Pind Daan at Gaya temple during Pitru Paksh to take place amid Covid protocols

The Pitru Paksha Mela—a Hindu ritual to pray for souls of ancestors—organised yearly at Vishnupad temple at Gaya in Bihar has officially been cancelled for the second consecutive year due to Covid-19 fears but the authorities will not stop pilgrims from main rituals of Pind Daan (offering to souls of ancestors) at the shrine this year. In 2020, the temple doors remained shut and all the rituals were banned.

This year the temple has been allowed to receive pilgrims during the Pitri Paksha—beginning September 20--- but no one will be allowed without masks. Pilgrims have also been asked to carry negative Covid test and vaccination certificates by the temple management committee.

Pitru Paksha is a lunar phase during which Hindus pray and make offerings to the souls of their ancestors for their peace. Since ancient times these rituals have been held at the Vishnupad temple at Gaya and also on the banks of Falgu River and Akshay Vat- the ancient age Peepal tree on the temple premises. Some of the rituals are also observed atop the Brahmayoni hills, Ramshila hills and Pretshila hills at Gaya.

Every year, seven to nine hundred thousand Hindus from across the world visit Vishnupad temple during the Pitri Paksha period to perform Pind Dan rituals while the local administration makes special arrangements for their safety and security. This year the Pitri Paksha is to begin on September 20.

“We will not stop anyone from observing the rituals at the temple. But officially, the Pitru Paksha Mela has not been allowed even this year. The chance of a third wave of Covid-19 pandemic is still there and so the administration cannot take the risk of allowing big gatherings,” Abhishek Kumar, district magistrate (DM), Gaya, said. The administration has planned to carry out Covid tests of the visitors, he added.

Shambhu Lal Bitthal, the chairman of Vishnupad Prabandhkarini Samiti, said though the Pitru Paksha Mela has officially been cancelled even this year, pilgrims have started arriving.

“In fact, those who need to perform the rituals as per the tradition, cannot stop coming here. Also, everything is open now, ranging from the Vishnupad temple to railways to air services,” he said.

But the temple committee is also aware of the risks posed by mass gathering and is taking precautions to avoid Covid infections. “We have already made appeals to the pilgrims to carry their Covid test and vaccination papers. The Corona guidelines will be put on display at the entrance of the temple. The use of a mask and sanitiser is a must. We will also provide masks at the main entrance while a sanitisation machine has also been installed there,” he said.

He added that the temple administration will be meeting Gaya DM to discuss arrangements to quarantine pilgrims if they are found to be infected in tests carried out by the administration.