As Indore slowly unlocks and learns to live life fighting the spread of covid-19, temples, mosque, gurudwara and church are working developing new systems to ensure safety of devotees in communal prayers.
The new way of life after lockdown and continuous efforts to ensure safety from covid-19 is a much more disciplined and planned way of life. Discipline and pre-planning to meet with the lord will be an essential part of our lives starting this new phase of life.
Coordinators and representatives of different communities shared how the new systems are being defined and will be in process, as Indore gears up to unlock temples, mosques, gurudwaras and churches.
Do not touch, book, pray & meditate: Unlock Temples
From the ancient temple of Khajrana which is an essential part of Indore’s identity to the little temple in your colony, every temple needs to ensure social distancing and necessary precautions for prevention of covid-19.
An essential part of the basic plan is crowd control. “Unlike before, we cannot allow people to stand in long queue or risk infecting temple premises, so an essential part of preparations is online or live ‘darshan’,” Ashok Bhatt, Khajrana temple priest said.
If you would wish to visit the temple, it would require pre-planning and bookings. “Bookings and prior planning of allowing only a certain number of people in the temple premise will become necessary,” Bhatt said.
Other than the ones with booked time slots, temples are less likely to allow people in the temple premises at all. “We cannot risk people standing in queue for a very long time and crowding the premises,” Bhatt said.
Further, there will be a ban on touching the idol, distributing offerings and touching any other items in the temple. Khajrana Ganesh has a sensor powered bell as well that will ring sensing touch, hence, no touching.
Planning as of now will not allow gatherings and Bhajans initially. In local temples, as shared by Chaupan Dham temple pandit Puneet Dwivedi, devotees will bring their own mats for sitting and stay at social distancing.
“Entry to the sanctum sanctorum will remain closed,” Ayyappa temple committee president Sajan Panicker said.
Call, Mask, Sanitise & Pray: Unlock Church
Decentralisations is the way to plan and take a step ahead for unlocking church in the city. Right Reverend Chacko Thottumarickal, the Bishop of Catholic Diocese of Indore, shared how Indore plans to unlock church and ensure safety of all the devotees.
“Starting from the first step, entering the church will require prior telephonic permission from the Parish priest,” Chacko said. With the confirmation of entry, devotees will be required to wear a mask, clear the health check and following the floor markings.
“We are going to limit people allowed in the church at a particular time based on capacity,” Chacko said. He added that on an average, 20 people will be allowed inside the church premises at a particular time.
“In red church, we have capacity of 100 people with social distancing, so there we might consider allowing more people on a particular day,” Chacko said. He added that the responsibility of ensuring safety of devotees and following protocols of prevention of covid-19 has been passed on to representative Father responsible of the church.
“It is imperative that everyone visiting the church knows the heading father, so they will require his permission to visit the church on a particular day and time,” Chacko said.
Wash, Mask & Sewa protocols to Unlock Gurudwaras
Gurudwaras are known to help the needy and playing the role of a saviour in many difficult times. Taking the time of lockdown and now unlocking, Sikh community has taken an initiative to provide mask to every gurudwara visitor.
“A group of some widows were hired to prepare masks for gurudwaras and we have 10,000 such masks prepared now,” Devender Singh Gandhi, community coordinator, said.
He added that these masks are provided to all those who visit the gurudwaras. “We already ensure covering of head with a piece of cloth, pagadi or dupatta,” Gandhi said. Adding to this, now masks are equally compulsory.
“Langar has not been allowed for people, so we have formulated a way in which it is would be safer to provide communal meals,” Gandhi said. He explained that every devotee would be required to carry a towel for washing up before and after the meal.
“The langar halls are being marked with arrows and pointers to ensure that there is enough social distancing between people while eating,” Gandhi said.
Volunteers to guide unlocking Mosques
Washing up hands and feet outside mosques will be the new norm for entering mosques of Bohra community. “Markings have been put up and people are not expected to crowd mosques as of now,” community spokesperson Johar Manpurwala said.
He added that since there are no festivals as of now, most people would be recommended to read Namaz and offer prayers at home/office. “To ensure social distancing while entering and leaving mosques, some volunteers would be stationed at the gate,” Manpurwala said.
He added that it is less likely to be a struggle, as Syedna has already given instructions to follow government protocols strictly to the community.
For mosques in Khajrana and other Muslim dominated areas, planning is still in process as shared by Shahar Qazi Dr Ishrat Ali.
Overall Preview
• Book in advance
• Bring your own mat
• Health check
• Sanitise
• Wash up legs and hands with soap
• Walk in designated lane and railings
• Darshan/Prayers from distance
• Meditate and stay for limited period
• Return with blessings
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