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We're rational, touch wood

While most will not admit to being superstitious, they don't believe in tempting fate either

Rockers Europe might blithely sing: "It's easy to take/ I am not superstitious." But for most people, mirrors breaking and sundry activities are to be treated with respect. We are in the new millennium and turning the other way when a cat crosses your path isn't all that uncool.

Though there are many like Siddhant studying in Standard IX who believe that "superstitions do not make sense," there are others like Deepti and Sneha doing their final year MBA who do not wish to "take a chance" and touch wood, that universal talisman against the evil eye.

"That is common human tendency," says Dr. C.R. Chandrasekhar, a professor of psychiatry. "Even the most rational of people do not wish to take a chance. So you have scientists waiting for rahukalam to pass before they start an experiment. But if you were to think it through rationally, there are so many trains that leave at rahukalam that arrive safe at their destination."

Niharika, a law student, follows "every kind of superstition. I have a favourite pen for exams, a lucky shirt for tests. If a cat crosses the road, I feel my day is jinxed. And I pray hard to neutralise the effect."

"Superstitions are short cuts to predicting the future," says Dr. Chandrasekhar.

"It is born of the human tendency to associate things you cannot control or predict to neutral things like time, days or colours. Superstitions are born when unrelated things happen together. This is passed on through generations and becomes a belief." For instance, touching wood is something most people own up to. The origins of the belief can be traced to pagan times when wood spirits were believed to dwell in trees.

The Christian root of this practice comes from the fact that Christ was crucified on a wooden cross.

But you find that the origin of several superstitions is rooted in plain common sense, though it might get distorted along the way.

Not cutting your nails at night, for instance, made sense at a time when there was no electricity and there was every chance of injuring oneself.

For every believer in superstitions, you have people like Deepti, homemaker, who do not believe in superstitions as "God is there and will see to it that nothing goes wrong."

Says Anita, a student, "I have three cats at home. So I should really be plagued by bad luck going by the traditional belief."

While touching wood is fairly universal, most other beliefs are culture-specific.

Dr. Chandrasekhar says: "Friday and 13th are considered unlucky in the West while we consider seven and Tuesday unlucky." The bottom line — Ashes to ashes, dust to dust, if Feng Shui does not get you, Vaastu must!

MINI ANTHIKAD-CHHIBBER

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