Superstition and The Indian Culture

My article ‘I Am a Mum I am Superstitious’ had an unsettling effect on some of my readers. While most who appreciated the article just clicked on ‘like’, ‘love’, “laugh” silently, frankly ‘this is what the article deserved’, besides may be a few chuckles! But some were disturbed to the extent that they went on to write long personal criticism about me, some were too personal and ‘ooops it hurt’! I have not met any of them. In fact this article is an outcome of an ‘article suggestion’ by, let’s just say ‘a friend’. And I thought "Why Not!" Most readers noticed the self-ridicule to some of my own idiosyncrasies, as I also justify some others at a certain level. Some came down lashing at me, particularly over ‘Kala Teeka’. Frankly did you not notice how I poked that one?

There was one brave soul who admitted, after criticising, that she is disturbed enough by superstitions in her own life. The gumption of someone justifying the whole thing bothered her deeply. It was a matter of sanity vs insanity for her, I presume. And I appreciate every jibe that I received. But it was a chuckle, some ridicule and some hearty laugh, that I had expected from all readers. Many missed the humour in the article altogether. 

It is because, without realising, I had raised a topic that is not limited to idiosyncrasy in India. It is a means to control! In India superstition gives some, the right to suffocate others. A culture where personal boundaries are not respected much, one person's immaturity becomes another person's bane. If mother-in-law believes that bahu (daughter-in-law) is apshakun (bad omen) because when she kicked the bally rice on the day she entered the marital home, it fell to the left and not right, it can completely ruin the bahu's life for good. If she decides that bahu's daughter is not good for the family, because it was raining on the day she was born, then the bahu and the daughter are both non-entities in the family. If she decides that.... oh let me not launch on the unfairness of superstition in our country. The fact remains that if one justifies superstitions, she needs to understand that people in India are bound in shackles of it and that not everyone has the appetite to laugh at such impertinent quirks. 

I am humbled by the remarks of those who felt that the article reflected anything but a hearty inquiry into a natural human tendency. I am humbled by the remarks of those who did not notice self-doubt over some of my meaningless superstitions. I feel our country needs to draw better personal boundaries, so people are free to be inconsistent within those limits and not force others to do things they do.

Not a superstition free culture but an affliction free culture. A culture where we can laugh at people’s stupidity without risking our own safety!