Jan 18, Kathmandu- The Manakamana temple in Gorkha will be closed from Friday. A meeting of the Manakamana Area Development Committee held today decided to stop the devotees from entering the temple.

According to a meeting held on January 14 on Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Minister they have decided to ban "Nitya Puja" and devotees will ban entry in the temple as said by the Executive Director of Committee Lebendra Gurung.

 We have not banned the general public for today and tomorrow. But from Friday the priests in the temple have decided to ban the general public except dance worship till mid-January," he said.

The committee has stated that the temple will be closed on Wednesday and Thursday so that the general public can know. However, the cable car will not be closed in the meantime.

From Friday, cable cars and pilgrims coming on foot and in traffic will be able to worship from outside the railing of the temple through the helper of the temple, said Gurung. "Anyone who comes to the temple from Friday will be able to worship from the bar outside the temple only through the helpers in the temple," said Gurung.

The cable car will be banned but  In the case of animal sacrifice, if it is brought then arrangements have been made to offer sacrifice outside the temple by arranging worship at a separate place as the committee said.

The main chief priest of the Manakamana temple Insan Bahadur Thapa said that more than 5,000 people still worship at the temple daily. Priest Thapa also said that the committee has decided to hold dance worship from Friday to mid-January.