Computers, mobiles feature in Diwali puja

Marking a departure from the past, traders in Delhi included I-Pads, mobiles and computers along with their account books and idols of lord Ganesha and goddess Lakshmi in the puja that is part of Diwali festivities Sunday.

High inflation did not cloud the enthusiasm of people for the festivities. The trading communities attach special significance to Diwali, as account books are an inseparable part of the worship of lord Ganesha and goddess Lakshmi.

However, as the use of electronic gadgets in accounting become more common, on an appeal from the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT), people engaged in trade across the country included I-Pads, laptops, mobiles and cheque books in the ritual puja.

To save the trade from global retailers in the wake of Foreign Direct Investment in retail, traders also worshiped lord Hanuman, considered a saviour in time of crisis, and known also as "Sankatmochan" (the lord who helps tide over crisis).

"As I-Pads and computers have become part of the accounting system and more business is conducted through these gadgets, we added these in Diwali puja and worshiped them alongside lord Ganesha, goddess Laxmi and lord Hanuman," said B.C. Bhartia, CAIT national president.

At a Diwali puja in the CAIT headquarters at Karol Bagh in the national capital, the puja was performed by eminent religious scholars headed by Pandit Pramod Shastri.

A traditional welcome sign greeted those arriving, and flowers and petals of roses were used to decorate the space. Small clay oil lamps (diyas) were lit with mustard oil to signify prosperity and divine light. A blown-up image of a "lala" (trader) holding a computer showed how even worship was changing.

Idols of lord Ganesha and goddess Lakshi had milk and yogurt, honey, ghee and sugar (the "panchamrita") poured over them.