HINDUISM: Cellphone Maunam: New-age fasting

Cellphone fasting is the most difficult one of all. Try it. Soon, your eyes will look for it, your mind will crave and your hand will reach out for it inadvertently! You will realise how addicted to it you are!

It seems more essential than food, it seems to be a limb of your body. You are chained to your best friend WhatsApp, and the universal self-styled guru, Google. They were created as time savers, but now, they have become the biggest gobblers of your precious time.

Your body or your mind pulls you to your cellphone? Think about it. No drug or alcohol can pull you to it. No, your own mind drags you to it. You are in an addictive relationship with your cellphone. Such relationships don’t last for long. Cellphone gives you a false identity.

People no longer ask about you, they only ask your “cellphone number.” This, sadly, has come to be your only identity. The human touch is lost to messages and WhatsApp. Did your money send you a love note on WhatsApp saying, “Depend on me?” Whether money, power, happiness or friendship, or a grandchild on a video call being taught to say “Grandpa, I love you “- it’s all an illusion, a cellphone reality!

Let’s be honest. Even if for a day, let’s try a cellphone maunam. Wake up from this relative identity. It’s a great tapasya, I know, but try it for a day to even know how strongly you are shackled. Cellphone lost, the world of relationships lost! It acts as your mental clone. No memory left, all relationships draw a blank, even your banker recognises you by your number, prisoner number 98******24. Let us understand the mortality of relative identity, and focus on our Absolute identity. Only for a day folks.