This year ‘Ganesh Chaturthi’ will be different as for the first time most people will switch over DIY (Do-It-Yourself) mode from preparing idols to performing requisite pujas.
Purohits are offering complete guide on how to carve clay idols to ‘infusing life’ into it (pranpratishtha), performing requisite pujas and conducting the visarjan.
This is being done to ensure that people are able to follow all the ritualistic prayers and celebrate the festival, while keeping coronavirus spread at bay. These special DIY videos, audios and instructions are being made available through various channels.
Ajit Upadhyaya, a Brahmin, has started demonstrating step-by-step instructions in doing all the rituals of the 10-day festival.
“Dig out a handful of clay from your backyard, mix it in some cow dung and water, shape it into the elephant-headed deity, and your Ganpati idol is ready,” Upadhyaya said. As for visarjan, he added that immersing the idol in a nearby well will do the trick.
Pandit has already circulated his DIY video tutorials to some of his yajmans, and for the rest, he has offered to perform the pujas online through video conferencing apps. “For the digitally challenged, though, we are preparing large format cut-outs of puja texts to read from and follow while doing the rituals,” Mishra said.
Pandit Vasudeva who generally conducts puja for people in large groups is now guiding them in digital meetings and audio calls.
Ravi Maharaj, priest for Sindhi community, has also created short 5-10 minute audio files of pujas that he intends to share with his clients with DIY instructions. “We are trying to avoid in-person pujas at the moment and trying to encourage virtual puja on request to do our bit in controlling coronavirus outspread,” Maharaj said.
“The key to the DIY mode of Ganesh Chaturthi is for the yajman to become a Brahmin during the festival and perform the puja,” Satpal Bhatt, Khajrana temple priest, said. He added that person performing the duties of a Brahmin must discharge this duty to the best of ability.
“You must become the embodiment of God and invoke the divinity within you. Leave the rest to the ever benevolent Ganpati,” Bhatt said.
Krishna Mishra, a spiritual and religious mentor, will be conducting free sessions for the 10 days from 8:30 pm to 9:30 pm of the fest via online meeting. The meetings will guide participants on rituals and their duties to celebrate the fest.
“I am instructing devotees to follow the path of Ganesha by starting the fest with prayers to our parents and lord Shiva and goddess Gauri,” Mishra said. Further, there are several deeds that Ganesha performs that people are instructed to do.
“Donate to those who cannot see, help women in becoming independent, provide free education, etc. are some of the actions of Ganesha, which we must perform,” Mishra said.