It was the auspicious day of
Dhanteras, I was arranging the clay lamps outside my house when my sister came
running towards me and said a snake was found in our neighbour’s garden. Both of
us got chills down our skin but it was amusing what mom said next; “If a snake comes
to your house on this day, well that’s the sign of wealth.” Little did I know of,
it’s just another superstition that still prevails among the people of our
country!
With our wide culture, traditions and
religions are attached certain belief systems and practices we have been carrying
out since years as guided by our elders. We say we have been adapting the
western culture, we say our families are no longer orthodox and we have been widening
our minds to follow the traits of modernization to set a new paradigm for the
next generation; well- are we? Superstitions are indeed those beliefs that have
slowly been forgotten but people still preach them in the name of religion and fear
of bad luck. A layman would happily deny the fact of being superstitious, but
the stronger the denial; deeper is he falling for the trap.
When we were kids, our grandparents
told us to do and make sure we never do some things. Like crossing the road
when a black cat crosses your way, to cut nails after sunset or get a haircut on
certain days, asking someone leaving the house whether where are they going, spilling
of milk from an overfilled vessel etc were a strict NO and considered as a sign
of bad omen where as if you witness an elephant or a bride when you leave the
house, if the end of a cow’s tail touches you, breaking of glass, itching of
your palm or twitching of your eye could be felicitous.
These might be just certain things we
observe during the day and reflect on them as good or bad; but there’s another
list that might bring good luck, wealth, keep away evil spirits and sometimes
even tell you if guests are coming home or it’s a silent fear of someone’s
death. There is a whole list of Do’s and Don’ts in our cult related to fruits,
vegetables, men, pregnant, widow or menstruating women and various animals but
when we choose to be educated and broad-minded towards every other aspect of
life; when are we going to let go this practice which is only pulling us back.
Think about it; why would one put
vadas and coconut on the crossroads just to get rid of bad luck and that’s not the
end- whoever steps on it shall be followed by bad luck! I mean you would rather
feed a needy person with those edibles for the sake of humanity than to waste
it for this ritual. How is witnessing an elephant or wearing a particular gem stone
bringing you good luck? Talking about gem stones, people have made a new
business out of it and found a way to attract fools. Why do we need to make
sure of a particular time while we are travelling or purchasing something new
or why are directions so important in our house and even while sleeping or
studying?
But then by the passing time, these
superstitions have been twisted and given different meanings. Maybe they had a
different notion but this cruel society has changed it. For example, our elders
told us to cut our nails before sunset because then there was no light;
therefore we might end up hurting ourselves. If a woman is menstruating, she is
asked not to enter the kitchen or temples; not because she is impure but she
needs to rest instead of getting involved in household activities. Back then
the meaning was clearer, but now it’s just a mixture of what has been passed on
since decades. Superstitions are now like the game we played in childhood where
everyone adds something to a sentence and in the end what comes out doesn’t even
makes sense.
You might think that it’s time we
come up with a completely new belief system and forget these folklores. Well,
the time is gone. The only solution might be that for once, we shouldn’t learn
this from all the generations that came by. Sooner a time shall come when do
this and that shall become we used to do. Moreover, the more educated our
society; more aware we are about the good and bad around us, what should be
adapted and what needs to be abandoned. It’s high time we resort to modernization
than to be a replica of western countries!
