Devotees offer prayer at Kamakhya temple on Maha Navami amid tight COVID-19 protocols

But this time, Maa Durga is being worshipped amid COVID-19 norms, protocols.

The Durga Puja celebration has started at Kamakhya temple – a major seat of Shakti worship, from the ninth day of the waning of the moon or ‘Krishna Navami’ and will be ended on the ninth day of the waxing of the moon or 'Sukla Navami' of the Hindu month of ‘Ashwin’.

For the Dura Puja celebrations, the historic temple has been decorated with banana stems, flowers, leaves.

Durga Puja at Kamakhya temple is celebrated without an idol of goddess Durga.

On the occasion of Maha Navami, a large number of devotees throng the holy Kamakhya shrine to offer their prayers since early morning on Sunday.

The Kamakhya temple complex was reopened for devotees on Oct 11 after a gap of almost seven months.

The famous Shakti shrine located atop of Nilachal hills in Guwahati remained closed since March 20 due to COVID-19 pandemic.

The temple management committee has allowed a limited number of devotees to perform parikrama of the temple.

Before entering the temple, the devotees will have to undergo Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) for COVID-19 and whole body sanitization in the sanitization chambers set up at the entry gate of the temple.

Bhupesh Sarma – a priest of Kamakhya temple said that the rituals of Durga Puja are performing at Kamakhya temple and devotees have been allowed to enter the shrine by following COVID-19 protocols.

“We are allowing the devotees after conducting COVID-19 tests. The devotees will have to under COVID-19 test before entering the temple. They have to follow COVID-19 protocols. We are strictly adhering COVID-19 protocols,” Bhupesh Sarma said.

He further said that the main doors of the temple – leading to the sanctum sanctorum, have been opened for devotees from Oct 21 and devotees gatherings have reduced at the temple this time due to COVID-19 pandemic.