Berhampur (SunstarTV Bureau): The prominent Tibetan Buddhist monastery named ‘Padmasambhava Mahavihara Monastery’ at Jirang, Berhampur is to stay shut till New Year.
Keeping in view the safety of visitors, amid the spread of Corona virus, the temple is announced close by the monarch, despite a go-ahead from district administration.
“The district administration had written to us on October 5 for reopening of the monastery for the tourists. We apprehended risks due to the outbreak of pandemic as thousands of pilgrims visit the place. They move around, make merry and take photographs with us and our children, which we feel a risk for our family,” a monarch said.
“The Collector had also assured us to find out a solution in this regard. He suggested us to reopen the temple with strict adherence to Covid-19 guidelines like social distancing, proper sanitisation, use of face mask etc, but these steps didn’t satisfy us. So, we requested him to extend the closure for some more time,” he added.
Now, the decision to keep the temple closed will remain in force till the end of December, cleared the monarch.
The monastery at Jirang is also known as the ‘Little Tibet’ of Odisha is famous for its unparalleled scenic beauty which attracts thousands of tourists from across the globe throughout the year.
