My school’s morning assembly used to be fun, lively, and dynamic. I can still recall the one-arm distance wala rule that used in forming a class line, Bhai-Bhai gesture with other section mates, watching my crush from the senior grade standing four rows away, enjoying the rhythmic PT day every Saturday, etc.
Though there was one annoying thing – the school’s monotonous morning prayers. No disrespect to those repetitive prayers, but back then I never understood the meanings of those prayers, neither had any enthusiasm attached to them. I remember this one prayer vividly that we used to recite regularly, “Itni shakti humein dena daata”
When I read this prayer now, I understand how relevant it was for us as children to understand and imbibe the values mentioned towards building our character. Each line is so meaningful: tells you to follow the right path, seek strength and knowledge, staying away from ignorance, hatred, and vengeful feelings. It also talks about the importance of compassion and spreading happiness, that brings peace to one’s heart and joy in other’s lives.
But if only there were someone to help a child understand these deep, meaningful lines, I wouldn’t be such detached to those prayers rather, it may have had a positive impact on me.
So I feel that as an adult, it’s my moral responsibility to make sure to explain these prayers to my nephews, nieces, and my kids, of course. I am not sure if it would make a big difference in them, but indeed, they would not recite the school prayers in an apathetic way like I did.
Do share your favorite monotonous prayer, in the comment section. 😊
उभरता हुआ सितारा 
This post made me nostalgic.
We had this little jingle during lunch break.
God is Good and God is Great
Let us thank him for our food
By his hands we are fed
Give us Lord Our Daily Bread!
Well, now I am an Apatheist, so I don’t really know what to do with this. 😅
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Even we used to have the same jingle during our lunch break 😀
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A school prayer that really touched me was ‘Count your Blessings.’ It went like this.
When upon life’s billows you are tempest-tossed,
When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,
Count your many blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord has done.
It was my favourite and touched me like nothing else. The way we used to sing this really got me goosebumps.
Similar was the case with the Hindi prayer ‘Ae Maalik tere bande hum.’
Every single word used to hit me then in the the same way it does now. (I remained an atheist, though)
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That’s really good to know about your connection with prayers.
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ऐ मालिक तेरे बन्दे हम
ऐसे हों हमारे करम
नेकी पर चलें और बदी से टलें
ताकि हंसते हुए निकले दम
ये अँधेरा घना छा रहा तेरा इंसान घबरा रहा
हो रहा बेखबर, कुछ न आता नज़र
सुख का सूरज छुपा जा रहा
है तेरी रौशनी में जो दम
तू अमावास को कर दे पूनम
नेकी पर चलें और बदी से टलें
ताकि हंसते हुए निकले दम …
जब जुल्मों का हो सामना तब तू ही हमें थामना
वो बुराई करे हम भलाई भरें
नहीं बदले की हो कामना
बढ़ उठे प्यार का हर कदम और मिटे बैर का ये भरम
नेकी पर चलें और बदी से टलें
ताकि हंसते हुए निकले दम …
बड़ा कमज़ोर है आदमी, अभी लाखों हैं इसमें कमी
पर तू जो खड़ा है दयालू बड़ा
तेरी किरपा से धरती थमी
दिया तूने हमे जब जनम
तू ही झेलेगा हम सबके ग़म
नेकी पर चलें और बदी से टलें
ताकि हंसते हुए निकले दम..
The only prayer that I still sing during hard times in my life. And I remember the Congo Music Instrument that we used to play with it…that instrument played along with this prayer really used to charge us up for the whole day.
– Kritika 🙂
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Indeed it’s a powerful one. I can recollect the music when this used to play 😅
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