The stone lingam (symbol of the deity) was fully covered with white cotton cloth during the 'Bhasma-Aarti' - special prayer with sacred ash - held on Saturday morning, a temple official said today.
On Friday, the apex court had given its nod to new norms for worshipping at the temple, including allowing only 500 ml of reverse osmosis (RO) water for the ceremony and covering the lingam fully with dry cotton cloth during the Bhasma- Aarti.
Soni said: "All other restrictions directed by the apex court were put in place. Now each devotee is allowed to take only 500ml of RO water for 'jalabhishek' while only dry puja is allowed after 5 pm."
"Bhasma-Aarti is a century-old tradition and for the first time, this early morning ritual was performed with the 'Shivlingam' fully covered with cotton cloth. These measures are being taken to check the erosion of the Shivlingam," said Ashish Pujari, a priest at the temple.
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The committee estimated the rate at which the deterioration in its size was taking place and suggested measures to prevent it.
On October 27, the SC approved eight points of the resolution passed by the temple management committee in consonance with recommendations of the expert panel.
As per the new approved norms, devotees would be permitted a fixed amount of RO water (500 ml per person) for jalabhishek. Restrictions were also placed for abhishek, allowing only up to 1.25 litres of milk or 'panchamrut' (mixture of honey, liquid jaggery, milk, yogurt and ghee) per devotee.
After 5 pm every day, the lingam will be cleaned and dried to minimise the water content and thereafter only dry pooja would be permitted. The usual practice of rubbing the sugar powder on 'Shivlingam' has been fully banned. Instead, the use of 'khandsari' (unrefined raw white sugar) is to be promoted.