Patna: With thin attendance and lockdown restrictions, temples and mosques re-opened in Bihar after 80 days on Monday. The historic Mahabir Mandir near Patna junction was reopened at 6 am after the curfew hour was over.
On the first day, over 2500 devotees attended the temple ceremonies against approximately 25,000 daily on normal days. The Naivaidyam prasad of the temple had also poor sale of 500 kg against around 5,000 kg on normal days.
The temple administration and police had removed the beggars from outside the temple as a precautionary measure.
Temple trust secretary, Kishore Kunal said the devotees had to pass through a three-tier system. They were sanitised at the main entrance, later passed through a thermal screening and finally they devotees had to wash their hands and feet before their entry into the main temple.
No flowers, garlands were allowed and devotees were not allowed to touch the bells either. Prayers were allowed, but no mat was arranged as a health measure. Those who came without masks were given free masks too.
From Tuesday, devotees who had made e-registration on the temple site would be allowed entry based on alphabetical orders till 6 pm.
At Harimandir Saheb, the birthplace of tenth Sikh Guru, Govind Singh, devotees started worshipping the Guru Granth by maintaining social distance. Two ancient temples of Sheetla Mata and Badi Patandevi also re-opened with restricted entries of devotees.
The Jama Masjid close to Patna Junction too reopened on Monday, but the devotees were asked not to pray in groups. Here too, mosque management disallowed mats for the prayers.
The Mahabodhi temple of Bodh Gaya, however, would be reopened after June 10. N Dorjee, secretary of the Mahabodhi temple trust said devotees would not be allowed to have mediation in the temple premises and at a time only ten pilgrims would be permitted inside the temple
