In strict adherence to social distancing norms due to the spread of COVID, priests are performing Antyesti (last sacrifice) or funeral rites and 13th day rituals of the departed virtually. Priests are now staying away from cremation grounds, and also the houses of the deceased, and instead taking to video calling to perform the rituals.
Some elderly priests, however, are going to the crematoria on condition that they complete the formalities only if there were a few people, not more than 15. Some are asking the ‘yajaman’ (who leads the ceremonies on instructions from priests) to carry out the rituals on the river bank or at functional halls.
“The young priests are telling the family members of the dead that they would give the instructions on voice or video call, while some hapless, not-so-tech savvy elderly people are visiting in person and performing the Karma Kanda and other rituals by sitting in a far corner,” Telangana Archaka Samakhya working president Gangu Upendra Sharma said.
Speaking to The Hindu, Mr. Sharma said that there was a huge demand for purohits amid the rising number of COVID-19 deaths in Telangana. Due to lack of demand for pujas in the ongoing ‘Mudhami’ days (inauspicious days), purohits are unable to find any other work either, he said. There are over 6.40 lakh purohits in Telangana. Of them, only 50,000 perform Karma Kandas, while the rest practice auspicious pujas.
With purohitam being the only source of income for many, they are left with no option but to attend the Karma Kandas during the pandemic as well, he said. “Or else, how will they run the house, pay for their children’s education and meet the family expenditure. This is their only life skill through which they can earn money,” he said. He demanded the State government to support the priests as majority of them are from lower-middle class background and unable to meet the daily needs.
“For the past one year, our lives have become miserable. With hardly any source of income, some are unable to eat a single meal in a day, while many are risking their lives for a couple of thousands, and ending up paying lakhs in the hospitals,” he said. Raghunath Sharma, a pandit from Ramanthapur, said that in the last couple of days, he performed more than six funeral rites with a fear of contracting the deadly virus. “Being the sole bread-winner in the family, I have no option but to go out and make money,” he said. “My grandfather passed away a few weeks ago due to COVID, and the priest gave instructions to my father and uncle over the phone for the rituals,” a 23-year-old man from ECIL said.
