Har Har Mahadev: Why this BHU Professor wants his porn-blocking app to be used by every student in India

Bhajans when you've got a boner? Well, Dr Vijay Mishra believes that porn addiction is killing India's creativity and strongly believes that his app holds the key to solving the 'porn' problem
All students will be shielded from porn soon, if the Good Doctor has his way
All students will be shielded from porn soon, if the Good Doctor has his way

Bhajans when you're thinking dirty thoughts? Meet the man who can counter your wet dreams with devotional thoughts. That's exactly why Vijay Kumar Mishra, a Neurologist and professor at Institute of Medical Sciences of Banaras Hindu University (IMS-BHU),  has developed an application that will help block "unwanted" websites (Read: Your favourite porn sites) and redirect you to more appropriate Parental Guidance (PG-13) content. 

The app is called Har Har Mahadev and once installed it will not only block the websites containing pornography and violence but will give you the right dose of inspirational and religious music. Once he came up with the idea, he handed the project over to a Bengaluru-based developer who clinched the deal in six months. The app is now available on Google Play Store, iOS and Windows — so all bases are covered.

Sounds enticing? We caught up with the professor to ask him how and why he came up with this idea and whether he's a closet nationalist. This is what he said:

Tell us, how does it actually work?

Once you download and install the Android app, it can identify over 3,000 'objectionable websites' by default. Further, it will keep on blocking the sites as and when you try to access them by detecting words like sex, porn etc. It will then play devotional sons to waylay your attention.

So it blocks content on browsers only? What about social media?

If given a chance I would like to request the FB and Google CEOs to reveal whatever the person is watching to their parents or guardians. I think the authorities should have a meeting for this. 

Also, what's up with the name of the app?

We selected the name because Lord Shiva is the destroyer. He is the destroyer of all the evil we house in our minds and thinking of him can help anyone fight the addiction. We are humans of Banaras. We remember him day and night. I think the name will help students relate it to the app.

So this is only for Hindus primarily?

We are planning to build a platform where we can accommodate preaching from various other religions and faiths. If someone is into the religion, we don't mind putting inspirational quotes from leaders like Nelson Mandela and Rabindranath Tagore. 

Why did you feel the need to develop an app like Har Har Mahadev now? 

It has been 15 years since I started treating patients with mental disorders. One thing I have noticed is the increase in the level of aggression among the youth. Moreover, the concentration level among the kids has gone down. And I blame it on the digital media that has given so much access to violent and objectionable stuff. The time spent with parents and guardians ha reduced and there is absolutely no check on what the kids are doing. Therefore, it is easier for them to get into various addictions. 

I really wish that parents and institute heads take the initiative to download the app their kids' devices. Hopefully, in a few months, people with understand its importance and have it installed on the computers, laptops, and phones that kids use these days

Dr Vijay Kumar Mishra, Neurologist and Har Har Mahadev founder 

Why is porn addiction any different? 

The problem with porn addiction is that no one will admit that they have a porn addiction. Therefore, there is lack of awareness, and hence no cure for this problem. I have three daughters. I wanted to develop this for my kids and my patients. And I knew that just blocking the sites won't help. It needs more effort for the person to get out of that. We needed something inspirational that can change the person's mind. 


Do you want parents and teachers to install this on all devices?

The project is completely independent of BHU. It can be used anywhere in the world and that's where my hopes lie. I really wish that parents and institute heads take the initiative to download the app their kids' devices. But in the end, it's just medicine. If the person doesn't want to take the medicine no one can do anything about it. We can help them but we can't force them. Hopefully, in a few months, people with understand its importance and have it installed on the computers, laptops, and phones that kids use these days. 

But what's wrong with porn? Why do we need to block it?

The problem with porn is that reduces women to mere bodies for the unexposed youth. They think that this is how a woman should be treated and we all know that that's not healthy for the society. Plus, the addiction affects your eyesight and decreases your sexual potential.  

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