Berhampur: The district administration of Ganjam on Friday issued a slew of do's and don'ts for devotees during the upcoming Chaitra Mela at Tara Tarini temple, one of the most famous Shakti peeths in the country which is located around 35 kms from here.
Thousands of people from the State and outside visit the 17th-century shrine every year during this month-long weekly festival to seek blessings of the presiding Goddess of Tara Tarini.
Devotees visit the temple every Tuesday (during mid-March to mid-April according to the English calendar) braving scorching sun and climbing hundreds of steps above the hill to participate in a special ritual to tonsure their babies and offer hair to the Goddess.
This year, the district administration has announced to conduct the festival in a subdued manner under strict observance of Covid protocols. In a detailed letter mentioning the SOPs, the district authority has urged people to take caution while visiting the mela.
- Residents of the district will only be allowed to visit the shrine during the period of mela while restrictions have been enforced on people coming from other districts and States.
- People will be allowed for darshan in queue system and after undergoing thermal screening, oxymeter, and if necessary antigen test.
- Servitors of the temple will undergo Covid test before the mela every Tuesday. Devotees will not be allowed to sit and congregate at any place in the shrine.
- Distribution and partaking of food has been banned in the outer bedha of the temple.
- People who will offer hair to the Goddess must not be aged above 60 years of age, They will be allowed for the ritual only after Covid test.
- People will not be allowed to go to the shrine on foot through the valley but special buses have been arranged for the same which the tourists can avail by paying specific charges
- Devotees can use the ropeway or the stairs to reach the shrine.
- The administration has made adequate arrangements like mattresses and shed along with drinking water facilities to save people from scorching heat
- Use of plastic has been banned in and outside the shrine.