The devout, who have not been able to visit temples on account of the lockdown, can now opt for a live telecast of puja proceedings at some chosen temples through the web and Facebook.
The Muzrai Department has decided to provide such a facility by the end of this month, according to Muzrai Minister Kota Srinivas Poojari. He told reporters in Bengaluru on Thursday that the government was also considering allowing online pujas wherein devotees can pre-book them.
He said the government was planning to introduce live telecast of pujas in nearly 15 districts on temple websites and Facebook. The ‘prasada’ will be delivered to the homes of those who book pujas online, he said. He added that provisions would be made to book 15 kinds of puja online, including mangalaarathi, archane, pushpaalankaara puja, and ashtothhara .
The temples set to have online pujas and direct telecast include Banashankari temple in Bengaluru, Saundatti Yellamma temple, Mysuru Chamundeshwari, Nanjangud Srikanteshwara, Kateel Durga Parameshwari, and Kukke Subrahmanya.
The Minister said the government has decided to release ₹33.66 crore to pay the salaries of priests of 29,700 temples for three months. Though the priests had appealed to the government to reopen temples, it is not possible in the current situation, he said.
