With relaxations in lockdown restrictions, temples in Uttar Pradesh are preparing to reopen on June 8.
Earlier, the Uttar Pradesh Government had said that all religious places and places of worship for public, hotels, restaurants, and other hospitality services, and shopping malls will be permitted to open from June 8.
Pawan Sharma, a priest at Chamunda Mandir in Moradabad, said, "According to the guidelines given by the government, the temples will be reopening from June 8. The devotees won't be allowed to touch the idols and they will not be get any prasad."
Mahant Anoop from Mata Vaibhav Lakshmi temple, Kanpur, said, "As per the guidelines, the temple administration has made preparations for the temple to reopen from June 8. The management has made arrangements for thermal screening and station, and offerings have been prohibited at the temple."
Dwarika Tiwari, Secretary of Gorakhnath temple in Gorakhpur, said, "The temples will open with some restrictions, and devotees have accepted that. The devotees were constantly calling and asking us to reopen the temple, so they welcome the government's decision of reopening the temple from June 8."
Pramod Rao, a devotee said, "Given the situation, we will not get prasad, but we are happy that the government has ordered the temples to reopen from June 8."
The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) on Thursday issued a Standard Operating Protocol (SOP) on preventive measures to be taken to contain the spread of coronavirus at religious places.
Religious places all over the country are allowed to open from June 8.
( With inputs from ANI )