Holy anger as Indian priest ritual is put online

Priests in the Hindu holy town of Gaya in India have criticised a move to introduce an online version of a traditional ritual.

Thousand of Indians gather in Gaya every year to perform the last rites of their ancestors. The priests – known as pandas – have been performing the ritual called “pind daan” for centuries.

They described the Bihar government’s decision as an interference and an attack on “an old-age religious service”.

“We slam the motive to introduce online pinda daan. One cannot perform the ritual without being present physically. It is against the spirit of the religion and should be stopped,” Ramji Tripathi, a priest, told the Press Association.

Alok Mishra, another priest, said that the ritual can not be performed from the UK or Germany. “This is like cheating yourself and God as well,” he said.

Bihar’s deputy chief minister Shushil Kumar Modi announced last week the state government will introduce an online video link facility for Indians living abroad to perform the ritual. Mr Modi said that the government was preparing a special online package for the devotees from this season, which will start from September 3.

Pitrapaksh, a fortnight in September, is considered as the best time for the ritual. The religious service seeks salvation of the dead.

“The soul will never rest in peace until pind daan is performed by a male relative of the dead,” Mr Tripathi added.

Devotees shave their heads as part of the ritual and take a dip in the pond called Baitarni after the ritual on the banks of the Falgu river.