Nation Joins Meghalaya in Prayers on Easter Sunday to Defeat COVID-19

Shillong, April 12, 2020:

From all corners of Northeast India and beyond, prayers in the form of hymns rose loud and clear on the occasion of Easter, the day when Jesus Christ was resurrected from the dead.

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This day, celebrated as a day of hope and piety by those from the Christian faith, was given added significance by the need to pray as mankind grapples with the new complexities that it has been confronted with the novel coronavirus pandemic.

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The people from the all over the Northeast and beyond, irrespective of faith age and gender, connected via social media in a one-of-its-kind celebration of peace, prayer, and amity amidst the greatest disaster since the World Wars. Indeed, the Chief Minister of Meghalaya, who had initiated this campaign, sounded the alarm on the COVID-19 and had avowed that a joint celebration like this would imbue the people with hope in these very dire times.

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"I believe that this is truly a blessing for all of us as it has brought people from different states, people from different parts of the world together to pray for our nation and to pray for the world", Sangma said, after the resounding success of the 6-minute hymn programme that began at 6 pm earlier today.

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Significantly, kids from a children's home in the state of Nagaland also took part in the event. The innocent children of Ebenezer Children's Home in Dimapur, Nagaland were seen praying with full zest and zeal, calling for an end to these dark times for India and the world.

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Similarly, people from several other states, such as Assam, were also touched by the prayer ceremony. The team of Inside Northeast also partook in the 6-minute hymn prayer to extend solidarity to the nation as it continues its fight with a hitherto unknown enemy, the COVID-19.

[caption id="attachment_57075" align="alignnone" width="660"] Prayers at the USTM Institute[/caption]

Merely a few days back, Meghalaya's Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma gave the clarion call to the residents of the hills and beyond to pray for India and the world. To unite all in their prayers, the administration of Meghalaya made the extensive use of media, which has assumed greater significance as 1.3 billion Indians have been pushed indoors by the virus.

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Soon after the call was issued, many noted personalities from the Northeast, the star-studded lanes of Bollywood, as well as the sporting arena made appeals to their followers to partake in this "heal the world" prayer on the occasion of Easter. Musician Anu Malik, ace footballer Bhaichung Bhutia, singer Papon, Usha Uthup, musicians Alobo Naga, Rudy Wallang, Ehsaan, Stand-up Comedians Nitin Mirani and Johny Lever came forward to support the initiative. Even former Indian cricket captain, Saurav Ganguly, pitched in with his support and urged everyone to pray unitedly.

[caption id="attachment_57074" align="alignnone" width="660"] Prayers at the Molungyimsen Baptist Church in Nagaland[/caption]

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Thus, this Easter celebration by Meghalaya and the the nation can be seen as a resurrection of hope amidst the ongoing global crisis of the coronavirus pandemic that has infected over 9,000 in India. Globally, the picture is even bleaker, with millions having tested positive so far. But, despite the ills and the seeming hopelessness, a prayer like this that unites the nation in difficult times can be seen as a win-win for all.

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