Gujarat releases COVID-19 guidelines for Janmashtami and Ganesh Utsav festivals, check details

Instead of the usual 11 pm, the night curfew will be in force from 1 am on August 30 to facilitate the celebration of Janmashtami, and from 12 midnight during September 9 to 19 for the Ganesh Utsav festival in the cities of Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Rajkot, Surat, Bhavnagar, Jamnagar, Gandhinagar and Junagadh. 

Traditional Janmashtami processions will be allowed with a limited number of participants on August 30.

 

Only the rituals of prayer-aarti and distribution of prasad are allowed at public Ganeshotsav places. No other religious and cultural programs can be organized. 

 

On immersion days, not more than 15 people will be allowed in a vehicle carrying idols to water bodies.

Social distancing norms will have to be followed both at Janmashtami and Ganesh celebration venues, and devotees will have to move in circles for darshan to ensure a distance of two feet with the total number of participants at any given moment not exceeding 200. 

 

Installation of up to four feet tall Ganesh idols in public pandals and up to two feet tall idols at home will be allowed. 

 

'Matki fod' events (during which clay pots filled with curd are broken) and local fairs organized on the occasion of Janmashtami would not be allowed.