Even as the country was in the middle of a pandemic, Hindu priests were in high demand during the recent Naag Panchami (the day of worship of snakes) and Janai Purnima (the day of wearing of holy thread). Many people wanted the priests to come to their homes and bless them on these auspicious occasions, even by braving the grave corona risk. Did the priests oblige?    

Like folks from most other professions, the priests too are caught between the fear of the pandemic and their livelihood. It’s a tough choice.

Balram Aryal, a 21-year-old priest who plies his traditional trade in Kanchanpur in far-western Nepal, is often involved in religious ceremonies at the local Shree Radhakrishna Muktinarayan Mandir. He says more and more people started coming to the temple for rituals and pooja after the end of the nationwide lockdown. “I think people visit temples when they can’t see a way out of their problems and seek divine guidance, as is happing now,” he adds.

People also sometimes summon Aryal to their homes for rituals. “Despite the pandemic, some people, especially the elderly, want to continue with their religious rituals like pooja, Graha Shanti, and so on,” he says.

Prajwal Luitel, 30, a priest in Kathmandu, has seen a slight increase in religious activities after the end of the lockdown. Yet he says that “except for most important rituals such as Nwaran [child’s naming ceremony] and funeral rites, other poojas and purans are not being performed”.

In the reckoning of Keshav Upadhyaya, 25, a practicing priest in Dang district in mid-western Nepal, the pandemic has increased people’s devotion. “Yes, I find that people do turn to God during hard times. Yet their religiosity will be tested the more the pandemic grips the country,” he says.

But Bishnu Prapanna, 40, a priest native to Kathmandu, fears the extinction of religious beliefs, activities, and cultures after witnessing major religious functions and services being put off for months on end. 

Health and safety

Priests are also abiding by certain safety measures to protect themselves and their clients from the virus. During the recent Janai Purnima, a video went viral on social media. It showed a priest, with protective face gear on, putting the sacred thread (doro) around a devotee’s wrist, but before doing so, he rubbed his hands with sanitizer. 

Priest Aryal, when asked about safety measures, says devotees without masks are not allowed into the temple. Crowds and big gatherings are also barred. 

While visiting homes to perform rituals, Aryal always wears a mask, and never eats outside. 

Luitel has now canceled all non-urgent work after the recent surge in corona cases. “I must think about my family’s safety. Unless it’s urgent, I convince my hosts to postpone the rituals they want to perform,” he says. 

Besides normal safety measures, like wearing a mask and using sanitizers, Upadhyaya takes a bath, both before and after a ritual. And Prapanna says he avoids public vehicles: “I would rather walk for two hours, than get a ride where I could possibly contract the virus.”

With or without the pandemic, Upadhyaya says religious people are always following health and safety measures. They don’t eat outside, they try to minimize their contact with others, except during ceremonies, and they maintain cleanliness. “We, the priests, do not eat junk food or meat, from where we could get bacteria and virus. And we regularly meditate to boost our immunity,” he explains.  

Going online?

If the pandemic continues, the livelihood of these priests may take a battering. This is why Prajwal Luitel is already thinking outside the box. As an alternative to going to temples or visiting people’s homes, he is now thinking of providing his services virtually. Luitel has already done a virtual pooja for one of his friend’s family during the lockdown. “It was a big success and I intend to continue with it,” he says.

Though online rituals are an alternative, not everyone has access to internet and smartphones. Nor are big rituals possible online. “In these tough times, we will all have to be a bit innovative and flexible,” Luitel says.