The sanctum sanctorum of the Kalighat temple, which remained shut for a fortnight as a precaution against Covid, was opened to devotees on Thursday.
It was kept closed on January 1, the day thousands of devotees usually turn up. Over the next few days, as the Covid numbers rose, the temple authorities decided not to allow devotees inside the sanctum sanctorum from January 11.
Visitors were allowed till the temple courtyard.
“If there is a renewed rise in the infection numbers, the sanctum sanctorum will be shut to devotees again,” said a member of the Kalighat temple committee.
“As of now, devotees can visit the sanctum sanctorum through two gates — 2 and 5. Flowers and prasad are allowed but not coconuts.”
Around 40,000 devotees would visit the temple daily on an average during the pre-pandemic times.
“The number of visitors has come down sharply over the last two years,” said Bidyut Halder, one of the priests.
“The body temperature of all devotees entering the sanctum sanctorum will be scanned by a thermal gun,” said an officer of Kalighat police station.
