Sharmili Mallick

Keonjhar: The famous Maa Tarini Temple at Ghatagaon in Keonjhar district reopened for devotees on Monday after remaining closed for almost nine months due to Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown.

Servitors and their family members were allowed entry into the shrine first between 8 am to 9 am while the general public will be allowed to have darshan from 9 am.

[caption id="attachment_510315" align="aligncenter" width="750"] Devotees wait outside Maa Tarini Temple at Ghatagaon for their turn (Image Credit- OTV)[/caption]

Devotees would be permitted to have the darshan of Maa Tarini in two time slots, between 8 am to 12.30 pm and 4 pm to 6.30 pm every day, President of Maa Tarini Thakurani Temple Trust Board, Rajendra Patnaik had informed earlier.

[caption id="attachment_510316" align="aligncenter" width="750"] Devotees wait outside Maa Tarini Temple at Ghatagaon for their turn[/caption]

The officials said the temple was sanitised a day before allowing the devotees to offer prayer at the shrine.

The temple authorities and the district administration have made elaborate arrangements to ensure people visiting the people strictly adhere to the Covid-19 guidelines. Children below 10 years have been restricted to visit the shrine.

[caption id="attachment_510328" align="aligncenter" width="750"]tarini temple Maa Tarini Temple reopens for general darshan[/caption]

Devotees were allowed entry into the shrine from Gate No- 3 after proper sanitisation and exit from Gate No-4. People coming to conduct puja of their new vehicles were allowed entry from Gate No-5, as per the SOP issued by the temple authorities.

Use of masks is mandatory at all times, inside and outside the shrine. The authorities have put up barricades in the temple to ensure smooth darshan and proper implementation of the Covid-19 norms.

[caption id="attachment_510318" align="aligncenter" width="750"]tarini temple Full body sanitizing machine installed at the entry gate of Maa Tarini Temple[/caption]

Only 25-30 devotees at a time will be allowed and they have been asked not to offer flowers, coconuts, sweets, 'diyas' and 'dhupas' etc. Lighting of diyas have also been prohibited inside the temple.

[caption id="attachment_510322" align="aligncenter" width="750"]tarini- temple Barricades have been put up inside Maa Tarini Temple premises to ensure devotees maintain physical distancing[/caption]

The shops inside the temple premises will remain closed till further orders and distribution of ‘Arnna’ bhoga or cooked prasad has also been suspended for safety reasons. Devotees have been barred from performing the ritual of tonsuring heads of their children in the temple premises temporarily.

Adequate police officials and volunteers from several NGOs have been deployed to manage crowd and ensure safe and hassle free darshan for the devotees.

(Edited By Rashmi Ranjan Mohanty)

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