Click to play videoMumbai: It's not your typical Maharashtrian accent and some of the rituals may seem a little unfamiliar but a devotee, Swati, isn't complaining.
Getting priests for performing puja during the festive season, especially Ganesh sthapana, has become next to impossible.
Swati feels lucky to be attending a puja, even if it means those performing it aren't Maharashtrian priests.
“I don’t care where they come from as long as they can do their job properly,” said Swati.
With over two lakh idol immersions planned, the 5000-odd Maharashtrian priests in Mumbai have been booked out.
And so Atul Mahajan, who was on the look out in vain for priests to assist him on this puja, finally had to bring them from Uttar Pradesh.
“This is not a new trend. Priests have been coming in for the last ten years but over the last two three years it has been spiralling out of control,” said Mahajan from Mukteshwar Devalay Mandir.
“The mantras are the same. The acharyas from here tell us how to incorporate the local traditions and customs into the rituals and our patrons are pleased,” said another priest.
For these priests too, coming to Maharashtra is a boon. Grateful families add travel expenses to the dakshina they normally get. And they often get repeat bookings.
It's a win-win situation for both devotees and the priests proving that God does indeed help those who help themselves.
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