Gorakhnath temple all set to reopen

LUCKNOW: Gorakhnath temple in Gorakhpur, of which Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath is the head priest, will reopen for devotees after over 70 days on Monday.

After early morning prayers at 4 am the temple doors will be opened for devotees from 5 am to 9 pm, officials said adding face mask/cover and social distancing would be mandatory. “Not more than five people would be allowed in at one time and the devotees will be not allowed entry in the sanctum sanctorum (main area) of the temple. They won’t be allowed to touch the idols, holy texts or make offerings and none would be allowed entry wearing footwear,” officials said. Health teams equipped with infrared thermometer will be deployed to screen the devotees before permitting them entry and the temple management would sanitise the campus at regular intervals, officials said.

The prominent temple of the Nath monastic group of Nath tradition was closed since March 21 on the directions of the chief minister Yogi Adityanath who had ordered temple closure on the appeal of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to observe Janta curfew on March 22. Janata curfew was followed by a long lockdown to fight the coronavirus pandemic. However, after the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) for Unlock-1, Yogi ordered reopening of temples and religious places across the state from Monday. After Yogi’s nod, sanitation and cleanliness drive were in full swing on the temple premises.