At a time of conflict, how Gandhi's all-faith prayer uniting people of different religions

The tender looking diminutive Katsu Saan, 85, has not missed even a single all religion prayer since she was first asked to join it way back in 1969. She recites Buddhist prayer on 2 October and on 30 January at the Raj ghat and later at Tees January Marg. Japanese by birth, Katsu Saan came to India in 1959 to study Buddhism in the land of Buddha. In the process, she studied both Hindi and Gandhi and his thoughts as well. "While exploring Buddhism here I started loving India deeply. That has forced me to stay here for rest of my life. I learnt Hindi and the life and times Gandhi ji from Kaka saheb Kalkekar in Delhi," informs Katsu Saan, who looks after the affairs of the Vishay Shanti Stupa, also known as the World Peace Pagoda, located in the heart of Delhi.

Father George Soloman has also participated in all faith prayer umpteen numbers of times in various places. He recites from Bible during the prayer. "Very honestly, it gives great joy and happiness when you take part in all faith prayers. It gives a strong message that we all have to live together to make India as a truly a secular country. Gandhi ji's came to know about Christian religion while he was in South Africa. There he met Christian missionary Joseph Doke, who wrote his first biography, and CF Andrews, a teacher in Delhi's St Stephen's college," informs George Solomon, who is a priest in one of the Churches of Delhi and closely associated with Delhi Brotherhood Society (DBS) that had established St Stephen's College and St Stephen's hospital. Well, Rabbi Ezekiel Isaac Malekar is perhaps the second senior most members of those who are part of the all religion prayer. Head of the Jewish community in New Delhi, he is the Secretary of the Judah Hyam Synagogue at Humayun Road. "I have been praying the Jew prayer since 1985. I don't think any other county in the world has anything similar to our all religion prayer. Surely, only Gandhi ji could think of such a prayer. When I reach the venue for the prayer, I get tremendous amount of happiness and sense of fulfilment that I am sitting with scholars of other religions".

When it was started

While staying at Valmiki Basti in New Delhi from (1 April, 1947 to 10 June, 1947, Mahatma Gandhi had started an all religion prayer every evening at 5pm. During those days, only Hindu, Muslim, Sikh and Christian scholars recite the prayers from the holy books of their respective religions. When he moved to Birla House (later known as Tees January Marg), all religion prayer was started there. Those were the days when All India Radio (AIR) used to broadcast the prayer and his speech at prime time – 8.30 pm - on its national network ahead of the national news which followed at 9 pm. AIR played the recordings of his post prayer speeches at Birla House from the third week of September, 1947 till January 29, 1948, a day before he was assassinated. Venerable singer MS Subbulakshmi sang bhajans like Raghupati Raghava Raja Ram, Vaishnava Jana To, and Hari Tum Haro on 29 January, 1948 at the Birla House. Environmentalist Sunder Lal Bahuguna was also there on that day. "I was there and MS Subbalakhsmi was at her very best on that day. She enthralled all of us with her melodious bhajans. I couldn't attend the next day prayer as I was struck up somewhere else," Bahuguna told this writer many years ago. Alas, Gandhi ji was shot day by the monster when he reached the venue of the prayer.

When other prayers are included

And with the passage of time, prayers of Jain, Bahai, Parsi and Buddhist faiths were also included in the all religion prayer. The Bahai prayer was introduced thanks to the efforts of noted Gandhian Nirmala Deshpande in 1985. Dr AK Merchant, who recites the Bahai prayers, says "The purpose of prayer in the Bahaʼi faith is to grow closer to God and his Manifestation and to help better one's own conduct and to request divine assistance. Merchant is also associated with Lotus temple in capital. Dr. Merchant has also prayed with others when Atal Behari Vajpayee and Pranab Kumar Mukherjee were passed away.

Sanskrit scholar and newsreader in bothAIR and Doordarshan, Dr. Baldev Anand Sagar is a senior member of all religion prayer group. As he himself says that three dates are very important in his life. "I consider 2 October, 30 January and 21 August, 1994 are defining dates in my life. First two days are for the obvious reasons and the third date when I read the first ever Sanskrit news bulletin on Doordarshan though I have been reading it on AIR since 1974." Dr Sagar got a chance to pray from the Hindu scriptures at Rajghat and Tees January Marg as the gentleman who used to read was in Canada. He suggested his name to the officials of Department of Culture that handles both the events. An alumnus of Hindu college of Delhi University, Dr Sagar says that he had seen various Presidents and Prime Ministers on 2 October and 30 January. Atal Behari Vajpayee and Narender Modi stand out from others. They meet all of us briefly and exchange pleasantries. He recites Shalokas from Geeta and Panchdev mantra. It is dedicated to five gods in Hinduism – Ganesha, Shiva, Vishnu, Devi (Durga) and Surya. Panchdev Mantra is a collection of five mantras and it should be chanted with Ganesha ending with Surya.

A science teacher, Maqsood Ahmad, has been praying from Quran from time to time in all faith prayers. "The serene mood of both Rajghat and Tees January Marg on 2 October and 30 January cannot be described in words. One feels so good and connected to almighty while praying," says Maqsood Ahmad. He has also prayed when Atal Behari Vajpayee left for heavenly abode.

Well, all those who pray are given maximum 5-6 minutes to recite. They are also called when some important personality is died. In that situation, they have to pray at the residence of the deceased person. For their efforts, they get some token remuneration.

When the Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone of the New Parliament in 2020, all faith prayers were held too. Christian, Muslim, Jain and Parsi prayers were also recited. According to Dr Indu Jain, who has been reciting Jain faith prayer, says, "I am really honoured that I have been part of the group of people who are invited to pray. " Gandhi was not a Jain from the viewpoint of his birth and what he considered himself to be. On the other hand, he could be called a Jain if one considers his actions and beliefs. An example from Gandhi's life illustrates this wonderful, conflict-resolving principle of relativism, "says Dr. Indu Jain, who is a teacher and Motivational speaker. According to her, the central tenet of Jainism is Ahimsa (Non-violence) and Gandhi's philosophy rested upon it. He developed a method of political activism called Satyagraha which was wholly based upon truth and non-violence. It has been translated as 'non-cooperation' and 'passive resistance.

And D Bali, the Paris priest in Parsi Anjuman in Delhi, and Jaspal Kaul, a Music teacher in West Delhi school, would also join their friends from others faith during the all religion prayer on Gandhi Jaynthi. While Bagli recite from Avesta, the religious Book of Parsi religion, Jaspal Kaur to pray from the scriptures of Sikh religion.

(The author is Delhi-based senior journalist and writer. He is author of Gandhi's Delhi which has brought to the forth many hidden facts about Mahatma Gandhi)