Devotees will not be permitted to enter the Guruvayur temple for two weeks from today as 46 employees of the temple have tested positive for Covid-19. However, the Devaswom Board said that all regular poojas and usual rituals would be performed in the temple complex.
Following the wake of Covid cases, the temple premise has been declared as a containment zone by the Thrissur district administration. The temple authorities said the decision to restrict devotees for two weeks was taken at an urgent meeting of the Guruvayur Devaswom Administrative Committee on Friday.
According to the press release, virtual queue, direct darshan and darshan from near ‘Deepasthambham’ and ‘Thulabharam,’ and other offerings have been cancelled. Adhering to strict Covid protocols, only the marriage parties who have already reached the temple for the wedding scheduled today will be allowed to conduct the ceremony. However, after Saturday, no marriages will be allowed for the next two weeks, said the temple authorities.
In the next three days, all devaswom officials will be subjected to an antigen or RT-PCR test, and after which a test would be conducted for them once a month. According to reports, on Friday, a total of 153 employees of the Guruvayur Devaswom took antigen, and 22 of them tested Covid-19 positive.
On Friday, Thrissur district, where the Guruvayur temple is situated, reported 272 fresh Covid-19 cases.
