Shirdi Sai Baba Temple reopens, devotees to show RT-PCR result at gate

Mumbai: After seven months of closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Sai Baba Temple in Shirdi is all set to welcome devotees on Monday.

The temple management told ANI that visitors will be allowed only after making a booking online for a specific time slot. 

"We are glad that the government has allowed us to open after so many months. Devotees who want to visit will have to do online booking to get a time-slot for the `darshan`. Along with this, people will also have to show a COVID-negative RT-PCR result at the gate. Children aged eight to ten won`t be allowed," a representative of the temple management said.

On Saturday,  Maharashtra government decided to reopen temples and places of worship in the state from Monday, November 16. 

Religious places in the state have remained shut in Maharashtra since the lockdown announced in March. Though there were demands made by the opposition parties and some religious groups to reopen the temples, the Maharashtra government was waiting for the coronavirus cases in the state to subside.

"We can't forget that the demon coronavirus is still amongst us. Even though this demon is slowly falling silent now, we cannot be complacent. Citizens need to follow discipline. Just like discipline and restraint were observed while celebrating Holi, Ganesh Chaturthi, Navratri and Pandharpur wari (annual pilgrimage), followers of other faiths also celebrated festivals like Eid, Mount Mary festival by keeping the COVID-19 safety protocol in mind," said Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray.

The CM further said that SOPs for worship will be released in a few days, but wearing of face masks and following other COVID-19 guidelines will be a must till then. He also warned of strict action against people not following the procedures.

He also said that despite the temples being closed and people unable to offer prayers the God has given his blessings in the form of doctors, nurses and other health staff who are taking care of COVID-19 patients.

As per the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Maharashtra currently has 86,470 active cases. So far, 16,12,314 recoveries and 45,914 deaths have been reported in the state.