Pilgrims follow SOPs in Shimla shrines, prasad not offered

Tribune News Service

Shimla, October 17

Hundreds of devotees thronged the famous temples in Shimla and nearby areas on the first day of the Navratras today strictly following the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).

The district administration has made elaborate arrangements to facilitate pilgrims, besides to sanitise the temples four times a day. Special sanitised buses have also been arranged. Deputy Commissioner Amit Kashyap and other officers of the district administration visited the temples and appealed to the devotees to observe precautions such as maintaining social distancing and wearing masks. The devotees were only allowed “darshan” while the offering of prasad, bhajan-kirtan, mundan and langar were not permitted.

A large number of devotees standing in queues observing social distancing and wearing masks were seen at the temples though the rush was far less compared to past years.

As many as 1,350 devotees paid obeisance at the Tara Devi temple, 1,000 at the Jakoo Hanuman temple, 950 at the Kali Bari temple and 450 at the Sankat Mochan temple.

TV donated for Covid ward

The district administration provided a 42-inch television for the Covid ward of the IGMC from the Tara Devi temple fund. The Deputy Commissioner handed over the television to the Medical Officer, in-charge of central stores, Dr Saad Rijvi, on Saturday.