Pilgrims rush swelled at Vemulawada temple shrine
Mandatory social distance norm goes for a toss
K M Dayashankar
RAJANNA-SIRCILLA: Pilgrims from far-flung places have thronged Sri Raja Rajeshwara Swamy devasthanam in Vemulawada of Rajanna-Sircilla district in hordes on Monday, which was an auspicious day for the devotees to offer prayers to the presiding deity Lord Shiva.
With the reopening of the temples after the lifting of the lockdown, the pilgrims were seen arriving in large numbers to offer prayers at the historic temple shrine. On Monday, the devotees formed serpentine queues to offer prayers to the presiding deities. Especially the newlywed couples had arrived in large numbers along with their family members to offer their prayers to the deities.
The mandatory norms of maintaining social distance had gone for a toss at the shrine with the arrival of hordes of devotees. The only saving grace was that majority of the pilgrims were seen wearing the face masks. In spite of strict instructions, some of the pilgrims did not wear facemasks. The temple authorities had a tough time regulating the swelling pilgrims. The authorities failed to provide sanitisers at the entrance of the shrine and there was poor sanitation at the temple and surrounding places where the devotees took shelter in the cottages and dormitories.
=====
