Kathmandu, Nov 30

The Pashupatinath temple that remains closed since the last week of March is to open from coming December 16. The temple will open for pilgrims by following the health protocol including social distancing, the Pashupati Area Development Trust has said.

A standard operating procedure has been developed for devotees visiting the temple. According to which, they will enter from one door and exit from another door, wear mask, sanitize their hands among others, member-secretary of the Trust Dr Pradip Dhakal said.

Various organizations including the World Hindu Federation had been staging protest against the decision of the government to shut down the holy shrine even after resuming public transportation service. The temple remained closed for than eight months since the government enforced a nationwide lockdown on March 24.

This must be probably the first time in the history of the temple that it remained closed for such a long period, says former member-secretary of the Trust Dr Govinda Tandon.