Covid-19: Gujarat relaxes night curfew for Janmashtami, Ganesh Chaturthi festivals in eight metro cities

Gujarat has announced relaxation of night curfew for its eight metropolitan cities on August 30 and September 9 to 19 for Janmashtami and Ganesh Chaturthi. Night curfew is clamped between 11 pm and 6 am Vadodara, Gandhinagar, Surat, Ahmedabad, Bhavnagar, Rajkot, Jamnagar, and Junagadh.

The state government said, in accordance with the Covid-19 guidelines, it would allow a maximum of 200 people inside temples during the celebrations.

The government statement said the decision was taken during a core committee meeting led by Chief Minister Vijay Rupani to ensure that people can celebrate the festivals.

Night curfew will be clamped from 1 am on Janmashtami, which marks the birth of Lord Krishna, on August 30. The government said the devotees who enter the temple premises for darshan must maintain a two-feet distance. The state will also allow a maximum of 200 people for Shobha Yatra on pre-decided routes across. However, it will not grant permission for the ‘Matki Fod’ festival.

For Ganesha Utsav, the night curfew deadline in the eight metropolitan cities will be extended to 12 am from September 9. Idols in public places can be a maximum four-feet high, while those in private spaces can be two-feet high. Devotees must maintain social distancing and ensure a two-feet gap between each other while standing and encircling the ‘Gol Kund’, the Gujarat government said

The state government added that the permission extended only to puja and prasad distribution ceremonies at public places where the Ganesha Utsav festival would be celebrated. It will not allow any other religious or social function during this time. The government has also capped the number of people in a single vehicle for Ganesha Sthapana and Visarjan at 15.

Gujarat was among the states that bore the brunt of the second Covid-19 wave. As of 9 pm on August 24, the state had 160 active cases and 1,097 people under quarantine.