Superstition, despite our age of science and technology, plays a prevalent role in the lives of our day to day life, and it can be seen everywhere from the big time to the backyard. It is a belief founded by someone, no matter how evident, it is irrational, and always relies on chance. No matter what meaning superstition may bring to people in general, to the players in the cricket field or when MS writers just give their 200 percent writing a Product review, it is a sense of duty, a feeling of comfort they receive from a certain superstition. The propitiation of the right gods, ritual dances before the hunt, can all be viewed as efforts, no matter how faint or unavailing, to control destiny. When India takes on Pakistan in a final ODI in a world cup series, battling for the title, the game is tied, India needs 1 run to win in 1 ball and it’s a FRIDAY, the crowd is going wild and both teams are giving 110 percent. What will be the deciding factor? What is the thing that could sway the cosmos in someone’s favor?
Going back in time, when I was a child, I remember my mom, yelling at me “Don’t cut your nail at this hour, it would bring about misfortune”. Even if I had to cut my nail in the morning, I had to ensure that all the bits were disposed in the drain. I was warned that, if I failed to dispose any bit and if anyone else had to walk over it, I would be cursed and would suffer from various diseases. So far from home and yet those words echo loud and clear from within, every time I hold the nail-cutter in my hand. Wish it would have stopped at just that, but it was sort of never ending. For instance, if I had a haircut, I was literally treated like an untouchable or an outcast, and I had to take a bath to be treated normal. If there was a death in the community and I happened to come in contact with any of the blood relatives, I was not allowed to do anything until I had my bath. On all the occasions that I dared to ask a question as to why I had to do them, I was informed that if I didn’t’t, misfortune would come upon me or some evil sprit would end up possessing me. Misfortune did’t mean much, but braving evil spirits - NO WAY. I would perform all the activities with great zeal, which would protect me against evil sprits or spells.
In my teens, I did every thing that was prohibited. Oh no, I know what you are thinking. Don’t take it literally. I defied all the beliefs. But deep within me, there was a big element of fear. Time passed by and nothing went wrong with me. I was not possessed. Did misfortune hit me? I don’t know. Since nothing really happened to me, I grew up to be a rational and bold young man. And today, I still ensure that I cut my nails under bright light and take lot of care to dispose the same. I take a bath immediately after an haircut or after a visit to the grave yard. Confused? (Ho gayee Na Googly).
I took time in my college days to see rhyme and reason behind those beliefs. I found out that nail was partially toxic. And since in historic times there was no proper illumination facilities, people would not cut nail in the dark to prevent scattering of nail. Does anybody prefer to eat food with hair in it? Taking a bath after a haircut washes out almost all the cut hair. Any decomposing body is a breading ground for harmful bacteria. What I am trying to convey is that some practices, otherwise superstitious, are meaningful if interpreted properly, and the first place where we learn how to make friends, learn why the sky or the lake is blue or why does the apple always fall down and School is not a place where one puts children to get them out from underfoot during the day, that would be far too expensive for just that. It is not a place where one manufactures potato. It is where one can be prepared to come to grips with reality, learn to differentiate Nature from Science, computer age from stone age and much more where living is not just living but surviving and handling with competence to be readied to take over tomorrow’s world
Well the word “Superstition” may just be another word for faith / Religion, It is at this point that I prefer to be an Atheist than an Apostle. It is only then that I am in a position to practice what I truly see or feel deep within me. And to conclude our civilization must learn to survive, must nurture the habits and abilities to study in schools.
Well I am not finished yet. Some superstitious beliefs are real social evil. “Faith Healing” is once such act. It’s estimated that every month between 1 and 5 children die due to the religious superstition of their parents or guardians, Are our children at fault or is the society or you and me, who believe in technology, vacations to the universe, and defeating sound velocity , but we also believe in stopping and let others pass by first when a black cat has just crossed. Some questions have definite answers, some don’t and some have a big ’’?’’ against it, but can we afford to take this big ’’?’’ to our future, It’s us to realize this now.
PPL - This review is not just for one website, but all the sites, we believe lies are destiny and seek to do things rather than doing it with our frame of mine.
Cheers ...