“Tourists shall be prohibited from entering the temple premises due to our inability to ascertain their travel history. the circular issued by the temple’s managing committee stated, OnManorama has reported.

Panaji: A popular 16th century temple in Goa on Friday has banned entry of tourists to the temples premises located in south Goa due to possible spread of COVID-19 pandemic.

“Tourists shall be prohibited from entering the temple premises due to our inability to ascertain their travel history. the circular issued by the temple’s managing committee stated.

However the temple itself will remain open and “regular rituals will continue to be performed as usual.” other services like ritualistic offering of food to visitors, offering of prasad bought from outside the temple premises, along with room bookings by devotees has been abandoned.

“Priests have been advised to keep safe distance from the devotees… Devotees are advised not to visit temple premises, unless essential. Management reserves the right to restrict entry to the temple,” the circular also says.

On Thursday, the Roman Catholic Church too urged the laity to not visit Church premises in groups and refrained them from the mandatory chore of attending Sunday prayer services.

The deity housed in the temple, Ramnath, was relocated in the 16th century by its followers, to the present day Ponda sub-district after they escaped from Portuguese-held regions of Goa due to religious persecution.

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