City of Temples dons deserted look as Navratri festival begins

TNN Bureau. Updated: 3/26/2020 11:24:26 AM Front Page

JAMMU: The City of Temples on Wednesday wore a deserted look on the first day of Navratras, as no special prayers were offered and no long queues were seen outside the temples, due to the lockdown in the state, in view of the Novel Coronavirus threat.
Unlike the highest footfall recorded by the Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine here in Trikuta Hills of Katra town in Reasi district during the Navratri' festival, the shrine also wore a deserted look amid the restrictions imposed in the wake of outbreak.
As soon as Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a complete 21-day lockdown from Tuesday midnight, people purchased grocery items, especially for the nine-day long festival, dedicated to Goddess Durga.
The temples, including the famous Shri Raghunath Ji temple, Kali Temple-locally known as 'Maa Bawe Wali,' in which Jammu possess faith that she saves them from all evils, remained shut due to lockdown.
All religious places were completely closed last week in Jammu, to prevent gathering of people, as a precautionary measure due to COVID-19.
Though priests and pandits performed ritual ceremonies at temples by performing 'aarti,' but there was no entry for the public.
No vendors were seen outside the temples selling flowers, coconuts, 'agarbattis', and all shops of sweets were closed due to total lockdown, barring those dealing in essential commodities.
''For the first time in the history, the doors of temples have been shut for the devotees and only the 'pandits' performed special prayers,'' the head of Bahu Fort Shopkeepers Association said on phone.
He added that apprehending extension of lockdown, the dealers this year did not buy flowers, made sweets and coconuts and those who had dumped, suffered losses.
''At this juncture, it is not a matter of losses, they can be procured any time, but the crucial stage we are passing through,'' he said and prayed to the Goddess Durga that the time passes off peacefully, without major damages and peace and harmony is restored across the world.
With the Vaishno Devi yatra already suspended, the shrine wore deserted look while all rituals are being performed on a daily basis, by the religious heads at the holy cave.
"The annual mahayagya' continued at Mata Vaishno Devi shrine, apart from the ceremonies connected with Navratri, Chief Executive Officer, Shri Mata Vaishnodevi Shrine Board (SMDSV), Ramesh Kumar said.
Usually, a crowd of around 40,000 to 50,000 people throng the holy shrine on the first day of Navratri.
"I used to visit the cave shrine every year on the first day of Navratri to seek Mata Vaishno Devi's blessing. Though I am disappointed that I could not visit the shrine this time, it is a necessity to close the shrine in the wake of COVID-19 threat, he said.
The shrine, however, has decided to telecast live the darshan' of Holy Pindis Maa Vaishno Devi daily.
"We have included a 2-minute darshan of holy pindis of Mata Vaishno Devi after conclusion of aarti' (prayer). This is being done to ensure that people get darshan of Mata in their homes during this Navratri, Kumar said.
The Shat Chandi Maha Yagya will be telecast from 0600 hrs to 1900 hrs daily from today onwards during Navratras.
The CEO said that like in the past, the Bhawan of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Ji, Atka and the area surrounding it have been decorated with flowers, on the occasion of Navratras.
In view of the prevailing situation due to COVID-19, the Yatra to the Holy Cave Shrine of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Ji was suspended on March 18.
Lieutenant Governor Girish Chandra Murmu had conveyed his greetings to the people of the Union Territory on the auspicious occasion of Navratri on Tuesday, while appealing to the people to stay indoors and pray at home.


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