SPEAK UP
MUMBAI | THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2010
SURVEY NUMEROLOGICSI
The Quality of Life survey by DNA and AZ
Research found that overall, while 55%
of adults pray everyday, Thane comes out
tops as the most devout area with 65%
adults offering prayers. Further, those
residing in Mumbai seem more inclined
towards meditation. In central suburbs
this number goes up to 50%. (Sample:
1200, SEC A/B, Age: 28-60 years, M/F)
SPIRITUAL CALL
The following graphs represent different parts
of Mumbai in terms of their praying habits. The
numbers reflect the percentage of people that
pray and meditate everyday.
Overall
55%
Mumbai
54%
Navi
Mumbai
54%
Thane
65%
Faith and the city: Just one
prayer away from God
Mumbai takes the saying, ‘God is everywhere’, very seriously. A majority of Mumbaikars find time to pray or
meditate, wherever they are — on the go, at home or at their workplace, finds Nitin Kumar
anish philosopher Soren
D Kierkegaard once said, “Prayer
does not change God, but it
changes him who prays.” And if change
is the only constant, then it is inevitable
that man prays regularly, isn’t it?
Just the reason why, no matter how
busy our lives might be, we pray. In In-
dia, it manifests itself in several ways
— bowing in respect in front of a Sai
Baba statue on your way to work, gen-
uflecting in front of the Ganesh Idol at
school before entering your examina-
tion hall, remembering the Almighty at
the morning assembly — devotion finds
form everywhere.
According to the Quality of Life sur-
vey by DNA and AZ research, overall
55% of adults in the city pray, where-
as the number of people who meditate
is seen to be rising, especially in Mum-
bai city. In fact, the survey findings in-
dicate that meditation as a habit has
become quite popular in central sub-
urbs and central Mumbai. Overall,
south Mumbai and the suburbs pray
the most. But what comes across
strongly is that no matter how starved
for time one may be, the saying ‘God is
everywhere’ is considered to be true.
Chembur resident Sunita Dube, who
practices at several hospitals in the city
rarely offers prayers at home. Often
cramped for time, commuting from one
hospital to another, she can give only 15
minutes for her morning prayers — a
far cry from the one hour she devoted
earlier, in her joint family. “Since every
hospital has a small temple, I make the
best use of it and finish my daily prayers
there itself. Meditation also helps me
calm down when I’m really stressed,”
she says.
For Mumbaikars who spend a lot of
time travelling in the train, the rail-
way commute also serves as place to
pray. Ankita Shethia, a manager who
Crossword no 1730
Due to her hectic schedule, Dr Sunita Dube offers daily prayers at the hospital where she works —Swapnil Sakhare DNA
stays at Nerul says that she feels un-
comfortable praying in the morning as
she is in a constant state of hurry. “One
needs to be at peace
sorts as entire railway compartments
are heard chanting and singing hymns
in full gusto on their journey to work and
back. In fact, Thane resi-
while praying. However, dent Sudhish Sharma
since I spend over an keeps devotional books
hour in the train, I do my in his bag, which he
prayers there itself. My reads when travelling to
prayer book is always in work and visa-versa. “I
my handbag and I use it am more relaxed when I
to chant,” she says. am travelling. As I have
The bhajan-kirtan nothing to do, I can easi-
groups of passengers are typical of ly concentrate and meditate. God is om-
Mumbai’s suburban rail network, turn- nipresent, so there need not be a hard
ing mere commuters into pilgrims of and fast rule that prayers must be of-
Across
1 Put prison helper’s position in
jeopardy (2,7)
8 Victor loses his head in the bull ring
(5)
9 Misfortune for the other side (7)
10 Firs do make attractive features in
Norway (6)
11 She may get up late (6)
12 Stop in front of a humble building
(8)
15 One point on a fork is unpleasantly
sharp (8)
18 It’s old perhaps and not easily moved
(6)
20 I’d seem upset by a death (6)
21 Jewish father (7)
22 Not qualified to speak (5)
23 Trace idea that is wrong and root it
out (9)
Down
2 It’s pleasant embracing an Eastern
relative (5)
3 Able to help us with processed fuel
(6)
4 Fair description of all but the fastest
www.dnaindia.com | epaper.dnaindia.com 6
A smile helps avoid
negative thoughts or
any past worries
It's a myth that Mumbaikars
don't have time for their
prayer and meditation. The
contrary is true — you have
maximum time to meditate
and grow spiritually. Just
how our body needs food, our
soul needs it too and it comes through med-
itation. It also means getting close to your
inner self. This comes by showing gratitude
towards God. Praying to god everyday ask-
ing for materialistic things is no worship at
all. Moreover, prayer is not a function of lo-
cation or a sacred space — you can pray
whenever you want, wherever you are. All
you need to do is to be thankful always to
the Almighty for whatever you've got. More-
over, for meditation you don't need a sepa-
rate environment. But more or less, learn
to acknowledge what you have. When you
wake up in the morning, seek the blessings
of your parents or cuddle your children or
play with them. When you step out of your
house, always wear a smile on your face. A
smile helps you avoid negative thoughts —
be it ghosts of the past or worries about the
future — and helps you focus just on the
present. Make your family feel that you be-
long to them and nobody else. Living every
moment of your daily life fully and being
calm also qualifies as meditation.
Bharat Thakur,
spiritual guru
IFEEDBACKI
‘Don’t burden grandparents’
fered at a particular place only,” he says.
The city also has people who have ex-
perimented with faith. Flovie Martins,
who recently converted to Islam from
In response to, ‘Grandma is the new
mommy’ (Speak Up, September 14)
Our parents, who slog to bring us up,
heave a sigh of relief, the moment they
Christianity would earlier do her na- see us well settled. They want to lead a
maaz five times a day, but now she can relaxed life thenceforth. But as their
make it only twice in day — early in the grandchild doesn’t seem to adjust to the
morning and when she reaches home af- caretaker or creche atmosphere, ‘the
ter office. “Commuting for four hours bundle of joy’ is inadvertently trans-
everyday with all the deadlines and work ferred to the grandparents. The working
pressure in the office doesn’t leave much couple doesn’t realise or sometimes ig-
time for prayers. Although meditation nore the fact that their parents are age-
soothes one’s mind, I can’t do it for long,” ing. I have seen many grandparents who
she says. could not turn down the request/re-
k_nitin@dnaindia.net quirement of their working children. Al-
though having grandparents in a family
runners? (8)
5 It’s exhausting but follow it up with
a telephone call (6)
is a welcome thought, they should not
be reduced to the role of a babysitter.
The naani should not become a nanny.
6 Any girl so mistreated might react At least a caretaker should be assigned
thus (7) for the child who is supervised by the
7 Expression of annoyance for your grandparents. Let us repay our beloved
immediate occupation (9) parents by providing a life that is due
11 Accepted in error and fainted (6,3) to them in the dusk of their life. Let
13 Fair description of a reformed them greet us with a congenial smile
character (3,2,3) when we return home but not with a
14 I’m into gossip like a bishop (7)
haggard look.
16 Wish to reside in style (6)
17 Artistic piecework (6) —Indira Acharya, Wadala
19 Unsuitable camouflage paint (5)
Solution No: 1729
Across: 1 Coconut, 4 Mango, 7 Mate,
8 Marginal, 10 Cartoonist, 12
Ranges, 13 Ground, 15 Call it a day,
18 Alphabet, 19 Edam, 20 Trout, 21
Shotgun.
Down: 1 Comic, 2 Catering, 3 Trains, 4
Magistrate, 5 Nuns, 6 Obliged, 9
Poles apart, 11 Guide dog, 12
Rampant, 14 Alters, 16 Yemen,
17 Up to.