Navratri 2021: BMC allows physical darshan at mandals; all guidelines here

Photo for representational purpose. Pic/ istock

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Thursday issued guidelines for Navratri celebrations from October 7 to 15. Citizens will be allowed physical darshan at the mandals but authorities are encouraging people to do the darshan online as not more than five people will be allowed inside the pandal.

As per an ANI tweet, "Idols height to be 2 feet for home and 4 feet for public mandals. Sanisitisation is mandatory at mandals."

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As per a report in india.com, here are some of the takeaways from the order issued:

• No garba would be allowed and decorations also should not be very gaudy.
• Mandals to hold blood donation camps or create public awareness regarding vector-borne diseases like malaria and dengue instead.
• While conducting any religious ritual of worship, there should not be any kind of crowd gathered around the mandal.
• No distribution of prasad and flowers has been allowed and the setting up of stalls has also been restricted.
• BMC has asked for the darshan of the idols to be done online as not more than five people will be allowed inside in the pandal.
• Those going for physical darshan will be screened for their temperature.
• The main area of the pandal should be sanitised three times in a day, the civic body directed.
• The circular has stated that it would be mandatory for public mandals to take permission of the BMC. The height of the idol has been capped at four feet in case of public mandals, and two feet in case of home idols.
• The BMC has asked citizens to bring environment-friendly or shadu idols, and if possible, try to immerse the idols or perform the ‘visarjan' in their house itself, so that there are no crowds during the procession.

The civic body on Wednesday had stated that schools in Mumbai will reopen for Classes 8 to 12 from October 4.