Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Jun 9: Most of the temples in the twin-districts of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi opened up to receive devotees after remaining locked down for over two months on Monday June 8. The temples had made arrangements to follow the government guidelines which were issued in the light of prevalence of coronavirus pandemic, but they did not witness rush of devotees as expected.

Visitors were seen in sufficient numbers at Lord Manjunatheshwara Swamy temple at Dharmasthala and Kukke Subrahmanya temple. When Kadri Lord Manjunatheshwara temple in the city was opened on Monday morning, district in-charge and muzrai minister Kota Srinivas Poojary was present. Sharavu Lord Mahaganapathi temple will open its doors for the devotees after giving prior information later. Goddess Mangaladevi temple, Polali Rajarajeshwari temple, Kudroli Lord Gokarnatha temple and Udupi Lord Anantha Padmanabha temple were among the temples which were fully geared up to receive the visitors.

Kadri temple (file photo)

Leading temples in Udupi district too recorded thin attendance of devotees. Kadiyali Goddess Mahishamardini temple, Lord Anantheshwara temple in Sri Krishna Math complex, Ambalpady Lord Janardana Mahakali temple, and Kodavoor Shankaranarayana temple also saw feeble attendance of devotees. Al these temples had made arrangements for social distancing, sanitisers, thermal gun screening etc. Wearing of masks was made mandatory and holy water was not dispensed. Priests performed puja procedures as usual in all the temples. Devotees quickly exited the temples after paying obeisance as provisions to offer other services were absent.

Kollur Goddess Mookambika temple opened its doors for the public after 77 days but there was thin attendance. Temple staff performed Chandika Homa on Monday seeking the divine blessings of the presiding deity of the temple to drive away coronavirus from the world. Later, medicinal plants were planted near Adiguru Sri Shankaracharya Peeta and prayers were offered to eradicate coronavirus infection.

Doors of Kollur temple are opened at 5 am after which the devotees can have Darshan of the goddess from 5.30 to 7.30 am, 10.30 to 1.30 pm and 3 to 8 pm. The temple did not serve lunch and dinner to devotees like earlier. Executive officer of the temple, Aravind Sutagundi, said that people aged over 60 and below ten and those without masks were not allowed to enter the temple.

Kasargod

Madhur Sri Madanantheshwara Siddivinayaka temple purification exercise was undertaken on Monday and the temple will be open for devotees from Tuesday. However, holy water, Prasadam, and lunch will not be provided.

In Subrahmanya temple, it is said that instead of three-time puja in the morning, afternoon and night, only two-time puja in the morning and night are being performed. After the temple devotees’ welfare forum representatives approached the officials managing the temple, it was decided, after holding discussions with the chief priest, to perform puja three times a day as before.