The Kendriya Vidyalaya’s morning prayer has been in use almost since the inception of this chain of schools in 1963. Daya kar, daan vidya ka parmatma hamein dena is the morning prayer that innumerable children have sung each morning over the past 50 years or so. This morning prayer that is sung in over a thousand branches of one of the world’s biggest school chains is now in the news.
Petitioner Veenayak Shah, Advocate has alleged that the KV’s morning prayer "impedes nurturing of reasoning and scientific temper among impressionable young minds". He has asked for the prayer which is in Hindi and which begins and ends with Sanskrit Shlokas should be discontinued, as it propagates one particular religion. According to Shah, this is “constitutionally impermissible” and is of the view that “there is no scientific reason to call this prayer beneficial”. The Supreme Court has acknowledged this as a “serious constitutional issue” and has called for the center’s view on the matter.
The Indian constitution provides that "no religious instruction shall be provided in any educational institution maintained out of state funds." As a secular democracy, the Indian state and state-run institutions cannot be seen to promote one or other religion over any other. This is clear.
But does the singing of this prayer amount to such “religious instruction”? There is also another question that needs to be addressed: what about the other institutions that have religious prayers? Institutions such as madrasas require recitation of Quranic verses. Jesuit institutions require students to recite prayers, sing carols and participate in nativity plays and similar religious observances.
Examining the lyrics of the KV morning prayer, there is nothing that overtly points to one or another religion. The words ‘Prabhu’ or ‘Parmatma’ merely indicate a universal God rather than any particular religious deity. The word ‘Ganga’ is used in the context of ‘Gyaan ki Ganga’ meaning the river of knowledge. The song gives the overall message of ‘seva’ or service and about living and dying for the country. The Sanskrit shlokas that form the prelude, as well as the end of the song, that contain the world ‘Aum’, could be the only portions of the song that could be deemed to have specific religious overtones.
As a chain of schools run and funded by the Central Government, this is obviously not absolute because such institutions should be, and should be seen to be secular as well. This doesn’t apply to institutions that are privately funded; which can impart the type of instruction that they want; even to include religious instruction if they so wish. This is true for Madrasas, Jesuit or convent institutions, as well as other schools run by other religious institutions, charitable trusts and so on.
So what is the solution? One solution is to do away with the Morning Prayer altogether as Shah suggests in his petition. In a country, as steeped in religious practice as India is, this is not a fitting solution. Beginning the day with prayer is something that Indians do in general; which Indian parents would prefer as well. The morning assembly where everyone sings together to invoke the blessings of the Almighty may be a positive and a unifying thing for young children to do each day.
The other solution is to make the Morning Prayer more inclusive – by creating a new prayer that encompasses other faiths as well. This would help children appreciate and celebrate the multi-cultural, multi-faith concept of India. In fact, a beautifully worded and composed song that asks the guidance and blessings of one divine energy would be the ideal solution and may have the most positive impact on young minds.
It can never be too early to introduce children to the beautiful patchwork quilt of regional and religious identities that makes up this country of ours.
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