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MUMBAI, INDIA, August 18, 2011 (Times of India): For the first time, 280 girls from will serve as purohits (priests who invoke blessings for families and who do not work for a temple) in the upcoming 10-day Ganesh Chaturthi festival. The girls, along with 70 boys, are being groomed in performing puja to install the murti of Lord Ganesha in homes across Mumbai Central.
In preparation for the big day, the 350 children from Abhyudaya Nagar, Kalachowkie have been practicing the mantras and rituals in a cramped schoolroom for the past month. A professional purohit has been engaged to teach them the right intonation and the correct way to perform the rituals. The children have been attending coaching classes on the premises for their regular school subjects.
The idea was the brainchild of Naresh Dahibawkar, president of the Brihanmumbai Ganesh Utsav Samanvay Samiti (BGUSS). "There are only 3,000 purohits across the city. This year, we expect over 220,000 Ganesha murtis to be installed in houses and sarvajanik mandals in Mumbai. People often have to wait for a purohit."
"Since we run a coaching class and knew of children who were learning Sanskrit, we asked them if they would be interested. We received an overwhelming response from girls," said Kailash Kadam, who heads the training program. "Right now, we have concentrated on teaching them mantras and rituals. We will be teaching them the meaning of the mantras and what each action and item used in the puja signifies." :high5:
In preparation for the big day, the 350 children from Abhyudaya Nagar, Kalachowkie have been practicing the mantras and rituals in a cramped schoolroom for the past month. A professional purohit has been engaged to teach them the right intonation and the correct way to perform the rituals. The children have been attending coaching classes on the premises for their regular school subjects.
The idea was the brainchild of Naresh Dahibawkar, president of the Brihanmumbai Ganesh Utsav Samanvay Samiti (BGUSS). "There are only 3,000 purohits across the city. This year, we expect over 220,000 Ganesha murtis to be installed in houses and sarvajanik mandals in Mumbai. People often have to wait for a purohit."
"Since we run a coaching class and knew of children who were learning Sanskrit, we asked them if they would be interested. We received an overwhelming response from girls," said Kailash Kadam, who heads the training program. "Right now, we have concentrated on teaching them mantras and rituals. We will be teaching them the meaning of the mantras and what each action and item used in the puja signifies." :high5: