Hindus have welcomed the idea of “prayer room” at Fiji’s main airport and regional hub for South Pacific, Nadi International Airport.
Distinguished Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA) today, said that having a “prayer room” at the airport would be a step in the positive direction. It would help infuse spirituality into the atmosphere of this important airport and would provide a place for reflection and prayer for passengers, employees, visitors, and others using the airport.
The currently progressing $105 million upgrade at this airport, expected to be complete in mid-2016, reportedly includes a “prayer room” in the first floor departure lounge.
Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, pointed out that prayer/worship to God was highly important in Hinduism, oldest and third largest religion of the world with about one billion adherents, and it would be nice to have Hindu prayer service at Nadi “prayer room” so that Hindu passengers did not miss their daily worship rituals/rites while travelling through; which might include recitation of texts, repetition of mantras and dhayan (meditation).
Hindus would appreciate if a corner of this “prayer room” had murtis (statues) of popular deities, copies of sacred scriptures, a traditional bell and recorded devotional music; and once-a-week kirtan and arti session was held in it, Rajan Zed noted.
Zed indicated that Nadi should also seriously consider providing “yoga room” for the passengers if it wanted to help reduce their stress levels and be a “world-class” airport. Many international airports already have yoga spaces.
Rajan Zed urged all major airports across the world to make a provision for sacred space in the shape of “prayer room” and a “yoga room”. Many airports reportedly already do have multi-faith prayer-rooms.
Airports Fiji Limited, fully owned Government Commercial Company, owns and manages Nadi International Airport. Faiz Khan is Executive Chairman. Nadi already has a “massage parlour”.
Source: World Hindu News (WHN)