Silent Krishna Janmashtami celebrations this year

Krishna Janmashtami is being celebrated across the

country

amid

Covid-19 pandemic

, and this year the celebrations have been silent and gloomy, informs locals. Every year the celebrations are the same, however, due to the

pandemic

the puja will be held sans devotees.

“Ashtami Puja inscribed in Chaturmas Pujan; we worship Shaligram and offer tulsi and perform a sacred puja. We also offer prasad made from poha to all the visitors who used to come. This year will be different. My folks get together to celebrate the festival but we make sure that we maintain hygiene and social distancing. This is the new normal and we have to adapt to the change,” says

Raghuvir Mahale

, from Mala, who will be celebrating the puja at his home. He adds, “I will miss some of my family members and relatives who will not be able to make it this year for Janmashtami. Some of them are hesitant to travel here as the number of COVID cases is drastically increasing. But we will celebrate with my folk at home.”

This year, the excitement at the Kamat house in Verem, Batim will not be the same, but the necessary rituals will take place. “This year my sister who lives in Margao won’t be able to come home. The excitement will not be the same as we used to have in the last so many years, but the puja will take place. We will be sending some pictures of the puja to her via chat messages, we have now realised that this will be the future and we have to accept the change till things get better. We also plan on sending some prasad to her,” says Sagun Kamat.