DEHRADUN: The Uttarakhand government has started online booking of ‘prasad’ (holy offerings) of the Kedarnath shrine in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Devotees can log onto www.onlineprasad.com to get the prasad delivered at his home for Rs 451. The service was launched in the website on Monday.
“The initiative is aimed at providing blessings of Lord Kedarnath to the pilgrims who cannot visit the shrine. The prasad can be booked by devotees across the world, “ said Bharat Singh Chaudhary, an independant MLA from Rudraprayag.
District officials said that the initiative will also help local communities, especially women who are involved in making special ‘prasad’ for the shrine and other religious centers in the state.
The offerings from the temple will include ladoos made of chaulai (a local herb), a Rudraksh, a leaflet from Bilva tree which is offered to Lord Shiva, hawan samagri, a coin, holy ashes and a card of the shrine.
“Devotees have to just visit the shrine and enter their name, address, email and phone number and pay online to get the delivery at their homes,” said Vandana Singh, district magistrate of Rudraprayag district.
The state's COVID-19 tally rose to 4,849 on Tuesday with 210 more people testing positive, according to a state health department bulletin.
Dehradun district reported a maximum of 65 new COVID-19 cases, followed by Haridwar (52), Udham Singh Nagar (34), Tehri (21), Uttarkashi (16), Nainital (15), Almora (5) and Champawat (2), the bulletin said.
A total of 3,297 people have recovered from the infection and 38 have migrated out of the state.
Uttarakhand has seen 55 deaths linked to the coronavirus so far, it said.
The number of active COVID-19 cases in the state stands at 1,459.
(With PTI Inputs)