PATNA: With Janmashtami around the corner, thousands of devotees flocked to city markets to buy decorative items, ‘palkis’, and dresses for Lord Krishna on Saturday. Makeshift stalls selling puja items attracted a large number of customers.
Chandan Kumar, a shopkeeper in Raja Bazar, told this newspaper that idols of Lord Krishna, colourful dresses, artificial flowers, and ‘palkis’ were in demand.
Shraddha Shalini, a resident of Gola Road, who went Janmashtami shopping on Saturday, said, “I have bought yellow dresses for my Laddoo Gopal so that I can celebrate the festival with my family and stay safe amid the pandemic.”
Another devotee, Pragya Singh, will also celebrate Janmashtami at home this year.
Meanwhile, temples were seen gearing up for Janmashtami festivities. It will be the first festival to be celebrated in temples after the issuance of a fresh Unlock order on Wednesday. Hence, they have decided to take all precautions to prevent the spread of Covid-19.
The ISKCON temple on Buddh Marg, for instance, will not allow devotees to enter its premises on Monday with a view to avoiding huge gatherings. “The priests and the members of the temple will offer ‘mahaprasad’ to Lord Krishna on Janmashtami,” ISKCON’s spokesperson, Nand Gopal Das, said and added that the temple would be thrown open to visitors on September 4.
The Radha Krishna Temple in Rajbanshi Nagar, on the other hand, will not restrict the entry of devotees on Janmashtami. “Everyone will, however, have to follow Covid safety norms,” Sushil Sastri, the priest of the temple, claimed.
