India often correlated as the land of diverse religion and culture experience people worshipping and believing in hundred different forms of god. In every few kilometers, one would hear prayers and bells; find temples, mosque, church and Gurudwara (Sikh temple); or a woody yet floral fragrance of incense. Although, there are people who identify themselves as atheist but a major population in India worships a form or a power. Many of us would agree of how we have seen our grandparents and parents following rituals and a strong believe in deities especially, during the time of festival and reverence to the divine power.

Stepping out from the debate of whether there is god or not and clearing off the wind, I personally believe in a supreme power and often take part in Hindu religious celebrations. So, a few months back, 14^th February to be exact, many corners of India celebrated ‘Vasant Panchami’, colloquially known as Saraswati Puja. Heaving relief from the severe and harsh winter, this festival marks the onset of a more pleasant season called vasant or spring. However, essentially, it is associated with the goddess of knowledge and wisdom called Saraswati.  In the auspicious day students irrespective of their age, pay homage and prayers towards the deity in hopes of attaining blessings from her. 

Along with this, I cannot ignore the role of grandparents in stressing the importance of education and knowledge one can gain by worshipping Devi Saraswati either by cleaning their study tables or actively participating in rituals. This is exactly how most of us were brought up. Now, imagine they were to hear about devotion and puja through mobile screens, digital apps and websites. We all know what we would be greeted with. I would definitely get a swarm of scolding, mocking remarks mourning death of traditions and at last, dismay towards the act.

While I was surfing through Google, looking for e-invitation cards for the puja, I came across a website called Astroved which provide remedial services such as fire prayers (Homas), poojas, and temple services virtually from their centre. Their web page enlisted key points on why to pray for her blessings such as “To develop sharp intelligence, memory power, and communication skill, To accomplish great success in research, academics or in upgrading professional talents, To acquire creative skills in a creative field such as art, music, graphics designing, dance, drama and To develop confidence, creativity, and power in your speech or writing”.

Instead of being religious, I found it overtly commercial. However, in this advancing technological expanse, a laggard can only be a spectator. Let us try to understand the mushrooming phenomena of digital temples and virtual worships in the context of today’s world along with the challenges it bears. 

Before diving into the promises and perils of virtual worship and digital temples, it is essential to grasp the idea and meaning of these terms. Today, if you ask someone for the meaning of temple, they would suggest a sacred structured building. Same way, ‘worship’ would refer to devotion that one offers in the above mentioned space. Now, in the technological sphere, virtual can mean something that is computer and software generated. On the other hand, digital refers to an electronic use of computer or computer technologies for functions facilitated by it. Let’s add these two terms in relation to ‘worship’ and ‘temple’, respectively. Then it would convey virtual worship as a type of worship carried, driven or made possible by software. This form of worship can only be facilitated under what we call ‘digital temple’. A temple offering services to god via computers. Some people may find it hilarious while others would see it as an innovation.

Although virtual worship is not a very recent phenomenon yet it saw surge mostly during and post- Covid 19 pandemic. When people were shut inside their houses, stripped off of hope, digital temples grew as a respite as well as a replacement of then physically inaccessible temples. One such instance was found in the district of Nazira in Assam where a temple, popularly known as the Agninav Shiv Mandir became Assam’s first digital temple.  Owned and served by a local resident, Mrs. Shikha Mozinder Bezbaruah and her husband established a shrine in their courtyard when they found snake infestation in the area. The temple existed before pandemic however, rose to fame only when Mrs. Bezbaruah started posting videos of prayers and lighting earthen lamps on the behalf of particular devotees on the social media platform, Facebook.

The platform became a catalyst in establishing the first digital temple in the north eastern state of Assam. In an one hour interview of Bezbaruah with a youtube channel called UNTOLD, she claimed, “if one selflessly believes in Agninav Baba (a supposed form of Lord Shiva), they need not come and visit them physically but can look and pray to the power through their mobile phones”. The owners are not new to criticism and online hate; and addressing this issue in the interview, she stated that it was none of their intentions to open something called a digital temple. Instead, when she found how devotees and followers were losing hope and light, she randomly posted videos of offering prayers online. Till this day, there are devotees who believe in this form of worship and claim to have seen results in the form of miracles whereas there is another group of people who finds integration of digital media technologies and the spiritual life quite uneasy. 

This digital approach has given birth to some paradox. This paradox can be best explained by a few statements that I found online, “Many people believe the capital T Temple is not a collection of buildings but a connection of devotees across time, space and place. While a Mala (rosary), a Murti (sacred image) and an Arti candle are sacred tools of Hindus, growth of digital temple has made phones, laptops and mobile applications necessary sacred tools”.

Comprehensive and In-depth reading on this issue has created two stark divisions between the usability of virtual platforms for devotion. One way, it promises to enhance worship experience whereas on the other hand is characterized by various challenges and concerns. Shedding light on the possible positive outcome, it enables accessibility to anyone who wants to participate by transcending beyond geographical barriers and also cultivates inclusivity by accommodating people from diverse backgrounds. It also helps to foster and build an online community connecting devotees globally and allowing interactions.

Following the concerns and its negative aspect, it has considerably contributed into loss of authenticity where traditional rituals often get distorted in digital settings, also has led to diminishing cultural and spiritual connections and experiences, became a reason for rising security and privacy risks because virtual platforms more often than not are vulnerable to data manipulation and finally, has widened the gap of digital divide, as, all communities are not digitally equipped to take part virtually.

The argument whether to go for virtual worship or physical temples are subjected to opinions and perspectives. I feel no one can compel today’s population to follow certain norms. I think, instead of asserting one’s view to others, believers should focus on their energy and the power they have faith in because, “Worship happens whenever God’s people turn to God in prayer, in lament, in grief, in thanksgiving, in praise. However, and whenever God’s people turn to God, God shows up”.