Belur Math, the global headquarters of the Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission, will be open for a day on July 24 on the occasion of Guru Purnima, the Math authorities have decided.

Belur Math has remained shut to visitors since April 22 following a surge in Covid-19 cases. The authorities are yet to decide on its re-opening.

At a recent meeting of the governing council, senior monks at the headquarters decided that visitors and devotees would be allowed inside the Math compound only for a day on Guru Purnima.

It has been decided that the Math would remain open between 7.30am and 11am and from 4pm to 5.30pm.

“Devotees and visitors will be able to visit only the temples and offer pranam,” said a senior monk of the order. “We hope that devotees and visitors would not loiter around unnecessarily on the Math compound that day.”

Traditionally on Guru Purnima, devotees meet senior monks at Belur Math. But this time, the authorities have decided there will be no darshan of Swami Smaranananda, the president of the order, or the vice-presidents.

Their blessings to the devotees will be premiered through pre-recorded video messages through the website and YouTube channel of Belur Math.

Mayer Bari

Mayer Bari in Bagbazar will be thrown open to devotees and visitors from July 16, the authorities have decided.

Devotees can visit between 8.30am and 10.45am in the morning and between 4pm and 5.45pm in the evening. The visitors will have to abide by the Covid-19 protocols.