KOLKATA: The pandemic has not only changed the way we celebrate our festivals but also how the rituals are performed.
Close to 175 priests in various stages of seniority have assembled in Kolkata for a nine-day workshop to learn about the Covid-19 safety guidelines during Durga Puja next month and how to perform various rituals incorporating the protocol.
They will also be given a crash course to brush up their chanting skills and many of them have newly joined the profession.
The workshop which started on Sunday evening is being held at the Sovabazar Rajbari in north Kolkata.
“The pandemic has changed our festivals and how we perform the rituals. In a festival like Durga Puja, the most crowded part is the inside of the pandal, where the deity is positioned and the priest is performing the rituals. So, from the safety point of view, it is important that the priests responsible for performing the rituals have the correct understanding of the safety guidelines not only for his own safety but also the visitors and to ensure that all the rituals are performed abiding by the rule book,” said Jayanta Kushary of Sarba Bharatiya Prachya Vidya Academy, a school of oriental studies.
The government has made mask mandatory in public places. “But puja cannot be performed wearing something that is sewn. So, we will be teaching them on how to tie a big hanky or a piece of cloth during that time. They will also have to ensure that the entire place is sanitised and they are fully vaccinated,” said Kushary.
Last year the maximum number who could enter the pandal to offer Anjali at a given point of time was fixed. “The priests will have to ensure that the number does not exceed. Also, hurling flowers at the deity will not be allowed. Devotees will have to put the flowers at a designated point from where they will be picked up. People crowd in front of the priests clicking pictures of the idols. Priests will have to ensure that it doesn’t happen,” said Kushary.
Number of Durga Pujas in the city and its suburbs has been rising, including community Durga Pujas and those celebrated in housing societies. This has increased the demand for priests to perform the rituals associated with the festival. Many new people have joined the profession to fill the demand and supply gap. “During the workshop we will train those, who are new, on how to chant the mantras properly and work on their diction. They will also be shown the right ways to perform the rituals,” said Kushary.
