Arya Samaj is known for performing various samskaars and Yagna on special occasions like birthdays, house warming etc., in simple ways. A large number of people, even when they are not members of Arya Samaj, reach out to the local Arya Samaj to nominate purohits to perform these Samskaars in their homes and offices.
Current situation
- The guests wanting to perform the Samskaar call up any of the officials of the Arya Samaj or the office number to request for the Samskaar.
- When these calls come, the receiver of the call may be busy doing something else. He may not be able to attend to the call effectively enough, nor take down the details properly.
- The official taking the call then checks with various purohits on their availability. Once they are available, he confirms the Purohit for the Samskaar.
- The purohit gets the details of the Yajmaan (person who has requested for the Samskaar to be performed) either from the official of the Samaj who has taken the details or by calling the Yajmaan directly.
- The Yajmaan pays the Purohit directly. There is no visibility to the Samaj on how much have the Purohits been paid.
- There have been cases where the Purohits have demanded a specific sum from the Yajmaan or indulged in practices which are not in the spirit of service. This has earned a poor name for the Samaj who has recommended the Purohit.
- Often, the purohits and Yajmaan establish direct contact with each other. Relationship with the Yajmaan is then owned by the Purohit. The samaj loses contact with the Yajmaan and there is no participation of the Yajmaan in activities of the Samaj.
- The details of the Yajmaan are not stored in a database of the Samaj. Hence, Yajmaans are not invited for any of the functions of the Samaj. There is no way left with the Samaj to engage with the Yajmaan.
Arya Samaj Digital Foundation has rolled out a solution to the above problems through digital booking of purohits for Yagya or Sanskaars. They have also modified a few rules of engagement with the purohit.
- Guests or Yajmaan are encouraged to register a request for a Samskaar through an online portal. All relevant details of the Samskaar etc., are captured in the portal.
- At the backend, the Admin sends notifications to the Purohits with the details of the Samskaar. Purohits confirm their availability.
- Depending on availability of Purohits, Samskaar is confirmed.
- All details of the Samskaar are whatsapped through the system to the Purohit, including the date, address, location.
- Yajmaan are encouraged to make payment online. The minimum charges for various Samskaar are given online.
- Yajmaan can make a donation to Samaj that is over and above the minimum charges.
- If Yajmaan is unable to make the minimum payment, Arya Samaj pays to the purohit the shortfall in the amount to be paid to him. Thus, the Samaj acts as a guarantor of the charges to be paid to the Purohits to perform the Samskaar.
- Feedback is received online from the Yajmaan on how the purohit performs the Samskaar.
- Purohit also gives feedback on the behaviour and hospitality of the Yajmaan that gets recorded.
- If you are interested in adopting a similar practice in your own Arya Samaj, or if you would like to know more, fill up the Form.
Link to the form for samaj to express their interest