V.Kumaresan
Fear towards unknown objects and the abstract is the origin of superstition. Human mind tries to describe anything within the sphere of one’s own limited knowledge. While facing inexplicable things, instead of analysing what it is, suddenly a sense of fear cum respect is shown upon such things. In the course of time, such fear infiltrates into mind as belief. In order to get relief from fear, appeasing the unknown objects / abstract, humans had started to perform certain rituals which became periodical ceremonies later. Such superstitious beliefs are supportive to religions under the garb of which it is flourishing further. Such belief wasted time, labour and money of humans by their engaging in such meaningless, unproductive deeds. The well educated, knowledgeable scholars and intellectuals are practitioners of superstitious rituals. The spirit of enquiry in them becomes blunt all of a sudden, and they fall a victim stating that superstitious rituals are social customs adhered to by their ancestors. But they consider themselves modern on many aspects of their ancestors – in study, mode of dressing, mode of conveyance and in everyday living style.
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The belief and practice of superstitious rituals and ceremony are common for humankind. In western countries, after the dawn of science and technology in 16th century, superstitions started to diminish but have not been erased completely. Their practices cannot be compromised on a rationalist point of view. They have to be wiped out completely. The degree of benefit and progress of humankind depends on the level of superstitious beliefs and practices in a society.
In our country belief in god and its related effects in the society are entirely different from other countries. Belief in god and the exploitation by religion have anchored superstitions in our society very deeply. So the efforts to eradicate superstitions are arduous comparatively. The exploiters of superstitions and their activities are amoebic in the environment. A few of the recently flourished superstitious beliefs, their origin and proliferation can be summarised.
Horoscope and Astrological predictions:
The basic feature in the flourishing of a specific superstitious belief depends on numerical strength of the advocates of that superstition. They advocate and popularise it with the only aim of livelihood. If the scope of earning is more, such advocates would tune it with professional touch. By that many people would fall a prey to such false belief. For instance, the popularity of astrology does not depend on the happening and non happening of what is predicted. The folly of carrying on with the predictions is the major reason for popularising the belief. Besides, happening as per prediction, and its accidental or coincidental attribution adds popularity to astrology. Not happening as per prediction does not affect the image of astrologers to any extent. People’s mindset is with the feeling that it is due to the fate of the particular individual.
Though the perishing of people enmasse by heavy flood, rainfall and cyclone is a sorrowful happening, it remains practical evidence to disprove astrology. Many people who died by those calamities would have been believers of astrology. Definitely they would have had a horoscope that depicted their life span. The horoscope of every individual who died of the calamity must have been different. So, how could all of them perish in the same manner at the same time?
The believers in horoscope would not blame the forecast but limit their prediction and conclude by saying ‘It is the fate of the individuals’. This is the area wherein the scope of rationalists start to eradicate the belief. It is a very common comedy in feature films of various languages to see an astrologer predicting longer life span by reading the horoscope of a dead person. One superstition blasts the hollowness of another superstitious prediction! While viewing such ridiculous scenes about superstitions, many viewers laugh, relax and enjoy but get bound again by the shackles of horoscope, and astrology. This is the challenge before every rationalist.
The amoebic nature of superstition can be well attributed to astrology. The belief has been endured for centuries. People have been in the illusion that it is for their well being. So they continue to be under the peril of ignorance. Superstitious belief acquires ramification in the current modern period. The common form of ramification is attribution of narrative to say that superstition is science. The ‘science’ avatar of superstition, for instance, astrology culminates in acceptance of academic parlance. For any ordinary person the narrative of astrology as if it is science will enable to consider and value it. At present political authorities that patronise the superstitious beliefs as cultural values facilitate their inclusion as one of the academic subjects under the seal of universities. Many educationists in order to be in the good books of the ruling authority impose such beliefs under the guise of education. They formulate academic narrative for astrology as a science. In fact astrology is not science but pseudo science. The responsibility of rationalists is to unmask such pseudo science by exposing the bigotry that has no relevance to science at all. At this juncture we recall the 1975 Declaration of 185 top world scientists; 18 of them are Nobel laureates. In 1996, this declaration was reproduced in ‘The Times’. It reads –
“We wish to caution the public against the unquestioning acceptance of the predictions and advice given privately and publicly by astrologers. Those who wish to believe in astrology should realise that there is no scientific foundation for its tenets.”
Astronomy is science. Horoscope is interpreted by astrologer-charlatans as science. Dr. Bart J. Bok, former president of the American Astronomical society and professor emeritus of astronomy of the university of Arizona has stated:
“I have always been concerned about the interest in astrology. I don’t think astronomers can stop astrology but I think we have a responsibility to speak out every so often to remind the public, especially young people, that this is pure hokum. I have made it a practice every five years to speak out against astrology”.
How effectively this eminent scientist has stressed his social responsibility by speaking constantly against astrology!
Superstitions during COVID-19 period
Superstitious mindset of people and the supporters of it are unmindful. They do not change their stand even when human life is in danger. The universal threat due to COVID-19 pandemic was unheard of earlier. No medical solution for the pandemic virus infection was in the scene. The entire world was struggling facing the danger of human survival. Only initiative that could be possible was through preventing modes. Since the pandemic proliferates through air infection from one person to another, human conglomeration in any form facilitates the pandemic spread and infection.
Self isolation is the best protection against COVID-19. To prevent the pandemic spread people are asked to wear mask. The relevance of self isolation and mask wearing still continues. This is positive thesis. Antithesis is the superstitious practices that facilitate the pandemic spread.
Owing to the adamant attachment with religious festivals, despite countrywide disaster management instructions, superstition has been unduly displayed. Kumbhmela, held in Uttarpradesh was the massive conglomeration of devotees at the River Ganges. It caused the proliferation of pandemic among the devotees. Some of them died due to infection. The conglomeration culminated in faster pandemic spread to other states of the assembled devotees. The entire government machinery was not only watching the festival but had also rendered all the logistic support for its grand celebration. The government that had to discharge its authority as per the disaster management directives, had violated it in all respects.
The effect of COVID-19 pandemic has not been erased completely. The pandemic still persists. But the superstition mongers are acting in a meaningless manner as laughing stock. In temples priests feel proud with publicity postures making ‘omnipotent’ deities wear masks. The doctor-devotees are testing the deities with the aid of their stethoscope. Do they hear any ‘heartbeat’? Such devotees are neither honest towards the deity nor to their medical profession.
The open mindset of mass has to be corrected. The latent mindset with sediments of superstitious belief must be set right. For that rationalists have to individually render their social duty of eradicating superstitions. Organisational functioning will be more effective.
In Tamil Nadu, Dravidar Kazhagam and The Rationalists’ Forum founded by the social revolutionary Periyar E.V. Ramasamy (1879-1973) has been striving in a continuous and sustained way. They used various modes of carrying on the propaganda against superstitious beliefs and practices. Many rationalist organisations are functioning on these lines. The rationalist movement in Kerala has contributed a lot for the cause of eradication of superstitions. Still a long distance has to be travelled. The State Governments of Maharashtra and Karnataka have legislated Acts against the superstitious practices. Any violation of the Acts is liable for criminal action. The Government of Kerala is on the move of enacting similar legislation. The rest of the State governments must also come forward on this progressive lines.
Countrywide enactment must be made by the Union government. That would be the move towards permanent solution against superstitious practices. Welfare and well being of humans are important. Let us strive for the dawn of humanity devoid of superstition!
