kateel is not participating in Muslim or Christian community protest?? Amazing
discrimination.
Wa/ Wa Master Kateel you Criminal looters thought to do some Loot Pat because of the Great Warriors Name!!!!!! Bap Ray Bap Which Part of the world you are in??? when you Criminal Looters thinking what?? we all understand you are all workless and how long you can leave this type of Life???? what you think being MP??
Never ever see like you Buffoon!!!
\Every Dog has its own day Kateelanna\"
Jai Hoo Siddanna,
Jai Hoo Parmarashwaranna."
let them do jayanthi or kabur whats the problem for u guys. please leave the place and queue up in the bank to exchange the notes.
Most of pics.. laughing each other. Protesters & Police.
conspiracy between Protesters and Police \YOU PRETEND LIKE BEATEN UP AND I PRETEND LIKE BEATING UP\""
Why police released all of this Gundas. Police should have done lati charge and put all of them behind bar under gunda act. Instead of carrying them like babies police could have beaten them with lati. Because of these anti national elements ad terrorists our india is in danger. Please punish them all including our useless MP.
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