'Sawan Somwar' 2020: Priest in Prayagraj wipes 'Shivalingas' with sanitizers amid COVID-19
Devotees of Lord Shiva look forward to the first day of Sawan as it is considered to be one of the most auspicious days in the Hindu calendar. For years, temples across India have been seeing lakhs of devotees on ‘Sawan Somwar' but this year due to the deadly COVID-19 pandemic, there were fewer people. Sanitizers, masks and social distancing were observed in some temples on a day when India's COVID-19 tally crossed seven lakhs.
Many temple authorities have taken steps to follow COVID-19 guidelines. A priest was seen wiping 'Shivalingas' with sanitizer at a temple in Prayagraj. At a Shiva temple in Panchkula, demarcations on the ground were seen so that devotees maintain social distance and at another temple in Delhi, temperatures of devotees were checked before they were allowed inside for puja.
Many people who visited temples were also seen with face covers and masks. At a temple in Jharkhand, where the COVID-19 lockdown has been extended till July 31, people offered prayers from the gates of the temple.
The Kanwar Yatra that starts in the beginning of Sawan has not been allowed this year. "People are coming to visit places of worship in the month of Sawan. However, a ban has been placed on the Kanwar Yatris traveling from outside. A Rapid Action Force has been deployed to oversee the security arrangements. Also, other measures have also been taken in view of COVID-19 pandemic," Vikash Chandra Tripathi, senior police officer in Varanasi, told news agency ANI.
"Chief Ministers of Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan, Punjab, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand have agreed that traditional Kanwar Yatra is not possible this year. So we have decided to send water from the Ganga, in large brass urns, to these states," Madan Kaushik, senior officer in Uttarakhand government told news agency PTI.
‘Sawan Somwar' will be observed by devotees of Lord Shiva on every Monday during the whole month.
(With inputs from ANI & PTI)