In view of the pandemic, not more than 50 people should be present in a temple at a time during the Mahashivratri celebration on Thursday, the Maharashtra government has said. The government on Wednesday came out with guidelines for the celebration of the festival.

People should not crowd temples and instead offer prayers at home, the guidelines said. Temple managements should ensure that the premises are disinfected and COVID-19 safety protocol including social distancing and use of masks is followed, the government said.