Tirupati: Following Covid restrictions, the Pilgrim city prepared for Krishnashtami celebrations, but on a more muted note. Because Krishnashtami falls on Monday (today), the celebration preparations began on Sunday. People have been prepared to do formal puja rites at their houses because there were no major temple celebrations this year.

On the Lord's birth anniversary, people usually flock to the famed Sri Krishna Lotus temple of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) to worship him. The religious ardour, however, was observed on a low note last year because of the Covid pandemic, since people were not permitted to attend the temples.

Although the caseload has decreased, Covid restrictions remain in place, preventing devotees from visiting temples throughout the day. As a result, the ISKCON administration has decided to give online darshan, leaving only the allotted devotees to perform the 'Radha Govinda Astha Sakhi'.

The temple officials have encouraged devotees to watch the celebrations live on the ISKCON Tirupati YouTube channel, which will be broadcast live. However, the temple has been beautifully adorned in honour of the occasion, and Lord Srikrishna and his consorts will be available for special darshan on Monday.

Other temples, such as Venugopala Swamy Mandir near Palani Theatre and others, would only give worshipers limited darshan. These temples are likewise beautifully decorated. On Sunday, people were spotted buying flowers, fruits, and other materials to perform puja rituals at their houses with pomp and mirth. As a result of the increased demand, flower and fruit prices have risen dramatically.

Several parents have been waiting for their children to take on the role of 'Little Krishna.' Several schools used to have fancy dress competitions for youngsters, but this hasn't happened since last year due to the pandemic.