Dakshineswar, Belur Math, Kalighat to be kept shut on New Year's Day

The Dakshineswar Temple and Belur Math, global headquarters of Ramakrishna Mission as well as Kalighat and North Kolkata's Thanthania Temple, will be closed to devotees on New Year's Day

The Dakshineswar Temple and Belur Math, global headquarters of Ramakrishna Mission as well as Kalighat, a major Shakti-peetha shrine in the eastern metropolis and North Kolkata's Thanthania Temple, will be closed to devotees on New Year's Day, when footfalls in temples are very high, on account of the rising graph of Covid-19 infections in the city.

The trustee of Dakshineswar temple Kushal Chowdhury said Thursday the temple authorities were forced to take the decision as lakhs of devotees gather at the shrine on January 1 and there is no mechanism to ensure, physical distancing or enforcing Covid norms.

The temple, which is dedicated to Goddess Kali, will open again on January 2, he added.

A spokesman for Belur Math, which was set up by Swami Vivekananda, said "Due to unavoidable circumstances our premises will remain closed for devotees from January 1 to 4."

The Math premises will open on January 5 for visitors, he said.

Belur Math had to take the decision as millions of people would otherwise be present at the premises on January 1 and it may trigger the possibility of contamination, he added.

Said Deepankar Chatterjee, Secretary of the Executive Committee of Kalighat Temple Sebayit (hereditory servitors) Council "we will be keeping the Garbha Griha (Sanctum Sanctorum) of the temple closed on January 1, as a precautionary measure and will hold a meeting on Jan 3 to decide on our further course of action. "

The Thanthania Sidheswari Kali temple will also stay closed on January 1 and 2 keeping in view the anticipated crowd rush and the Covid pandemic, said Anjan Ghosh, Trustee of the three centuries old temple in North Kolkata.

The Ramakrishna Mission centers at Cossipore Udyanbati and 'Mayer Bari ', the house where Sarada Ma, Paramahansa Ramakrishna's wife lived, in North Kolkata will be closed on New Year's day as well.

Kalpataru Utsav is organized at Cossipore Udyanbati on January 1 every year to commemorate the day when Pramahansa Ramakrishna revealed himself to be an 'Avatar' or God incarnate in 1886.

However, devotees will not be allowed on January 1 and 2 in the two premises though puja and rituals to be held as usual, officials said.

This is the second year that the entry of devotees will be restricted during Kalpataru Utsav. In 2020 too it was closed due to the pandemic.