BHUBANESWAR: After remaining closed for almost nine months due to Covid-19 pandemic, the Shri Lingaraj Temple here reopened on Sunday. Sevayats and their family members were allowed inside the oldest shrine of the State Capital on the first day. Kamalakanta Badu, secretary of the Badu Niyog, said that 300 sevayats and their family members had darshan of the deity on the first day by strictly adhering to all Covid-19 protocols.
The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) had earlier announced that only servitors and their family members will be allowed into the temple in the first phase from December 27 to 31. The temple will remain closed on January 1 and 2 in anticipation of big congregation in the New Year. However, all rituals will continue as usual. A day before the entry of devotees into the shrine, Fire Services personnel carried out a sanitisation drive on Saturday.
The BMC has put up temporary test camps near the temple to enable the devotees to get their Covid-19 tests before entering the shrine. The authorities have also put up barricades outside the temple to ensure smooth darshan and proper implementation of the Covid-19 guidelines.
The residents of Bhubaneswar will be allowed darshan of the Lord from January 3. The temple will be thrown open to public from January 6. However, a maximum of 500 devotees will be allowed inside the temple at any given point of time to ensure social distancing and other Covid-19 norms.Visitors will have to strictly follow the Covid-19 protocols during darshan. The BMC has made it clear only those having Covid-19 negative report will only be allowed to enter the temple.