Kolkata: Kapil Muni Ashram, situated at Sagar Island, was thrown open for devotees on Monday.
"Kapil Muni Mandir reopened after being sanitised," said Dr P Ulaganathan, district magistrate of South 24-Parganas.
While Kapil Muni temple remained closed for 72 days due to the nationwide lockdown, now onwards wearing face mask has become compulsory for devotees entering the shrine.
"Kapil Muni Temple doors were opened at 9. 01 am. Sagar MLA Bankim Hazra, Gangasagar Coastal Police Officer-in-Charge Debashish Roy and Nimai Maharaj of Bharat Sebashram Sangha were also present on the occasion," said Sanjay Das, the priest at Kapil Muni Ashram in Gangasagar, and successor of mahant Gyandas.
He said that the first batch of people reached the temple and stood in queues maintaining a distance of 3-4 feet from each other.
"We are following the government guidelines to prevent COVID- 19. It is difficult to say the total footfall of the devotees. People are still coming to the temple. Earlier, worshippers were allowed to touch the idol inside the temple. We are concerned about the social distancing of the worshippers. Now onwards, they won't be allowed to touch idol. We are sanitizing the whole temple at regular intervals," pointed out the priest.
About 150 km from Kolkata in South 24-Parganas district, the Gangasagar Island is considered auspicious and millions of devotees gather on Makar Sankranti to take a holy dip and to offer coconuts at the Kapil Muni temple.
