Several prominent temples and a comparatively fewer number of churches and mosques cautiously opened their doors to devotees on Tuesday even as the worrying rise in COVID-19 cases continued to cast a long shadow over the State.
The houses of prayer had remained under lockdown since March 25 and devotees appeared to welcome the decision to permit on-premise worship albeit rather restrictedly.
Strict checks
The new normal seemed evident in temples managed by the Travancore, Cochin and Malabar Devaswom Boards. The staff, wearing masks and gloves, received the devotees, entered their address and mobile number in a visitor’s register and took their temperature to check for fever before allowing them into the precincts.
The worshippers followed sanitation and physical-distancing strictures. They awaited their turn to enter the sanctum sanctorum on spots demarcated by paint. They were required to wear masks mandatorily and not congregate or socialise within the environs.
The temples managed by the Nair Service Society remained closed. In contrast, those maintained by the Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana (SNDP) Yogam admitted believers.
Various Christian bishoprics allowed churches to admit devotees in a restricted manner. However, many remained closed and broadcast services via the Internet and connected with parishioners through videoconferencing.
Several mosques allowed believers in a restricted manner, including the Beemapally Dargah Shareef here.
Devotees sat spaced two metres apart on prayer mats they had brought with them and wore masks.
