22 test Covid +ve at ISKCON, Vrindavan temple sealed, Janmashtami cancelled

Agra: Vrindavan’s ISKCON temple was sealed on Tuesday, on the eve of Janmashtami, after 22 of its members tested positive for Covid-19 on Monday evening. Afterwards, the planned Janmashtami celebrations at the temple were cancelled.

Confirming this, ISKCON spokesperson in Vrindavan, Saurabh Das, said three heads of different departments were among the 22 who tested Covid positive, hence the temple management had decided not to celebrate Janmashtami this year.

ISKCON officials said samples of 420 people were taken for testing, and of these, 22 were found positive. Out of them, 12 are brahamacharis who stay in ISKCON’s Vani ashram, while the others are congregation members who stay outside the premises.

All of them have been isolated in different premises of ISKCON, said Das, adding that a team of doctors is monitoring their health. He said another test will be conducted on them after 10 days to check their status.

According to sources, many ISKCON members had gone to West Bengal to attend the cremation of Bhakticharu Maharaj. Two of them had tested positive for Covid-19 after their return 15 days ago, after which the health department took samples of all members, nearly two dozen of which were found positive on Monday evening.