Facility For Sanitisation, no More Than 10 Devotees at a Time: Here’s How Temples in Kerala Might Reopen

The suggestions in this regard were made by the Travancore Devaswom Board to the state government.

New Delhi: As places of worship across the country gear up to open from June 8, for the first time in more than two months, the Travancore Devaswom Board, which runs nearly 1,250 temples in Kerala, has suggested to the state government that in temples across the state, except the iconic Sabarimala, maximum ten devotees be allowed at a time.

N Vasu, Travancore Devaswom Board President, told news agency ANI, “We had a discussion with CM yesterday. We suggested that devotees can be allowed subject to certain restrictions. We proposed that in temples other than Sabarimala the maximum number of devotees that can be allowed at a time is ten.”

“There should be facility for sanitisation. All devotees should wear masks. Children below ten and people above 65 years can’t be allowed. There won’t be any Annadanam, we can’t allow the usual way of giving Prasadam,” he further said.

There should be facility for sanitisation. All devotees should wear masks. Children below 10 and people above 65 years can't be allowed. There won't be any 'Annadanam', we can't allow the usual way of giving 'Prasadam': Travancore Devaswom Board President N Vasu (05.06) #Kerala https://t.co/8mMnZwKh4e

— ANI (@ANI) June 5, 2020

Notably, religious places across the country have been shut since March 25, when the first COVID-19 lockdown was effected. However, last week, the Centre announced that from June 8, in phase one of ‘Unlock’, public places like places of worship, malls, restaurants, hotels etc. can reopen with SOPs in place.

The Union Health Ministry later released SOPs with regards to reopening of places of worship.

Kerala, which recorded the country’s first three confirmed cases of coronavirus, has thus far reported 1,697 cases, with 111 being reported on Friday.