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Cossipore Udyan Bati, Dakshineswar to remain close for Kalpataru Utsav

The Dakshineswar temple and Kashipur Udyanbati will be closed on the day of Kalpataru Utsav. The authorities of the two organizations said that the decision was made to maintain the COVID-19 protocols.

Cossipore Udyan Bati, Dakshineswar  to remain close for Kalpataru Utsav -dbr
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West Bengal, First Published Dec 24, 2020, 10:59 AM IST

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, devotees and visitors will not be able to enter Dakshineswar temple and Kashipur Udyanbati on the day of Kalpataru festival. The authorities of the two organizations said that the decision was made to maintain the COVID-19 protocols.

Ramkrishna Math, Kashipur (Udyanbati) is now open daily from 9 am to 11 am and from 3:30 pm to 7:30 pm. It has been decided that the entrance to the monastery will be closed from the day of Kalpataru festival which begins from January 1 to January 3. 

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Every year millions of devotees come to Udyanbati for the Kalpataru festival. Prasad (god’s offering) was given to 40-50 thousand devotees. Cultural and devotional ceremonies are held on the stage. However, this year, the celebration will be done on a small scale.

On behalf of Kashipur Ramakrishna Math, Swami Pareshatmananda said that the occasion will be held at the house of Sri Ramakrishna and Sarada Devi in January. Besides, devotional songs and lessons will be performed in the temple under the house of Sri Ramakrishna from morning till 12 noon. 

The program and the puja can all be viewed live on Ramakrishna Math, Kashipur's own website, and YouTube channel rkmc Udyanbati.

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On the other hand, Dakshineswar temple will also be closed on the first day of the new year to prevent crowds of millions of people. According to temple sources, millions of visitors visit the Kalpataru festival every year. The temple has to be kept open from four in the morning to nine at night to handle the crowds. The line of devotees crossed the Bali bridge across the temple. The fair is centered on Panchabati. But the temple authorities are not willing to take the risk of this gathering in the COVID situation.

The temple gate will be closed all day. Kushal Chowdhury, trustee and editor of Dakshineswar Mandir, said, “It is impossible to maintain distance rules in the gathering of innumerable devotees. Therefore, we are sorry for forcing the temple to be closed during the Kalpataru festival.”

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