Restrictions in place for Renuka fair

Tribune News Service

Solan, November 18

The seven-day international Renuka Ji fair in Sirmaur district will be held amid Covid restrictions. Age-old traditions will hardly be adhered to. The fair will be held from November 24 to 30 where devotees will have to ensure physical distancing, use of face masks, sanitiser and hand washing among other safety measures.

Sirmaur DC RK Pruthi said no devotee would be permitted to touch the idols or even the palanquin of Lord Parshuram.

Elderly, kids told to stay away

• Devotees can’t touch the idols or the palanquin of Lord Parshuram
• They can pay obeisance to the deities only from a designated spot
• People accompanying the palanquin will have to undergo Covid test
• Those above 65 years of age and below 10 have been directed to stay away

Devotees will be able to pay obeisance to the deities from a designated spot and they will have to queue up at earmarked spots maintaining an appropriate distance. People accompanying the palanquin will have to undergo the Covid test. Earmarked paths will be used to enter and leave the temple by the devotees as specified by the district administration.

Those above 65 years of age and below 10 have been directed to stay away from the fair.

Notably, lakhs of devotees from across the country come here to take a holy dip in the holy Renuka lake on ‘Prabodhini Ekadashi’. As per the tradition, the palanquin of Lord Parshuram is brought to Renuka from the ancient temple in Jamu Koti village and it departs after religious ceremonies, including a dip in the lake. Additional SP, Sirmaur, Babita Rana said a posse of 150 policemen would be deployed at the fair. Besides, personnel from three reserve battalions would be present.