Shimla, Oct 17Â
The Auspicious first Navratri has marked the beginning of festival season today. Also with it all main Hindu Shrines registered sudden spurt in devotees footfall amidst beefed-up security and special preparations.
The state Police has beefed up the patrolling and the number of posts around all major 35 temples trusts in the state as a sudden increase in the footfall of tourists and local people is being recorded today onwards. No one is allowed to crowd the sacrosanctum and special prayers and Pooja is being organised for the visitors while maintaining social distancing at open places in wake of Covid pandemic.
Among the other shrines in state large number of devotees were witnessed in Chintpurni Temple in Una which has opened for the public on Sep 10 after remaining off for nearly six months since March 25 this year.
Shri Naina Devi Temple in Bilaspur , Jawalamukhi temple in Kangra district, Hanuman temple Jakhoo Shimla, Shiv Mandir Baijnath in Kangra district, Shri Mahamaya Bala Sunderi Ji Trilokpur Mandir in Sirmaur, Baba Balaknath and Durga Matta Temple Hatkoti in Jubbal  in Shimla,  Chamunda Nandikeshwar  Mandir in Kangra district, Tara Devi Temple at Shimla district, Brajeshwar Devi Temple Kangra , Shri Sankatmochan Temple Shimla, Shri Makhal Mandir Baijnath, BhimaKali temple in Sarahan, Hanogi Mata Mandir Aut in Mandi, Shiv Bharati Shanidave Temple Hamipur remained highly crowded.
Similarly ques of devotees were also witnessed in Shahtalai Temple Bilaspur, Shoolini Mata Mandir Solan and Durga Temple Sharai Koti Teh Rampur in Shimla,  Dattatreya Swamy Temple Duttnagar Shimla district  and Mahamrityunjaya Temple Mandi town in the state.
Similarly ques of devotees were also witnessed in Shahtalai Temple Bilaspur, Shoolini Mata Mandir Solan and Durga Temple Sharai Koti Teh Rampur in Shimla,  Dattatreya Swamy Temple Duttnagar Shimla district  and Mahamrityunjaya Temple Mandi town in the state.
State Language, Culture and Arts which looks after 40 major Hindu Temple trusts has also sent for all deputy commissioner and temple officers of shrines asking them to organise Navratri  festivals which include Yajana or Worship in the small group of ten to 15 people in the open places in temple complex following SOPs issued by the state Government.
Number of Police men and security personnel have beefed up on the entry points and in the shrine and outside to keep check on regulated flow of human traffic and thus avoid any stampede in these religious shrines.
Shimla District Public Relation Officer Sanjay Sood said that no cultural group has sought permission to organise Ram Leela performance in the town and district so far. There is no information that any Ram Leela troupe is currently performing owing to Covid, he added.
