Team Herald
VASCO: The Damodar Temple, Vasco will be closed for visitors and devotees for three hours between 11 am and 2 pm during Saptah commencement rituals to avoid rush.
Briefing media persons, Prashant Joshi of the Joshi family said the Saptah festival will be held from August 3 on a grand scale as usual with religious traditional rituals and by strictly following COVID appropriate behaviour. He said devotees and others visiting the temple will be requested to wear face marks, use hand sanitizers and maintain social distancing.
According to Joshi, it has been observed that during Saptah there is mad rush of people around noon creating hindrances for the religious rituals. This year the temple will be closed for three hours between 11 am to 2 pm so that religious commencement rituals and the 24-hour bhajan could be organised smoothly.
Joshi also clarified that the Saptah celebrations committee members would not visit various places and organisations for annual donation as people were suffering due to COVID-19 pandemic and that the committee did not want to burden them. Instead it has been decided to go digital and launch a QR code which will be displayed outside the temple so that people can offer their donation on the QR code.
The people can also use the digital technology and extend it to more and more people so that they can also donate generously.
Saptah Samiti member Santosh Khorjuvenkar said that Dindi procession of the Paar and Samapti Gopal Kala would be held in open space outside the Damodar Temple.
Only few members of each Paar procession or Gopal Kala could visit the temple so as to avoid rush inside the temple. Most programmes would be telecast live for the convenience of devotees and people.
Renowned classical singer Jayateerth Mevundi of Dharwad will be the star attraction for the musical programme to be held at 7 pm on the eve of Saptah on August 2.
Also singer Hrishikesh Badve will perform on Saptah day at the Nataraj Theatre at 9 pm and it will continue near Sai Baba Temple at midnight.
Saptah Celebration Samiti president Krishna Sonurlekar and member Vinayak Ghonge were also present.