The Kali temple in Dakshineswar will reopen on June 13, the shrine authorities said on Wednesday.
A series of safety measures, including reduced hours, have been announced to ensure devotees do not contract the novel coronavirus on the temple premises.
The temple has been shut to devotees for over two months because of the lockdown.
“We are happy to reopen the shrine,” said Kushal Chowdhury, the secretary of the Dakshineswar Kali Temple and Debottar Estate. “We will not allow any violation of social distancing norms.”
Sanitisation booths on the temple premises. Picture by Pradip Sanyal
The safety norms announced by the temple management:
- No one will be allowed to enter the temple with flowers, sindoor and tilak
- The temple will remain open for devotees from 7am to 10am and again from 3.30pm to 6.30pm. Earlier, the temple would be open from 6.30am till noon and from 3.30pm till 9pm
- The main entrance to the temple — Singha Duar — will be closed by 10.20am and again by 6.50pm
- The opening and closing of the skywalk of the temple will be in line with the above timings
- Only 10 persons will be allowed inside the main temple
- No visitor will be allowed inside the room of Sri Ramakrishna and 12 other small temples in the compound
- Marks have been drawn for devotees to stand in queue. All visitors will have to undergo thermal screening for body temperature and walk through a sanitisation channel before entering the compound
- The temple authorities have tied up with AMRI Hospitals to provide medical care to any visitor taking ill
- Visitors will not be allowed in Panchabati and the adjoining garden areas, including the embankment
- Stalls selling puja items at the Dala Arcade will open following the odd-even rule. Restaurants will only be allowed to sell takeaways