India / Pics show devotees offering prayers as places of worship reopen after 75 days

New Delhi: Religious places in Delhi opened after two-and-a-half months on Monday, with devotees trickling in to offer prayers following the social distancing and sanitisation measures put in place by the management committees of the temples and shrines.

The religious places were closed in Delhi on March 23, two days ahead of the nationwide lockdown imposed to check the spread of coronavirus.

The famous Chhatarpur temple complex opened around 8.45 a.m. with nearly 300 devotees visiting in the first hour, the temple authorities said.

“We have set up a sanitisation tunnel at the temple entrance and are using a thermal gun to screen people. No prasad and flower is allowed,” Kishor Chawla, CEO, Chhatarpur temple management committee, said.

The Shahi Imam of Jama Masjid, Syed Ahmed Bukhari, said the mosque was not opened for the first namaz of the day due to the corona curfew till 5 a.m.

“We are expecting good numbers for the second namaz at around 1 p.m. Social distancing and sanitisation measures have been put in place to prevent the spread of the virus during congregational prayers,” he said.

Sikh devotees were seen at prominent gurdwaras such as Bangla Sahib, Sis Ganj and Rakabganj. They paid obeisance to Guru Granth Sahib following social distancing and sanitisation norms.

Sanitisation tunnels have been set up at major gurdwaras and social distancing is being enforced by ensuring that people do not stay longer inside the sanctum sanctorum of the shrines, said Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Management Committee (DSGMC) chairman Manjinder Singh Sirsa.