Unlock 1.0: Devotees visit Sharana Basaveshwara Temple in Karnataka and Durgiana Temple in Punjab

New Delhi, June 08: In the first phase of unlocking the lockdown, shopping malls, restaurants and temples are all set to reopen across the country starting today, except the containment zones as directed by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).

MHA has directed establishments to ensure hand sanitiser dispensers at the entrance, marking out specific places where people queue up, and ensure only asymptomatic individuals are allowed inside.

Durgiana Temple

Devotees were seen worshipping at Durgiana Temple in Amritsar, Punjab.

The temple priest said, 'We are following the guidelines given by the government, a team of doctors are sitting outside our temple who allow people to come inside the temple through thermal screening, there is no arrangement of offerings."

A standard directive is to not assign public dealing frontline work to persons with comorbidities, pregnant women or elderly people. Spitting shall be strictly prohibited, Installation and use of Aarogya Setu App is a must.

No distribution of prasad

Individuals would be asked to wash their hands and feet before entering, and there would be no distribution of prasad or sprinkling of holy water or touching of idols and holy books.

Worshippers would be asked to carry their own prayer mats and no common mats would be allowed. Shoes and footwear would be removed inside the vehicles.

Sharana Basaveshwara Temple

Devotees today visit Sharana Basaveshwara Temple in Kalaburagi, Karnataka to offer prayers.

It can be mentioned that India witnessed its first death due to COVID-19 in Kalaburagi as 76-year-old man dies of the virus on March 13.

As per the lockdown guidelines, temples would be open from 6 am to 7 pm and the darshan timings could be reduced if necessitated by local circumstances.

Try not to cough or sneeze openly

Devotees have to produce Aadhaar cards or other approved identities without fail.

Devotees advised not to cough or sneeze openly lest the virus should spread from the carriers among them.

Separate queues for darshan and exit were being provided. Steps were taken for crowd management at vehicle parking places.