As we all know, the Maharashtra Government recently cleared an ordinance to ban superstitious practices. Sadly, this had to be a posthumous recognition for Narendra Dabholkar, a qualified doctor of medicine, who waged a tireless campaign for 18 long years for a law against black magic. Ironically, a man dedicated to non-violence, like Mahatma Gandhi, was shot dead barely four weeks ago in Pune.

Of course, the law as passed only forbids obviously cruel acts such as sacrifices, of innocent children or humans, and the practice of witch craft and black magic.

However, I wonder if superstitions can ever be eliminated from the conscious thoughts of human beings. Perhaps, these were necessary in the days when primitive man had to think on his feet to fight or take flight on being chased, be it a wild beast or a natural phenomenon like a tornado. But superstition might have helped him to take a decision on the spot, giving him the illusory feeling that his was an informed approach. When he survived a brush with disaster, his superstition was validated and when he did not, it would be a case of “dead men tell no tales”.

Fearful of cats, what not

It appears doubtful whether superstitions — even if they have outlived the requirements of pre-modern man — can be erased from society. For instance, in India, when we launch satellites, the process being governed purely by the laws of science, we choose an ‘auspicious’ date and break coconuts before the countdown. At a personal level, even educated persons harbour superstitions. Samuel Johnson, the 18th century literary giant, it is believed, would never pass a lamppost without touching it. It was not merely an idiosyncrasy but a personal superstition to assure himself that things would work out fine. One of my father’s friends used to retrace his steps if his right foot did not strike the ground in front of the next lamp post. He thought the imprecision would bring him bad luck and hence he would retrace his steps.

I remember as a student I used to connect my waking up and seeing my grandmother before seeing anything or anybody else with doing well during tests and examinations. Even today, if my car starts with the first turn of the key as I leave for work, I feel reassured. The chances are that my boss will not blow his top!

These are portents which are assumed to foretell good or bad outcomes. Omens are not always harmless. We are all aware of how our society not only indulges in gender discrimination in imparting education, allowing freedom to move about and so on but also, horror of horrors, it discriminates against women who have lost their husbands, ostracising them from all religious occasions. There are several other omens too, such as a cat crossing one’s path, seeing a donkey, broom, and so on.

If society has to become modern, as Dabholkar and EVR before him envisaged, we must eschew superstition.

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