I was approached by a number of Hindu priests enquiring if they can go to a clients home to perform puja and other rituals after a death in the family. I have sought clarifications from the health department and they have said that a priest can go to provide funeral and memorial service.
Performances of all shradh and other puja/rituals at the home of the family of a departed person are a memorial service and therefore can be performed provided all other Covid rules are followed. These rules include that only the family members are present and the priest goes alone, everyone wears a mask and observes social distancing. Family and priests should check for the latest lockdown rules. A link to the rules is provided below.
information here: https://www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/rules/affected-area#visiting-the-area-of-concern:
- If you live inside Greater Sydney (including the Blue Mountains, Central Coast, Shellharbour, and Wollongong local government areas), you can enter the local government areas of Blacktown, Campbelltown, Canterbury-Bankstown, Cumberland, Fairfield, Georges River, Liverpool or Parramatta if you have a reasonable excuse.
- Reasonable excuses included attend a funeral or memorial service that complies with the rules for funerals and memorial services and to provide pastoral care if you are a priest, minister of religion or member of a religious order.
Funerals and memorial services
Number of people
A maximum of 10 people can attend a funeral or memorial service or gathering afterwards in Greater Sydney.
The 10 person maximum also applies to an outdoor funeral, memorial service or gathering afterwards. A funeral cannot occur at a place of residence.
In addition to the 10 people attending the service there may also be
- a person conducting the service
- other people who are necessary for the preparation and conduct of the service.
Who can attend
Attending a funeral or memorial service is a reasonable excuse to leave home and to enter the local government areas of Blacktown, Campbelltown, Canterbury-Bankstown, Cumberland, Fairfield, Georges River, Liverpool or Parramatta.
People from the local government areas of Blacktown, Campbelltown, Canterbury-Bankstown, Cumberland, Fairfield, Georges River, Liverpool or Parramatta can only leave their place of residence to attend a funeral, memorial service or gathering afterwards outside of Greater Sydney if they are a spouse (including de facto), parent, child or sibling of the deceased.
Surinder Jain,
