Source: Times of India
NEW DELHI, INDIA, November 27, 2001: Teenagers in Delhi are conformists to the core — they are more religious than their peers in other metros and want mama to choose their life partners. A recent survey conducted by Hyderabad-based market research firm NFO-MBL over five metros found 53 per cent of Delhi’s youngsters saying religion was an important part of their lives. The survey covered those in the 15-19 age group and represented the top 60 per cent of the socio-economic strata. Priests at the Sai Baba Temple in Lodhi Road, Hanuman Temple in Connaught Place and the Chattarpur Temple near Mehrauli corroborate these statistics. Pandit Sudhir Sharma, the chief priest of Hanuman temple found an increase of 35-40 per cent attendance by youth over the last two years. Mumbai, at 21 per cent, records the lowest religious-orientation among youngsters. Chennai, Calcutta and Bangalore are a respectable 30 per cent. Sociologist Renuka Singh says there is a positive correlation between religion and family ties. “Religious orientation is something a child picks up from home.