In association with The Times Of India

Morning rituals are very important in life. You get off to a great start and sort of set the tone for the rest of the day. And these rituals come in all shapes and sizes — chai, yoga, breakfast. I, personally, love listening to classical music as soon as I’m up. But there is one morning ritual that everyone in the country loves taking part in — and that is reading the newspaper. 

It’s one of the country’s favourite things to do in the morning whether it be old, young, men or women. So to celebrate the love that we all have for our #NewspaperMornings, here are 5 reasons why we Indians love spending our time reading the newspaper. 

1. It helps us learn something new everyday

There’s nothing better than spending half an hour in the morning with the newspaper along with a cup of chai and our favourite biscuits. But more than just a morning ritual, it’s a great way to learn something new — be it keeping in touch with the current events of home and away or reading deep and insightful commentary about the social issues of the day. Or just knowing who won the Champions Cup final. Not to mention that reading the newspaper does improve your vocabulary and overall language skills. 

2. Newspapers have everything for everyone

No matter who you are, everyone wants something from the morning papers. Someone will always go for the sports page, someone else for the entertainment page, and yet others for the Sudoku and puzzles. Everyone sharing different bits of the same paper goes to show how versatile it is and how sometimes, it brings people together. 

3. Newspapers give us our daily quota of reading and off screen time

We are glued to our phones all the time it seems and it is important for all of us to spend some time away from them. Which is why that morning time with the newspaper, when you put your phone aside is so important. It’s only when you’re have the paper in front of you that you realise that reading printed words on a physical page has a joy of its own. Because in the end, we are not just skimming through headlines, and actually spending time absorbing the detail and power of each printed word. 

4. They remind us of the power and dignity of the written word.

Journalism is about presenting facts, not shouting your opinion over other people. The newspaper, as a source, is generally more dependable, owing to the hours of fact-checking that goes into drafting each piece that is finally printed. And then they follow up on stories, not leaving them for the next big thing. The printed word is a lot more dignified, a lot more responsible, and has a quiet power about it. 

5. You can read newspapers at your own pace or convenience. 

When I used to ride the metro to work, I used to always take the morning paper with me. And it was a lovely experience, sitting in the compartment, reading the paper. I’d also carry the paper to finish my crossword everyday and sit at it any chance I could get. Your newspaper is your friend and you can basically carry it around and read it anywhere and however you like. You can start from the sports section and make your way to the front. Or you can pick our your favourite sections and read them first. 

All of these, and many more reasons make the morning newspaper our favourite ritual ever. And it’s this special bond and connection with the morning news that The Times of India is showcasing in its new video. The video shows us how important the morning newspaper is to us with a pastiche of beautiful and relatable newspaper moments. But perhaps the most stirring thing about it would be the voiceover. The renowned poet and lyricist Gulzar has penned down a beautiful verse about this special connection and listening to it has brought a smile to our face. You can check out this beautiful video below. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6WRY_eKzp9w

So here’s to our #NewspaperMornings. May they never change.