While devout Hindus wait for up to 90 hours to see theirfavourite deity at Ganesh Chaturthi, one of India’s major festivals, others areopting to dodge the queues this year in a unique way. The 11-day celebration ofthe birth of Lord Ganesha draws millions to worship at decorated idols of the god,but the statues are increasingly available to followers via live Internetstreams. “Every year people were requesting it, so this year we decided to go online,”said Uday Salian, committee spokesman at the Andhericha Raja, a popular Ganeshaidol in Mumbai.
The colourful figure can be watched for free on theirwebsite during the twice daily ‘aarti’ ritual, when offerings of light are madeto the deity, meaning devotees can receive their blessings through the net. Themove was largely meant for overseas followers, but religious domestic marketsare also being tapped. The Lalbaugcha Raja, Mumbai’s favourite statue, getsabout ten million visitors during the festival.
It also appears on YouTube and television, and is being livestreamed around the clock to mobile phones - for a fee. Live streaming is justone way content providers, telecom firms and mobile app makers are latchingonto Hindu traditions as the online Indian market grows, especially on phones.
During the ongoing festival, people can download Ganesha puzzlegames, perform a ceremony known as ‘pooja’ with the help of a mobile instead ofa priest, and listen to chanting applications. Vistaas Digital Media, which hasacquired the live mobile rights to the Lalbaugcha Raja, started the ‘DivineIndia’ website three months ago and so far has 50,000 paid subscribers, paying200 rupees a month.
The site offers live streaming from more than 60 holy sitesof different religions practiced across the country, along with footage frommore than 1,500 shrines. The firm aims for half a million subscribers by the year’send. “I saw people travel for a long time and stand in long queues and theydidn’t get a single second in front of the god. I wanted a way for people topray peacefully at home,” said Vistaas founder Rajiv K. Sanghvi. “All theGanesha pandals in the city have become more and more commercial,” AnilDharker, a Mumbai-based columnist on social issues, said.
But he doubted that Internet schemes would win over physicalvisitors. “It’s not just a religious experience, it’s also a social occasion,”he said. Much of the online demand comes from the global Indian diaspora, butentrepreneurs still see potential gaps within India itself. “There’s so much demandon the priest’s time that he might not be available at the time you want,” saidRajendra Vaishampayan, whose company provided audio content for a series ofiChants and iPooja mobile applications.
Undeterred by the chaos and the afternoon sun, 28-year-oldChetan Lad joined the jostling hours-long queue in Mumbai to see his belovedLalbaugcha Raja, despite having access on his phone. “I watch ‘aarti’ online aswell, but on one day I have to come and visit,” he said.
