Temple festivals in the State have assumed a sombre note. The characteristic gaiety and razzmatazz that mark such celebrations have given way to an abiding caution to contain the COVID-19 outbreak.
The Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB), which manages about 1,200 temples, has taken the lead in observing the protocol set by the government. The board has issued a circular to the temple advisory committees comprising mostly residents in each locale to suspend all cultural programmes and mass feasts held as part of the festivals till normalcy returns.
The best example in this score is the board put up by Palkulangara Sree Bhagavathy Temple here, where the annual festival is set to commence on Thursday.
Only rituals
The temple advisory committee has announced its decision to suspend the feast and the cultural programmes and clarified that the festival will be confined to the rituals. Most importantly, it says that sanitising facilities too have been arranged for the devotees reaching the temple.
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TDB president N.Vasu says that the circular issued by the board soon after the government insisted on raising the preparedness has had the desired impact.
“We have directed all festival committees to desist from conducting programmes that would lure huge gatherings. The first step in this regard has been made at Sabarimala, where the board has urged pilgrims across the country to abstain themselves from the monthly pujas in March. The response has been positive,” Mr.Vasu says.
The board’s cautioning against the flow of devotees has had its impact on the revenue collection in Sabarimala and other temples, but it is adhering to the precautionary measures initiated to prevent the virus spread.
Govt. directive
“We are keen on following the government directive to a tee and will not compromise under financial pressures,” Mr.Vasu says.
This does not mean all advisory committees have fallen in line and are following the board directive in letter and spirit. The board has been constrained to crack the whip in the case of recalcitrant committees that made an attempt to flout its direction. “Certain temple committees tried to gloss over our directive but we persuaded them to fall in line,” Mr.Vasu says.
But the new order seems to have gone well and is being religiously observed all over the State.
