India Post News Service
As individuals and organizations grapple with financial, social, emotional and spiritual ramifications of the COVID-19, the BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha hosted a special prayer known as Mahapujaat at each of its six Shikkarbaddh(traditional stone) mandirs in North America on Sunday, March 29, 2020. The Mahapuja was held for the well-being of all people, regardless of religion, nationality, race, or beliefs, for a quick resolution to the pandemic. Although these mandirs locallyhost such Mahapujas, on a smaller scale once a month, the pujas performed the past Sunday were done via live webcast with over 12,000 families across North America participating in the rituals from the safety of their homes.
Devotees and well-wishers were provided information about the webcast and instructions on how to actively participate in the online event. BAPS strongly discouraged anyone from going out to purchase items that would normally be a part of such a puja in order to comply with social distancing guidelines. At 9:00 am local time, the Pujya Swamis began the rituals. In the spirit of the Upanishadic verse ‘Vasudhaiv Kutumbakam’(the whole world is one family), prayers were said for the well-being and betterment ofall living beings and for an end to the COVID-19 pandemic.
BAPS closed all mandirs worldwide early in the pandemic in accordance with governmental and scientific community guidelines creating a void in the lives of many devotees. “Not being able to go to the mandir for darshan, meet the Swamis and other devotees, and do aarti and Mahapuja on a regular basis has left a hole in my spiritual life. By having this virtual Mahapuja, a bit of that void has been filled. It was nice to see the faces of the swamis with whom I regularly interact,” said Siddharth Dubal of Robbinsville, New Jersey.
Another devotee, Sheetal Desai from Atlanta, Georgia, added, “Although we were not together in the mandir, knowing that many other families from the area were participating in the Mahapuja brought a sense of community and togetherness, something we had taken for granted prior to this horrible situation.”
BAPS and its affiliate organizations have consciously used social media and digital platforms such as Instagram, Twitter, Medium and Whatsapp to foster continuation of spirituality in these difficult times. Through these channels, the importance of social distancing and handwashing has been reinforced to thousands across the country in English, Hindi and Gujarati.
BAPS Charities, the organization’s humanitarian arm, has donated nearly 19,000 N.95 respiratory masks to some of the hardest hit healthcare facilities in the New York metropolitan area and Canada. Additionally, other volunteer efforts have been mobilized including donating and delivering food to local hospitals and first responders, as well as, safely delivering food to significantly impacted households. BAPS Mandirs are lit in blue to express support and solidarity to doctors, nurses, paramedics, public safety officers, and other frontline workers.
