Prayagraj: The ongoing Magh mela seems to have turned into a Sangam of technology and spirituality this year. As a number of devotees from across the country have not been able to make it to the grand annual fair owing to the Covid-19 pandemic, the seers have found a way to quench the spiritual thirst of their followers through technology.
They are connecting to their disciples through Skype, WhatsApp, Facebook live and module applications, and even uploading religious discourses on social media platforms.
Swami Pranav Puri regularly uploads Bhagwat Katha and Shri Ram Katha on his Facebook account for devotees who could not arrive at the mela this year. “When it comes to serving our distant followers, we do not hesitate in using the latest thechnology to connect with them,” he says.
“Well acquainted with latest mobile applications, we interact with our followers online, and also inform them about the auspicious dates and their significance,” says Swami Brahmashram Maharaj, national president of Akhil Bharatiya Dandi Sanyasi Parishad.
“Social media platforms and the latest video conferencing applications have undoubtedly helped us have uninterrupted conversations with our distant disciples,’ he adds.
Unlike previous years, when they used to be cut off from the outside world during kalpwas, this time the mahants and gurus are spending considerable time spiritually connecting with their distant pupils. On the mela campus, a majority of saints armed with smart phones and laptops can be spotted having virtual meetings with their followers.
Even the devotees sitting in foreign countries are able to connect with their gurus at the Magh Mela. Ashutosh Varshney, head of Ram Naam bank, says, “It is our pleasure to be able to communicate with and provide spiritual satisfaction to our followers sitting in faraway lands, and this could not have been possible without the use of latest technology.”
The young seers seem to be more tech savvy as they remain connected with their followers round the clock. “Technology is a boon for all of us, and this is why we are able spread our spiritual knowledge to different corners of the world.”