Religious institutions have joined the battle against the raging Covid-19 pandemic. Setting an example for other institutions as well, several managements have converted temples into a dedicated Covid-19 centre.
In Gujarat, the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Temple in Vadodara has started a 300-bed Covid facility on its 3.5 acre land in Atladara. “We are providing all the non-medical facilities for patients. We have arranged for oxygen and ventilators including the ICU rooms apart from fans and air-coolers. Currently, 300 beds are operational and 200 will be added soon,” said Gyan Vatsal Swami of Shri Swaminarayan Temple.
Not only this but, the management of Shree Jagannath Temple- one of the four dhams for the Hindus, in Puri, Orissa has once again decided to convert its Nilachal Bhakta Nivas (a hotel run by temple) into a covid-19 care centre.
Last year also they opened two Covid treatment facilities – one at Puri and another at Bhubaneswar – with all essential equipment.
Apart from it, the temple has contributed Rs 1.51 crore to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund (CMRF)
The Jain community in Mumbai has also converted one of their temples into a dedicated covid-19 centre. The centre with 100 beds includes general and delux wards with Pathology Lab and Oxygen facility.
Pawandham Temple in Borivali has once again converted its four-storey building into a quarantine centre with 100-bed capacity. 50 beds are ready to take in Covid patients equipped with oxygen concentrator unit, oximeter, pulse metre, portable BP apparatus, monitor machine among other facilities.
While there’s always an attempt in order to guilt-trip Hindus for making temples over hospitals, these are just a few among numerous temples across the country that have come forward to contribute generously, both in terms of food and welfare, to help the country. Administration believes that these would provide some relief to the overburdened system.
