The COVID-19 pandemic has not spared the religions as well. Every religion, whether Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, Sikhism or Buddhism is deeply affected the spread of COVID virus. Religious places like mosques, temples or churches, or any other worship places are temporarily closed as lockdown is imposed and people have to strictly follow the social distancing norms. This has led to the cancellation of worship services, pilgrimage, celebration of festivals, or any kind of religious gathering. Closure of worship places at the time of pandemic has questioned the credibility of such places. Do people need worship places? Or we all can pray from home and can directly connect with God.? Do we need religious priests or religious gurus in our life? This pandemic has given rise to such questions that need to be answered.
This is the first time in the last 200 years where all the religious places are closed. Due to this, there is a quick shift of religious services from in-person to online worship. And due to several digital payment apps, priests are demanding online money transfer for providing any service.
Mecca which is located in Saudi Arabia is a sacred worship place for Muslims. Every year lakhs of Muslims from around the world travel to Mecca for performing “Hajj”. The Hajj is an annual Islamic pilgrimage and is the fifth of the fundamental Muslim practices and institutions known as the Five Pillars of Islam. But due to the outbreak of COVID-19, the government of Saudi Arabia has canceled the Hajj this year which dashed the hopes of many Muslims who were about to travel to Mecca for the first time.
The Hindu festival of Panguni Uthiram, was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. To counter the spread of COVID-19 and to encourage social distancing norms the Nepal government has given permission to only 25 pilgrims at once in the holy Pashupatinath Temple in Kathmandu, Nepal
Many Hindu festivals like Holi, Navaratri, Ram Navami, Hanuman Jayanti, and various regional Hindu new year days such as Vaisakhi, Nyepi, Ugadi, Gudi Padwa, Bohag Bihu, Vishu, Pahela Baishakh, Jude Sheetal, Pana Sankranti, Navreh, Cheti Chand, Puthandu, Aluth Avurudda, Sajibu Nongma Panba, Bwisagu, and Mesha Sankranti have to all be celebrated at home by Hindus around the world due to the strict lockdown in India and elsewhere. Temple priests and religious gurus used the technology to connect with the people and prayer services have been live-streamed for viewers to watch at home.
Many churches in America and Europe have been ringing their church bells five times a day. Priests of the Church have requested the followers to switch to online worship. Many countries in Europe have canceled their Semana Santa festival. The Vatican announced that Holy Week observances in Rome, an important part of the Christian penitential season of Lent, have been canceled.
Everybody wants to practice their religion defying social distancing norms. People fail to understand that any type of religious gathering is dangerous for the health of everyone. People should pray at their homes and encourage each other to follow the social distancing norms. Whether you are at home or at a religious place, God is watching you. Life is more important at the moment. And if you survive then only you will get a chance to pray when things become normal.
Yukti Kumar @ Samacharline
