A traditional Durga Puja in rural Jharkhand has gone hi-tech to avoid large gatherings and maintain social distancing amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

Being the only one in the village, the nearly 300-year-old puja of the Ghosh family of Marrah in Bokaro district is attended by nearly 600 families residing in the village bordering Bengal. Marrah is located around 35km from the district headquarters.

The Ghosh family has installed Wi-Fi connection with a coverage area of about 20 metres so that people can witness the puja rituals even from a distance outside the temple premises.

Ghosh family members discuss arrangements on the family temple premises at Marrah village in Bokaro on Tuesday Shabbir Hussain

“This is the only Durga Puja in the village that our forefathers had begun about three centuries ago and everyone attends it,” said Sheetal Ghosh, a septuagenarian member of the Ghosh family. He said they thought the use of technology would help avoid a large gathering and also maintain social distancing.

The Ghosh family has grown really large over the centuries but most of its members who are now scattered across the country and even abroad try to return to the village for witnessing the traditional family puja, he said. However, he lamented that most of them would not be able to come this year because of the pandemic.

They contacted an agent of a mobile network service provider for getting a Wi-Fi connection and routers that would help stream puja proceedings live.

A cable line has been laid for installing a broadband connection and routers set up, whose cost has been borne the organisers.

“We are also seriously thinking of installing screens at strategic locations so that people can watch the rituals from a distance,” said Pritika Datta, a daughter-in-law of the family who now lives in Delhi but is actively involved in organising the Wi-Fi connection.

“I’m a comparatively new member of the family but I’ve seen how my husband and his cousins enjoy the family get-together,” Pritika said. She said they would miss the celebrations this time.

Children of the Ghosh family attend online classes aided by the Wi-Fi connection Shabbir Hussain

“But we are trying to get together online through social media, at least during the special rituals such as Sandhipuja (offered at the confluence of Ashtami and Navami), so that we get a glimpse of the goings-on at the village,” she said.

However, the frequent and prolonged power cuts the village faces and poor mobile connectivity may turn out to be a damper. But the family are hopeful that power supply would improve during pujas and broadband Internet connection would also ensure better mobile connectivity.

“We are keeping our fingers crossed,” Pritika said.