For NRI bhakts wanting to hold on to rituals, internet-friendly pandits come to the rescue

What time should we come online for puja, panditji?

For NRI bhakts wanting to hold on to rituals, internet-friendly pandits come to the rescue

    If you thought that video chats were only for forlorn lovers in a long-distance relationship waiting to catch a glimpse of their better half, or for the tech-savvy parents who make an account just to see their ladla beta/beti settled abroad, here’s some news. The latest category of video call users is that of the internet-friendly panditjis who perform online pujas for the NRI bhakts.
Mumbai-based pandit Atul Arvind Dixit, who has been performing video chat puja for NRIs says he does Ganpati pujas, griha pravesh, Satyanarayan puja, jap and more via the net. “There are a lot of demands for these. Especially, during Ganpati and Diwali, we get requests from the USA and Canada. A lot is possible — bacchhe ka naam karan and Vastu Shanti (before entering a new house) too. Only, we cannot do a havan.”
    It works in a two-step method. Says Dixit, “I first have an online meeting with the person and tell them what exactly the preparation is. Then comes the video chat where I instruct them during the puja. There’s also the side-by-side option where, during the video chat puja, I conduct the proceedings and the bhakts follow each step.” He wasn’t as savvy about the internet as he is today. “I did not know much, but my friends taught me,” he admits.
    Owing to the distance factor, these pujas have to come with a set of instructions. As another pandit, Ranjan Shastri says, “Wahaan ke logon (NRIs) ke paas samagri hoti hai aur hum unhe computer screen par dekh-dekh ke instructions dete hain. Bachche ka naamkaran, grih pravesh aur paath toh bahut baar karwa chuke hain hum. Unki wishes ke hisaab se hi hum puja karvate hain aur translate bhi karte hain.”
    Some pandits also perform pujas in their respective temples and then send a video recording to the concerned people. Mumbai-based pandit Raj Kumar Sharma affirms this, “We have a camcorder at the Khar temple. Those who stay outside can see the havan in the mandir. In addition, I perform online pujas, sometimes upto 50 a month during festival times as well as send bhakts the puja via 2G and 3G technology and through videography.” And what about the payment? “We do it all online, settled through emails. Right from the consultation stage to finally when people pay us via online credit payment system. ”
    But isn’t the time difference a problem? Adds pandit Ashok Shastri, “Devi devta yahaan ke hote hain, toh time bhi yahin ka dekha jaayega. Hum mahurat nikalte hain aur zyaadatar havan subah hi hote hain. Unhe problem ho toh kya, par mahurat toh yahin ka hoga na, chahe wahaan kitni bhi raat ho.” Well, in most cases, a 7 am (IST) havan would anyway mean early evenings for the bhakts abroad, which would turn out to be quite comfortable. Pandit happy, bhakts happy too!