Panchkula April 13 A total of 10400 devotees paid obeisance at Mansa Devi temple on the first day of the Navratri festival today. Nearly 2500 devotees paid obeisance at Kali Mata temple in Kalka while 300 visited the Chandi Mata temple. As per the Shri Mata Mansa Devi Shrine Board devotees started pouring in since 5 am. The rush this year was less as compared to the fest in October last year as online appointments were made a must to visit the temple. Everyone was wearing a mask and all efforts were taken to ensure social distancing said Deputy Commissioner and Chief Administrator Mata Mansa Devi Shrine Board Mukul Kumar. Devotee tests +ve A devotee was found positive for Covid. A total of 84 tests were conducted on the first day of the Navratri fair at Mansa Devi temple. A total of 10 persons were vaccinated at the shrine a spokesperson for the Health Department said. He said around Rs10.82 lakh in cash were offered this time almost half the amount that was offered on the first day of the fair in October last while Rs3.48 lakh was offered at Kali Mata temple. Five gold ornaments weighing 7.9 gram and 68 gram silver were also offered by the devotees. Haryana Speaker Gian Chand Gupta along with his wife Bimla Gupta were among those who visited the temple today. — TNS

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