VIJAYAWADA: Producing Aadhaar card will be made mandatory for darshan at all the major temples
in the State whenever they will start allow devotees for having darshan after relaxations of lockdown norms.
Antaralaya darshan and Garbhalaya darshan (entry into sanctum) will not be allowed for some time and even the sacred 'satari' would not be used and 'teertham' will not be given for some days.
Major temples like Tirumala, Srisailam, Sri Durga Malleswara Swamy temple at Vijayawada and all big and small temples in the State are closed since lockdown to contain spread of coronavirus. Anticipating more relaxations to the lockdown in the future, the Endowments Department has issued certain guidelines to be followed by temple authorities when darshans will recommence in future.
The state endownments department is likely to introduce time slot darshan between 6 am to 6 pm only when the temples re-open.
A devotee intended to have darshan at a major temple shall send request for allotment of darshan time slot through a SMS to designated phone number with the details such as name and Aadhaar number and the preferred time slot. The devotee shall produce Aadhaar card at the time of darshan for identity proof.
In a memo issued to the Executive Officers of major temples, the Commissioner, Endowments Department detailed the steps to be taken for maintenance of financial resources of temples in optimum manner and also the safety measures to be taken to contain spread of coronavirus when darshans restart in temples in the coming days.
As per instructions, the temples shall provide time slot darshans and should not allow more that 250 devotees per hour for darshan. "Every evening, time slot allotment can be made for the next day and can be communicated to the persons who have sent request by way of SMS to their mobiles. Even after restarting of darshanams to devotees, Anataralayan and Garbhalaya darshanams can be avoided for
the time being,'' the circular said.
Giving of 'satari' and `teerthan' (holy water given in temples) may be avoided for time being as minimum physical distance is to be maintained for safety of 'archakas' (temple priests). "Satari and teertham can be arranged as usual after the situation becomes normal,'' the circular to the EOs said.
As part of the physical safety measures, the Commissioner said that disinfectant tiunnels shall be installed wherever feasible and facility shall be provided for the devotees to wash their feet, taps for hand wash with soap, sanitisers with stands (foot operated) at all entry points in a suitable manner.
The EOs should ensure that the pump and nozzles at the disinfectant tunnels are of good quality and the nozzles are fixed on both sides of tunnel so that the solution is sprayed from shoulders and below only without wetting the eyes and head.
The chemical to be used in the disinfetant tunnels shall seek the advise of the medical and health authorities about the best solution to be used in the tunnel to avoid side effects. "The EOs shall workout the methods for maintaining minimum physical distance of six ft. Similarly, the authorities should make arrangements for frequent spraying of Sodium Hypochloride in and around the temple premises and continuous cleaning of railings of the queue lines,'' the circular said.
It also advised officials to examine the feasibility of arranging queue lines with alternative material like Q-makers (like in airports) instead of metal railings to reduce the possibility of hand touch in the queue lines.
To mobilise financial resources, the endowment department has also asked the EOs to increase online subsciptions for 'Paroksha sevas' in their respective temples and give publicity for such sevas.