After three months, Tarapith temple welcomes devotees on Rath Yatra with new norms

Kolkata: Tarapith Temple reopened on Tuesday after remaining shut for about three months with all precautionary measures in place to check the spread of COVID-19.

The gates of the temple opened at 5 am when 'Mangal Aarti' of the deity was conducted. Though the number of devotees was comparatively less, many from different places stood in queues maintaining physical distancing since early morning. State Agriculture minister Asish Banerjee visited the temple and offered his prayers.

People had to pass through sanitising tunnels that were installed at all the three gates of the temple. Devotees were allowed to enter following thermal checking and had to wash their hands before entering the temple. One will be sent for a subsequent health checkup if found suffering from high temperature during thermal checking at the entrance.

Devotees were not allowed to enter the sanctum sanctorum. Instead 'sebayats' offered pujas on their behalf. They were allowed to see the deity from outside the sanctum sanctorum. On Ratha Yatra, the idol of the Goddess Tara is taken across the temple town in a chariot but this year, it has not been organised due to the pandemic curbs.