SUPERSTITION UNFOUNDED FEAR

How many of us can resist checking our steps on seeing a black cat crossing our path? Or, in the silence of the night ,suppress an uneasy feeling hearing the howl of the dog? It is almost universally believed that black cats crossing your path indicate failure in your mission and the howl of the dog intimates death to someone close. Beliefs like these are termed as so called SUPERSTITIONS. In the west, the number 13 is considered to bring ill-luck. A person getting this number for his car will hesitate to drive it for fear of accidents. A house of this number generally fills the inmates with fear of ill-happenings and death. It is a bewildering fact that no one prefers to drive a car with number 13 in FORMULA 1 races. But non-westernized Indians hardly, attach importance to this number. India however, is rich in its own superstitions. Looking at an empty vessel at the time of coming out of the house is supposed to bring failure. So, its corollary is devised keeping a vessel full of water, rice or milk on the way out!! But friends on a brighter side we can think at least those famished animals get something to eat or I should rather to treat...kudos to such superstitions!! And if a poor soul sneezes while someone is heading out of the house for an important meeting then it is believed that person is going to fail. But how can someone control sneezing as we all know it is a biological process and asking a question at someones departure is a natural curiosity. People do not liked to be called back or ask a question while they are setting out for some work but I never understand why it embitter the feelings of the person who is on his way somewhere. Artificial black braids or shoes are hung at the back of vehicles, whether it is a truck or a posh Bmw. A newly built house has to be saved from the evil eye, so an ugly fearsome, face usually painted on the back of an earthen vessel is fixed to the facade of the house. The role of priesthood was also significant in popularizing superstitions such as totemism. This gave the superstition sometimes the status and sanctity of RELIGION.

SUPERSTITION UNFOUNDED FEAR

But on the whole, superstitions are detrimental to the individual as well as to the society. Their hold on people is so strong that even if nothing goes wrong after a so called inauspicious incident, no one is ready to change these beliefs. In fact what I belief is that they are irrational, beyond logic. , and so no reasoning can weaken their hold on the human mind. But to a great relief the spread of science and education and compulsions to modern life have caused them to fade out though at a diminishing pace. The ever increasing influence of the media has also proved the hollowness and harmful impact of the superstitions.. Education in general has reduced the area of darkness in human mind and instilled among people courage, selfconfidence and rationality and this has led to the natural death of superstition.