Nagpur: The Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC)’s attempt to enter the Guinness World Records by getting 1.51 lakh people chant Hanuman Chalisa at Kasturchand Park turned out to be a damp squib as only 10% of the expected number turned up on Thursday evening. The civic body had proposed to create history by holding Aids awareness campaign and Hanuman Chalisa back to back at the venue. Only 15,000 people showed up at the venue when the pledge for Aids awareness was being taken. Guinness officials had recorded only 8,900 people until then. NMC ruling party leader Dayashankar Tiwari told TOI, “It’s all because of the High Court order that the attendance was poor. A lot of people might have planned to attend, but later may have dropped the idea due to the controversy. Even if I plan to make a second attempt at the a world record, I will not do it in association with the NMC.” The Nagpur bench of Bombay High Court had slammed the NMC for creating a religious divide by opting to chant only Hanuman Chalisa to create Aids awareness. Later, the civic body had promised to split the event and hold the awareness drive and the recital in the gap of an hour. The event was organized as a part of Golden Jubilee celebration of Shri Ram Shobha Yatra organized by Poddareshwar Ram Mandir Trust. Many participant had brought a pocket Hanuman Chalisa book along with them at the venue. When asked, they sounded unaware about the AIDS awareness event being held on the occasion of World Health Day. The crowd had started gathering from 3pm, though the programme was scheduled to start at 5:30pm. Though red is associated with AIDS, the venue wore a saffron look. Women turned up in saffron saris while men and kids doned same colour caps. The youngsters waved the saffron flag with ‘Jai Ram, Shree Ram’ printed on it. The NMC strictly followed the high court order and didn’t allow Hanuman Chalisa recital while the awareness programme was underway. Yet, during the power point presentation about prevention of AIDS, some people were found chanting the religious verses and waving saffron flags in spite of the NMC’s request to stop. After the presentation on Aids, the same location turned saffron. The ruling party leader and Mayor Pravin Datke, who were earlier sitting on chair with the guests during the World Health Day function, squatted on the floor and started chanting Hanuman Chalisa along with the crowd. Nevertheless, the 8,900 strong Hanuman devotees chanting the Shloks at one place in devotion gave the failing event a much needed spiritual push.



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