VELLORE: Public worship will be allowed at five temples maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) in Vellore and Tiruvannamalai districts from Tuesday following the relaxations announced by the State government. Among these temples, four are located in Vellore district. They are Jalagandeswarar temple located in the premises of Vellore Fort, Somanatheshwarar temple and Choleeswarar temple, both in Melpadi, and Vallimalai Subramaniyar temple. Besides, the Jain Temple at Thirumalai in Tiruvannamalai will also be opened for public worship.
However, restrictions will be in force to avoid large gatherings. “There will be restrictions on the timings and number of devotees allowed on a single day,” said an ASI official. The five temples come under the protected monument category. The Jalagandeswarar temple located inside Vellore Fort is a major crowd puller. During auspicious days and festivals, devotees throng the temple while visitors to the Fort too step into it.
Parks to remain closed
Officials said that only access to the Jalagandeswarar temple will be allowed but the museum and other tourist spots including the sprawling part will be off limits to visitors. Only after getting clearance from the district administration, a decision will be taken on opening the Fort park for public, they added. Another big park in the city, the Periyar park, will also remain closed for a few days as a precautionary measure.
Early registration
The HR and CE Department clarified that from Monday devotees must either register in websites of temples or obtain a token at the temple entrance while visiting. The system is to limit the number of persons at a given time