Bhushan Malmohi
Although the hoary past superstitions resurged in early 15th century in France we don’t perceive its much favourable place in the contemporary era but infer that superstitions have played a huge role in shaping culture and society. As the years rolled by and the time spend through we understand the magic effect of superstitions have blunted substantially. What are superstitions? These are the dogmas and belief that have no scientific approvals. These are mere presumptions based on personal opinion, rituals or local twang. Generally people believe that there are certain unseen phenomena working under unforeseen forces causing imbalances called superstitions Dr Betty while explaining the origin of superstitions, says that all the mysterious practices together with magic and the superstitions come from the primitive man’s feeling of insecurity in a world he could not understand and powerless to control. So he looked for any means supposed to avert the effect of evil eye.
There is a huge impact of superstitions prevalent in some sects of people who don’t embark upon any business unless the task is commenced on an auspicious day having the aura of astrological compatibility. In some countries people are under this notion that black cat hurrying across the path represent bad luck. This is, infact a belief that is based on assumption. Some people grovel under this notion that to bring good luck and to keep nightmares away one must hang horse-shoe in the bed room dangling at the upper side of the door in upright position. This has a dogma based on the fact the horse-shoe has seven holes which is a good luck number. Besides, horse-shoe being made of iron averts the bad impact of manes and evil spirits. Twitching of eyes is considered to be forecasting event of long journey and to the left eye it smacks ill-health and ailments. Scratching of palm imply some wherewithal windfall, while chirping of bulbul is calling for some guest to come.
Continuing the spree of superstitions, the Friday of 13th day of month is also seen as inauspicious on the belief that the day is cursed and the source of ill-fortune stems out of it. In many countries howling of owls is considered impending misfortune and death. But in Persia, the owl is looked upon as a sign of bagful of fortunes. They believe if feathers of owl are rubbed against body one is supposed to ward off perils of manes and evil spirits. Superstitions have been so designed by the orthodox people that these strangely connect unrelated incidents and there appears to be a confluence with each other. As per another superstition, walking under a ladder is considered to be an unfortunate event. While departing for examination examinee is provided with a mix of sugar and curd. Sneezing also plays indomitable role in carrying forward the message of superstitions. The Chinese believe that a sneeze on New Year bodes bad luck. The superstitions for sneezes with numbers in many parts of the world makes us laugh into peals of laughter.
“One for sorrow
Two for Joy
Three for a letter
Four for a boy
Five for silver
Six for Gold
Seven for secret never to be told” So on and so forth. There is no breath where the element of superstition does not sway. The breaking of mirror is supposed to bring gloom and bad luck for the family. Chinese believe that blue and red colours bode eruption but the same Red colour is considered sign of agility by other people. The primitives believe that evil spirits live in the hollow of trees and as such are paid respect and obeisance to avoid impending catastrophe. Pecking of crows means threat to life and misfortunes.
To make marriage a blend of ecstasy and Joyful, the bride must wear something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue and the wedding veil will protect the bride from evil eye. One loses the benefactions of Mahalakshmi if rooms are broomed in the night.
The other aspect of superstitions is that if a rocking chair rocks by itself it signifies a ghost and if a dry kindling wood won’t light a ghost is said to be blowing out the fire. If you suddenly smell a perfume or such other pleasant smell with no discernable source that reminds of the dead person who are on vigil to you. The fact remains that the old superstitions people lived in a simple past where their mental horizon was limited to dogmas, rituals and orthodoxy. Being religious in thought, deed and action they seldom knew the forces of real nature and adhered to what was imbued in them heretically. But to say good by to the orthodoxy the situation calls upon philosophers to combat blind dogmas coupled with irrational creeds and reconstruct man’s institutions on logic and rational basis otherwise the superstitions will continue to haunt us as ghosts.
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