The Digital Darśana: Celebrating Durgā Pūjā 2020 During the Pandemic
Religious Super-diversity and Peacebuilding - An Anthropological Perspective - Alessandro Saggioro
Valeria Giampietri [+]
Sapienza University, Rome
Valeria Giampietri holds a master’s degree in south Asian studies from the Department ISO (Italian Institute of Oriental Studies), in Sapienza University, with a focus on language, literatures and cultures of Indian subcontinent. She has published essays and scientific articles in journals and collective volumes, reviews, and she has participated in conferences. Her research interests are ritual practices, gender, migration and transcultural studies.
Randa Khalil [+]
Sapienza University, Rome
Randa Khalil is a PhD candidate in History and Cultures of Europe at Sapienza University of Rome. Her research project is about Indian Contemporary Theatre in Europe.
Ludovica Tozzi [+]
Sapienza University, Rome
Ludovica Tozzi is a MA student of South Asian studies at Sapienza University, Italian Institute of Oriental Studies. Her academic career is focused on Hindi language and literature, societies and cultures of the Indian Subcontinent. Her studies are centered on literatures, gender dynamics and self representation, history of religions and performance studies.
Description
The chapter analyzes the way one of the main Hindu religious festivals, the Durgā Pūjā, has been celebrated by the Hindu Bangladeshi and Indian diasporic community in Rome, specifically in the neighborhood of Tor Pignattara, during the pandemic in October 2020. The focus of the present research is the process of adaptation of Durgā Pūjā during the pandemic along with the essential role of the internet and technologies that allowed worshippers to overcome Covid-19 restrictions and geographical borders for the people of Tor Pignattara district.