SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad, Sept 25: Entry of children below 18 years, senior citizens, and women recovering from health issues have been banned in Baba Baidyanath temple in Deoghar.
Deoghar district administration has issued a notification regarding this ban so that devotees do not face any problem after reaching the temple for darshan of Baba Baidyanath.
Deputy Commissioner (DC) Manjunath Bhajantri in his notification has said that as per the direction of the state government, Baba Baidyanath temple has been opened for devotees for darshan after obtaining E-passes. Devotees can do darshan after getting registered through darshan.babadham.org website. Only 10,000 devotees are issued E-pass for entry in one day. “Looking at the dangers of Covid-19, children below 18 years, senior citizens, and women recovering from health issues have been banned from entering into the temple,” said the DC.
He also informed that a maximum of four members can enter the temple on one E-pass. The devotees have to reach half an hour before entry time at Manshinghi Foot Overbridge with E-pass so that implementation of health guidelines could be checked.
An official of the Deoghar district administration said that this notice has been issued as devotees from different districts of Jharkhand and neighbouring states often arrive with families comprising children and elderly for darshan of Baba Baidyanath. They create commotion at the entrance of the temple after being denied entry.
Hundreds of children and old aged people were seen waiting at the gate on Friday. One of the devotees of Banka district, Bihar told media that an e-pass was issued in the name of his child. Despite that, he has been denied from entering the temple premises.
In wake of the Covid-19 danger, the state government has opened the Baba Baidyanath temple for 10 hours in a day( 6am to 4 PM daily). Only limited devotees (1000 in one hour ) have been allowed to enter the temple with an E-pass.
