The deadly Novel Coronavirus scare has affected religious functions in State Capital as Mahavir Mandal the religious group which organizes Ram Navami procession here has decided to cancel this year’s procession. This is for the first time in 91 year history of Ram Navami celebration in Ranchi that no procession will be taken out. Mahavir Mandal president, Jai Singh Yadav said, “This year we have decided not to take out any Ram Navami procession due to Coronavirus scare. As lakhs of people participate at Ram Navami procession which can easily spread the disease we have decided to cancel all the religious procession.”
Yadav, however, said that though Ram Navami procession has been cancelled this year we have urged devotees to celebrate the festival at their homes. Ram Navami procession is one of the biggest festival in Ranchi as lakh of people from different parts of Capital such as Ratu, Itki, Kanke, Bariatu, Harmu and other regions reach Tapovan temple in Doranda area.Meanwhile, Mahavir Mandal patron Pawan Bajaj, president Tilak Raj Ajmani and others have urged people to celebrate the festival from home.
Huge processions are taken out by hundreds of participants, divided into small and big groups, led by marching troupes of devotees holding aloft in their hands huge saffron flags with beautiful pictures of Lord Hanuman in flying posture, hooked up on top of tall and dry bamboos. The devotes also play drums, bugles and nagaras or staging mock war-like dances in the background of high beats of drums marching towards Tapovan Temple.
Ram Navami is celebrated every year by the Hindus to commemorate the birth of Lord Rama, who is believed to be one of the Dashavatara (ten incarnations) of Lord Vishnu.
As there will be no Ram Navami procession this year, people’s crowd at Upper Bazaar the market place was very thin for buying Ram Navami flags. Only handful of shops selling Puja item were opened selling flags.
Mukesh Gupta, owner of one of shop at Mahavir Chowk said, “It is first time in history of Ram Navami celebration in Capital that no Ram Navami procession will be taken out. People voluntarily have decided to keep away from Ram Navami procession due to Coronavirus scare.” Gupta said the entire Upper Bazaar area including Mahavir Chowk used to epicenter of Ram Navami procession. Even residents have decided to celebrate the festival from their homes. Ganesh Jaiswal a resident of Mahavir Chowk said, “We have decided to celebrate the festival from home. We have purchased flags and bamboo and other items from market for festival.” Apart from Mahavir Mandal various religious associations such as Vishwa Hindu Parishad too have asked people to celebrate the festival at home and maintain social distancing.