Just days after Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) brought home the IPL 2026 trophy, eagle-eyed viewers may have spotted a bright turquoise ring on actor Anushka Sharma’s hands as she held her breath during a tense moment in the qualifier. The ring generated buzz online, with people wondering what the eye-catching accessory was until a netizen pointed out that it was colloquially called a ‘japa counter’ (prices start as low as `100)
A tally-keeping ring, these are popular in metro cities, notes Mahotsaha Chaitanya Dasa, general manager and head of communications and public relations at ISKCON, Bengaluru, saying, “It is popular among people who have a busier lifestyle, especially those working in corporates, students, and travelling in public transport. Maybe Anushka Sharma also wanted to be able to continue her prayers discreetly, even in a stadium. We sell around 2,000 each month.”
Sharma and her spouse, Virat Kohli, are known to be followers of Premanand Govind Sharan, a guru and worshipper of Radha and Krishna based in Vrindavan. They even paid a visit to his ashram on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, social media executive Rushali Mirazkar notes that she started using it after seeing a friend do it, adding that she’s been seeing it among other celebrities too. “I’ve seen Samantha and Kohli use it,” she says, adding, “My dad wears the traditional mala, but I don’t think Gen Z and millennials prefer using it. The counter is useful and affordable.”
It isn’t just Hindus using these counters either, with Kulsum Raqeeb, a fashion designer, counting her daily Dhikr prayers. She says, “It was nice to see Sharma using it, even though we come from different faiths. It is heartening to see how much we have in common when it comes to spirituality and the desire to stay connected through prayer and remembrance. For centuries, people have used prayer beads or their fingers to keep track of physical mantras and other forms of devotional recitation. The digital counter feels like a modern adaptation of the same practice.”
However, some, including Mahotsaha Chaitanya, are against switching to digital counters completely but advocate using them in specific situations, noting, “Chanting is a sacred act which has to be done with focus and devotion. Chanting with tulasi seeds is best as it is dear to Lord Krishna. This is for those who are in unclean circumstances, like on long flights or train journeys where one cannot touch the beads, but yet wants to chant.”