Supplementing the efforts of priests and pujaris were Artificial Intelligence (AI) enabled robots during the recently concluded 10-day Ganeshotsav at a pandal in Akola, Maharashtra. The Times of India (ToI) of September 10, 2024 reported that the robot priests "performed rituals with clinical precision.” While one robot offered turmeric and vermillion to the installed deity, another chanted mantras and rang a bell… another distributed prasad. Robotics firm KITS Tech Learning Center, whose idea this was, aims to promote awareness of robotics and technology in smaller towns, noted the ToI report. Akola is 560 km from Bombay and has a population of about 425,000 as per the 2011 census. Parsiana has come across news items from the 2010s showing a single robotic arm in use for Ganapati arti.
Partial view of robots conducting arti in Akola
Kajal Rajvaidya, chief executive officer (CEO) and founder of the robotics firm told the newspaper that "blending spirituality with technological advancements is essential in India.”
The CEO told Parsiana on September 27 that "for the first time, the arti, chanting, bell ringing, flower offerings, and even prasad distribution were all performed by robots...The idea behind this was not only to embrace the festive spirit but also to raise awareness about the potential of technology in our daily lives. This robotic demonstration was just a glimpse into what’s possible. In reality, robots are capable of doing so much more — they can take on jobs that are repetitive, dangerous, or even unimaginable for humans. This event was not a commercial endeavor; it was a heartfelt effort to showcase how robotics and AI can complement our traditions.”
Another report in the Free Press Journal of September 17 stated that the children of Narmadapuram’s (Madhya Pradesh) Springdales Senior Secondary School displayed a "Robotic Ganesh and Mouse” using computer programing, engineering, robotics and modern technology. Narmadapuram is 77 km from the state capital Bhopal.
In the robotic model, the idol is depicted seated in a garden with his vehicle, the mouse, positioned in front of him. "When a person approaches the mouse, a proximity sensor detects the presence. The mouse then lowers its hands, picks up durva (a type of grass) from the garden, and offers it at Lord Ganesha’s feet. In turn, Lord Ganesha lowers the modak (a traditional sweet) from his hand and feeds it to the mouse, accompanied by soothing music. After a short while, Ganesha’s hands rise again, and the mouse returns to its original position in the garden.”