Bengaluru: A majority of the temples across the state opened their doors to devotees at 6 am today after the state endowment department gave the go-ahead.
Temples reopened after a chemical cleaning on Sunday. Special Pujas and Homas were performed in all the temples.
Meanwhile, the famed Mysuru palace, Mysuru zoo, and various safaris have also opened. The staff arrived at 8 am to start the opening process.
The Department of Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments (Muzrai) in an announcement along with a circular said, only “darshan” will be allowed at A, B and C category temples that come under it, and has banned all kinds of temple fairs and “sevas” or special pujas temporarily until further orders. There will be no distribution of ‘Theertha Prasadam’ and no Dasoha (free food).
The Department has advised those visiting temples not to touch walls, pillars, statues, chariots among other things Though the temples were holding daily pujas and rituals, they were not open to the public till now, with COVID-19-induced lockdown restrictions in place.
Today’s re-opening is the biggest push to restoring normalcy after lockdown and will be a boost to bring the economy back on track. The re-opening of places of work, worship, and leisure will be with strict adherence to guidelines and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) on social distancing norms, public safety, and health. Read the dos and don’ts at Work, Worship, and Leisure places here.