CHENNAI, INDIA, April 21, 2020 (Times of India): Monday onwards, the city’s pious who have had to cancel their temple visits and summer pilgrimages in light of the Covid-19 outbreak, can be rest assured to not miss out on the year’s most anticipated temple festivals. Thanks to Hindu religious and charitable endowments (HR&CE) department, which after much contemplation, has finally agreed to allow a few temples in the state to live-stream the auspicious occasions. Among them is the Madurai Meenakshi Amman Temple’s celebrated annual marriage festival. Sources in the department say live-streaming the event will especially delight devotees, who have been constantly calling to know if there was a way to access photos and videos of the festival sitting at home.
“As of now, we have permitted live-streaming of pujas, rituals and festivals at Chennai’s Kapaleeswarar Temple, Madurai Meenakshi Amman Temple and Samayapuram Mariamman Temple. In the coming days, more temples will be given the go-ahead to live-stream important events,” HR&CE commissioner Phanindra Reddy told TOI. Temple officials will be sharing live-streaming links ahead of events on their social media pages and through newspapers. “We will allow those recording the puja inside only a few minutes ahead of the event. Social distancing will be strictly followed and every crew member entering the premises will be given hand sanitizers,” said temple executive officer D. Kaveri.