Almost a month after the nationwide lockdown came into force, Brajesh Pandey was battling with requests for a new Wi-Fi internet connection, a borrowed laptop, endless phone calls and ways to fight Covid-19. he is not a doctor.
Pandey, 29, is a Hindu priest in Lucknow.
News18 spoke to representatives of various religions to understand how people view religion during the pandemic. We also spoke to astrologers to learn how crisis and a troubled present sparked curiosity for the future.
“People were very scared. He could not call the doctors until he got sick. They could not go to temples. So he turned to religion and I am the way,” Pandey told News18.
Pandey had never needed a Wi-Fi connection or a laptop before. He lives alone in a one-room apartment in the capital of Uttar Pradesh and earns like every other ‘Pandit’ – Pooja.
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However, these prayer sessions, just like the time he was working in, were far from normal. Pandey was now hosting online puja sessions, he was paid on UPI and the invitation meant a Zoom link.
This was not the only change. The real change was in the demands. People were asking for prayers that could save them from coronavirus.
“I used to get at least a dozen calls every day where people asked me if I could give them a solution for Covid-19. Some worshiped and some worshiped. What we should do so that we don’t get infected was routine. There was intense fear,” Pandey said.
The puja shifted online, the priests were paid on UPI and the invitation meant a zoom link. (shutterstock)
Did he tell them about some ritual? Pandey laughed and continued.
“There is no worship for Covid-19. No ritual against a virus. But I hosted tens of prayer sessions in the name of COVID-19, saying these were meant to provide hope, which, frankly, they were. Why do people go to temples? to get power. These sessions were doing the same,” he said.
Pandey, an experienced priest, pointed to a direction that is well documented. For believers, one of the important functions of religion is in the therapeutic field. They turn to religion with great intensity in times of adversity and sorrow. Far beyond social distancing norms and curfew.
finding peace with allah
For Sabina Khatoon, religion was beyond the physical.
A study titled ‘The Link Between COVID-19, Anxiety, and Religious Beliefs in the United States and the United Kingdom’, published in the Journal of Religion and Health, found that “in response to the threat of the coronavirus, strong believers change religious beliefs.” further increased. While non-believers began to doubt religion even more.”
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Sabina Khatoon, 30, from Kolkata, falls in the East category. She told News18 that her faith got stronger during the pandemic and it helped her get rid of anxiety.
After getting infected with Covid-19, she realized that the isolation helped her build a stronger connection with Allah. However, she prays not because it is her religious duty, but because she believes that praying is a cornerstone of spirituality.
“I feel peaceful after sharing my burdens and worries with Allah. Certain verses from the Quran have the power to remove all kinds of troubles to the believer, including illness. It is said that if one “la hawala wa Recite La Quwwat Illa Bil’Ahil Aliyyil Azeem (There is no power and no power other than Allah) 99 times, then even the least important problems disappear. My family has been doing this for the past one year and our prayers have been answered.”
Mutawalli Mir Murtuja Ali Moosevi of Badshahi Ashurkhana in Hyderabad firmly believes that this time ‘Dua’ has won over ‘Dawa’.
“I have seen people who lost their loved ones even after spending lakhs on treatment. Now we all know that even if we are vaccinated, we can still get Kovid-19. Hence, more and more people are turning to the almighty to save themselves from this crisis, which is proving to be very powerful day by day,” he said.
Mir’s family has been the custodians of the 425-year-old Ashurkhana for 12 generations. “In the last one and a half years, there has been an increase in the number of people attending our weekly meetings. We take all measures to maintain the Covid protocol these days,” he said.
The followers of the Shia sect, explained to Mir, offer a prayer called ‘Dua-e-Sehat’.
“Earlier, requests for these prayers used to come only from people who were going for surgery or any medical procedure. But now, the request comes from those who want to pray for better health of every human being in this pandemic situation,” he said.
Salabath Jung’s descendant from the Nizam family and heritage expert Haseeb Jafri made an interesting observation of how technology became a platform for praying when physical presence was not possible.
“On the third day after the death of a person, the family members share the Quran among themselves and offer prayers for the deceased. After my mother passed away last year, we split chapters through WhatsApp groups and everyone read their share. “
churches stepped up
During the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic, Pune-based dance movement therapist and wedding gown label owner Renelle Snelexz found herself in her worst nightmare. Her elderly parents, who were alone in Kolkata, got infected while she was in Pune during the last few months of her pregnancy.
“I was constantly trying to coordinate with my parents from Pune for medicines, food and care. My mother was in critical condition and was on oxygen support at home; It was a very stressful time for us,” she recalled. Snelex said that during this time, all she needed to know was that there were people praying for her parents’ well being every day.
During the pandemic, volunteers from the Highway Church community formed a prayer chain. They would make a list of those who were seriously ill and were in need of prayer. These lists included people from the church community as well as strangers. The volunteers would take turns praying for the people on the list throughout the week.
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“On Saturday, we had (and continue to) a 24-hour prayer series, during which volunteers took every hour of the day to pray to the seriously ill, bereaved families, as well as those suffering from mental health issues. Used to go,” Snelex added.
The pandemic also changed the way people prayed. Previously, praying was either a solitary act or a communal one. However, now it has turned into a global act where people from all over the world can join together in a single service, as they are being conducted online.
Father Rosario Pushparaj, of St. Francis Xavier’s Chapel, Colaba, said that online services had become common during the pandemic, but that was not the only worship people did.
“Many people organized their services at home, and those who could not participate during the online service simply went to YouTube and watched it. However, since the lockdown, there has been an intense longing for people to return to the chapel,” said Father Pushparaj.
During the pandemic, many churches have provided spiritual, financial and even medical support. However, the health crisis of the magnitude we have seen has pushed many churches forward and much more.
Father Leon Cruz Ratinam, Director of Don Bosco Youth Services, Matunga, said, “The church used to provide counseling services at various places. The church has also organized several online programs by experts to help people deal with depression and anxiety.”
“For the youth, we had organized online programs to tackle this situation. The “Health Outreach Team” of the Bombay Archdiocese created a dedicated COVID helpline, and they, along with some youths from the Salesian Youth Movement, were participating in COVID-related calls,” he said.
Looking for Answers through Astrology
Ashu Babu, an astrologer from Patna said, “My phone doesn’t stop ringing.”
The pandemic has inspired a renewed belief in astrology, tarot card reading and spiritual healing.
“I am constantly being bombarded with phones from students and working officials. The work-from-home routine seems to have taken a toll on their working or studying patterns. Yesterday, a 25-year-old client asked me if I could write him a stone that would increase his concentration power as he was making mistakes at work and was afraid of missing out on promotions,” Ashu Babu said.
The pandemic has inspired a renewed belief in astrology, tarot card reading and spiritual healing. (shutterstock)
Another question that kept coming to him again and again was about divorce. He attributed this to the deteriorating mental health of his clients, who have seen a lot of negativity in the past year.
Gurgaon-based tarot card reader, Sakshi Singhal conducted free treatment sessions for several COVID-19 victims. With more than 200 such sessions including Reiki treatments, she has been able to heal many severely infected COVID victims.
“I regularly deal with COVID patients as my clients. Hair loss as a post-Covid symptom has left many of them extremely worried. ‘Will I get my hair back?’ This is the most common question that I have faced in the last few months. Growing bald patches, declining hair line has deeply affected the self esteem of these people and they are looking for some hope, some positivity by resorting to astrology and spiritual remedies,” said Sakshi.
She also spoke about concerns among several of her clients, who have spoken of experiencing foul smell in their home, just like a dead body lying in front of them after recovering from Covid-19. Such horrifying experiences and their long-lasting impact have been the core of all his seasons.
This story is part 3 of a 4-part series on pandemic consequences. Click Here To read Part 1 on COVID-19 and its impact on mental health and Here For part 2 how covid has changed career paths.
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