PATNA: Patna's famous Mahavir Temple has made online darshan facilities available to devotees in order to keep them away from the temple amidst the coronavirus scare.
The temple has made an appeal to devotees to avoid coming to the temple but darshan and doorstep offering of prasad without any extra charge will continue through online booking.
Talking to reporters on Friday, Kishore Kunal, secretary of Patna Mahavir Temple Trust Committee, said that the temple will remain open, but the devotees are requested not to come to the temple.
"Online booking of prasad will start from Saturday. To prevent coronavirus infections at the temple, the sale of flowers is currently banned. It has been said that as long as the virus outbreak is on, the bell will not ring in the temple. All bells have been covered with clothes to prevent touching by devotees," he said.
He said that those who make online bookings for offering the prasad by 4 pm will get the packet of prasad on the same day. "At present, this arrangement has been made for Patna. If devotees living outside Patna want to take advantage of this facility, then this prasad will be sent to them through courier," he said.
The rituals to be held in the temple are also currently banned. "Those who might need pundits for religious rituals or worship will have them sent to their house on behalf of the temple," he said.
He said that around fifty to sixty thousand people come to visit the temple every Tuesday. On being asked how the devotees will have darshan of Lord Hanuman on Ramanavami, he said that it will be decided later after consulting the administration.
Seven to eight lakh devotees usually throng the Mahavir temple on the occasion of Ramnavami.