God now just an SMS away

Mauj Telecom launches a spiritual service that will enable users to offer prayers using a code 7077.

God is now just an SMS away. For those who have no time to visit temples, here's an opportunity to be in touch with Him. Silent prayers are passe. You can offer flowers, light incense sticks and more while on the move.

Mauj Telecom, a wireless content provider, launched a spiritual channel early this week that will enable mobile users to perform elaborate prayers using a short code 7077.

The company claims having 500 downloads on the first day of the launch early this week.

If a user wants to perform, say a Ganesh puja, all he has to do is download the relevant application from the short code.

At the next stage, he will be able to say a prayer in the following manner: Key 1 "" light the lamp; key 2 "" offer durva (grass); key 3 "" offer garland; key 4 "" offer modaks (sweet); key 5 "" ring bells; and finally, key 6 "" rendition of the aarti.

Each of this application is available for Rs 50. The choice is limited now "" Ganesha, Laxmi, Sikh prayers and Sai Puja. But devotees of other gods needn't worry. The company plans to "release a new God" every month, ranging from Durga to Hanuman to Christ and so on.

Each category has wallpapers, animation figures, colour logos, themes and ringtones representing different gods and goddesses that can be downloaded on to the user's handset.

Says Dippak Khurana, regional head for India and Far East, Mauj, "Devotional content has always been popular with Indians. There is a large segment of the mobile population that wishes to download pictures of deities and ringtones. Performing a puja on mobile is taking devotion to the next level and in a sense personalising it too because a mobile is every body's constant companion."