Kalighat Temple and Belur Math are most likely to re-open at the end of this week.
Mr Subhasish Chakraborty, Trinamul Congress Rajya Sabha MP and president of Kalighat temple committee today said, “ It was not possible to re-open Kalighat temple as the sanitiser channel is yet to be set up. We are more concerned with people’s safety. So after the safety and security of pilgrims, sebayatis are secured, we will only then reopen the temple.”
Belur Math, the global headquarters of Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission, has decided to throw open its gates to the devotees from 15 June after putting in place all safety measures required to contain the spread of Covid-19.
“We had to think about both aspects – the issue of public health and also the wish of our devotees for having a darshan of the shrines of Swami Vivekananda, Sri Sarada Maa and Ramamrishna Paramahansa. But we believe spirituality and scientific temparament must go hand in hand,” the secretary of Belur Math Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission, Swami Suvirananda told reporters.
Mr Chakraborty also said, “The Kalighat temple committee is going to set up a sanitiser channel permanently and the cost for setting of the channel will be borne by the committee only.”
Though the chief minister has declared last week that the places of worship will remain open from 1 June many renowned temples are yet to reopen as the sanitisation is yet to be completed. The Rajya Sabha MP also said that the temple committee will adopt some stricter norms for the pilgrims.