As Tamil Nadu has come under the ambit of the sixth phase of the lockdown from July 1st, the places of worship in the rural areas of the state have opened its gates for devotees from Wednesday as the state government has consented the resumption of the places of worship that have the annual revenue of not more than Rs 10,000.

According to the state government's order, the places of worship in the rural areas can start functioning from July 1st. This order of resumption won't apply for Chennai, areas that fall under Chennai city police limits in the districts of Kancheepuram, Chengalpattu, and Thiruvallur, and the southern district of Madurai as these five districts have been imposed with the complete lockdown till July 5. The areas that are demarcated as containment zones across the state have been barred from opening the places of worship.

The government has issued Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) that needs to be followed by people and places of worship. According to the SOP, all places of worship including temples, churches, and mosques should install facilities for hand sanitization and they have been advised to carry out thermal screening for devotees at the entrance. The devotees are directed to wear masks and observe social distancing norms while in the places of worship.

The government has also instructed people with comorbidities, geriatric people, pregnant women, children below 10 years to stay at home. The government has restricted the festivals, congregations, and mass gatherings in the places of worship until the lockdown and it has also directed the devotees not to touch the idols, statues, and other things in the premises.

According to the reports, the government has strictly banned the events of group performances, choirs, and using common prayer mats in the premises and it has directed the administration of the places of worship not to distribute holy water, prasadam, fruits, flowers, and coconuts, as these events and distributions have a potential threat of the spread of the virus infection, according to the government's order. 

As an alternative, prasadam can be distributed in packets and these can be sold in the stalls inside the premises and devotees must refrain from occupying the premises in a group to eat prasadam, rather they can carry it for their home. The government has advised the places of worship to install the surveillance cameras and disinfect the premises at regular intervals. The worship places can conduct marriages that must be attended not more than fifty people.

The places of worship can operate the air-conditioners with the minimum temperature and the government has advised the worship places to install the COVID-19 safety committee. As far as mosques are concerned, the government said the mosques can be open its gates before 15 minutes of azan and it must close the premises after the completion of the prayer, and devotees are restricted to hug or shake hands of others. For Churches, the devotees must adhere to the social distancing norms and they must refrain from touching bells and other objects while in prayers. They must avoid sprinkling the holy water.

These temples are getting opened for the first time in the last three months as these were shut down in the wake of the lockdown. From July 6, the places of worship in the village panchayats of Chengalpattu, Thiruvallur, and Madurai districts would start functioning whereas the religious places in Chennai, containment zones across the state, and in the municipalities and corporations have been restricted to resume its operations owing to the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.