Mangaluru : Mangaluru Dasara will be celebrated at the Kudroli Gokarnanatheshwara temple in the city by taking all precautions as advised by the district administration, president of temple development committee H.S. Sairam has said.

A preliminary meeting of members of the temple development committee and organisations involved in the celebrations was held on the temple premises on Sunday, he said in a release.

Mr. Sairam said that in view of restrictions to prevent the spread of COVID-19, Mangaluru Dasara cannot be celebrated in a grand manner. As directed by the district administration, the committee will engage the services of about 200 volunteers to ensure all devotees coming to the temple use face masks, sanitisers and follow social distancing.

Ravishankar Mijar, another office-bearer, said that the temple will make arrangements for entry and exit of devotees.

Treasurer R. Padmaraj said that all rituals, and also food distribution, will be carried out as scheduled. The safety of devotees is important and the festival will be held with the theme: Namma Dasara Namma Surakshe (Our Dasara Our Safety). The temple will shortly announce further regulations for the festival, he said.