The 122nd annual Damodar Bhajani Saptah festival will be observed on a virtual platform amidst the Coronavirus pandemic .
Paresh Joshi along with other members of the samiti adressed media to inform that this year , while basic traditions will be followed, the people will not be allowed to visit the temple and the entire area in and around the temple will be handed over to state administration and Police for restricting people for entering the area.
While the area only outside the temple will be beautified with lightings, there will be no stalls, no physical music performance and no pandal. Joshi said that only two to three people will anoint the coconut Shreefal to mark the commencement of Saptah and as per tradition, only four bhajan mandali will deliver the first piece of Bhajan after which the next 24 hours bhajan would be played on a pen drive or a pre recorded version of the artist will be played using a very small sound system restricting only to the temple premises. The samapti function will also see changes and the previous year coconut would be immersed in the sea by three to four people travelling in a car and no procession would be held . Joshi also said that there will be no traditional paar ( Mythological floats ) and no flowers or agarbatti will be sold outside the temple and no person will be allowed to offer any offerings to the temple . The committee has assured to ensure that the entire darshan or the event of the temple will be made available on social media , you tube or other virtual platforms . The committee has also appealed to all the people not to visit the temple this Saptah
