Unlock 1: Ayodhya's temporary Ram Mandir reopens

After the Home Ministry granted permission to reopen religious places across the country, the temporary Ram Mandir has been opened for public. However, only five devotees are allowed to visit the premises and all the precautionary measures have been taken.

Ayodhya (Uttar Pradesh): The famous temporary Ram Mandir in Ayodhya reopened on Monday after two months of corona-induced lockdown. The deity of Lord Rama has been placed in the bullet proof makeshift temple, giving the devotees a different experience of worship.

With the new guidelines announced by the Home Ministry in context with the religious places, only five devotees are allowed to enter the temple at one go. Security guards, who are deployed at the entrance gate to ensure that people follow social distancing norms, said that as many as 100 devotees visited the temple today.

However, with the pandemic hitting the country, the plan for the construction of the temple has been delayed.

Physical offerings like prasad/distribution or sprinkling of holy water has been strictly prohibited and mandatory thermal screening provisions and only asymptomatic persons are allowed in the premises. Only local people are allowed in the temple. Markings have been done on the ground to ensure that people adhere to social distancing norms.

Read: No Friday prayers at Asafi mosque in Lucknow, declares cleric

Amid coronavirus scare, the idols of Lord Rama were shifted from tent to a temporary temple near Manas Bhawan in Ram Janmabhoomi in March. The ceremony was attended by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and other prominent saints hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a nationwide lockdown which raised serious questions over the call of social distancing.

Most of the religious places in the country have reopened across the country after Home Ministry gave permission to open all the religious places on June 8 following social distancing norms. Devotees have been asked not to touch idols, religious books and avoid common prayer mats. The guidelines also state that people should carry their own prayer mats to the religious places.

Apart from this, all the religious places shall also ensure that entrance points should have mandatory hand sanitizers and thermal screening provisions.