8. The Digital Darśana: Celebrating Durgā Pūjā 2020 During the Pandemic
Religious Super-diversity and Peacebuilding across Asia and its Diasporas - Alessandro Saggioro
Valeria Giampietri [+]
Sapienza University, Rome
Valeria Giampietri is a Ph.D. candidate in Civilizations of Asia and Africa at Sapienza University of Rome, with a focus on language, literature and cultures of the 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 Ph.D. candidate in Civilizations of Asia and Africa at Sapienza University of Rome. Her academic career is focused on Hindi and Bengali languages and literatures, societies and cultures of the Indian Subcontinent. Her research interests are centred on literature, gender studies and narratives, 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.