Varanasi: As devotees continued thronging to the Vindhyachal temple in huge numbers despite negative RT-PCR reports being made mandatory for the entry, the Mirzapur administration and priests of Vindhyachal decided to close the doors of the temple for the remaining days of Chaitra Navratri from Saturday.

Entry of devotees at Kashi Vishwanath temple in Varanasi has already become almost nil after the strict implementation of the decision to allow entry only to those with negative RT-PCR reports. Vindhyachal Panda Samaj (VPS) president, Pankaj Dwivedi, said, “As per the decision taken by VPS members after discussions with the officials of district administration, the temple will remain closed till April 21. The decision of reopening the temple doors for devotees will be taken as per the guidelines of the state government after April 21.

Vindhyachal temple had witnessed huge congregation of devotees on the first and second days of Chaitra Navratri after which the local and temple administration made a provision to give entry only to those devotees who produced negative RT-PCR reports, said Dwivedi. He added that despite such restrictions, the gathering of devotees did not stop and risk of further spread of Covid-19 cases increased.

“These ground realities were sufficient to make it clear that huge crowds would again arrive on the day of Ashtami and Ram Navami. To avoid such a situation, the decision to shut the doors of the temple for devotees was taken,” said Dwivedi.

This is for the second consecutive year when the pandemic led to the closing of one of the Shaktipeeths of Goddess Durga—Vindhyachal temple and other temples in its triangle which include Kalikhoh and Ashtabhuja. The temple had been closed on March 20, 2020, owing to the lockdown. After the unlock process began,the temple was reopened after 100 days on May 29.

“In Varanasi, the footfall of devotees at Kashi Vishwanath temple became almost nil on Saturday. Number of devotees at KVT had already reduced massively when the provision of producing negative RT-PCR reports was made a must for devotees to get entry,” said divisional commissioner Deepak Agrawal. “Relaxations on the entry will be given only after the menace of the second Covid wave reduces. Keeping people safe is the top priority of the administration,” said Agrawal.

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