Mississauga allows temples to broadcast Hanuman Chalisa, Gayatri mantra

A Canadia city has allowed local temples to broadcast religious hymns during an auspicious period of Hindu festivals as regular worship remains impacted due to COVID-19 restrictions. Noise bylaws in Mississauga prohibit places of worship from using loudspeakers but the city council voted unanimously to relax those norms.

Earlier, Mississauga city councillors chose not to make a decision and referred the matter to the Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Committee (DIAC). The committee voted in support of temporarily relaxing the norms and allow temples to broadcast religious hymns like Hanuman Chalisa and Gayatri mantra. The city council abided by the decision and unanimously voted in favour.

The request to allow the broadcast was made by Hindu Forum Canada, which sought broadcast religious hymns once a day to celebrate the upcoming Hindu festivals of Krishna Janmashtami, Ganesh Chaturthi and Onam starting from August 11, 2020. In a letter to Mississauga Mayor and councillors, the organisation said that the Hindu diaspora has not been able to visit temples or observe their religious ceremonies.

“And thus have been deprived of experiencing much of their culture, religious practices and the experience of having their religious songs being sung publicly during these trying times,” the letter read. 

Read: Vrindavan's ISKCON Temple Sealed After 22 Test Positive For COVID-19

Read: Orrisa HC Leaves It To State Govt To Take Call On Reopening Of Temples As Per SC Directive

Opposed broadcast from local mosques

Hindu Forum Canada said that permitting temples to broadcast religious hymns for five minutes and a limited number of religious parades once a week will act as a “source of comfort”. Notably, the same organisation had earlier opposed the council’s decision to temporarily waive noise bylaw restrictions “for the broadcasting of the evening call to prayer from local mosques and other non-residential buildings regularly used for worship, for the period of Ramadan...up to May 24, 2020.”

“An unconstitutional, anti-national compromise was passed by Mississauga’s City Council on Wednesday April 29 2020. The motion offers comfort to the Islamic community at the expense of that of the larger Canadian population,” the organisation had said.

Read: ISKCON Delhi Temple To Celebrate Janmashtami On Aug 12, Entry Based On Limited Invitation

Read: New Zealand PM Pays Visit To Temple In Auckland, Netizens Applaud Her 'quality Leadership'