<p>Mohan Badana is employed at an electronic retail firm in the city and has experienced the perils of superstition. Owing to a reaction in his body, in 2010, his oesophagus expanded beyond normal proportions, increasing acidity and giving him unbearable pains for nearly a year.<br /><br />A simple operation later provided relief to his condition. Meanwhile, however, he approached more than 20 witch-doctors or similar practitioners from Shivanjinagar in Bangalore to Sullia in Dakshina Kannada district.<br /><br />He recollected a peculiar instance during his visit to a faith-healer in Sullia. He was made to lie on the ground, a plate filled with water was kept over his stomach and a white cloth was covered over him. After ten minutes, the faith-healer removed the cloth and bingo, a piece of boiled chicken was floating on the plate kept over his stomach.<br /><br />The healer confirmed to Mohan that his illness was gone, as the piece of chicken which he had consumed causing him illness, was now removed from his body. The healer was paid two chicken (Rs 600), four coconut (Rs 60), 20 kgs of rice (Rs 520) and any cash payment the patient desired. However, his stomach pain was not cured.<br /><br />He had to offer similar payments to all practitioners, while his health was deteriorating, before a minor surgical procedure cured him. “My pain due to the condition was unbearable. People thought I was going mad. Some family members feared of demonic possession,” he said.<br /><br />Though he laughs off his superstitious practices now, he laments that many people fall prey to such instances of quackery, where people are extorted, on a daily basis.<br /><br />Comparatively similiar was a threat of death by an astrologer on television, regarding the death of former Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy. Historian Nanjaraj Urs recollected the incident and said that the astrologer claimed that Kumaraswamy would die by 2012-13. While Kumaraswamy is alive and kicking, Urs said that these were tricks employed to lure people to perform some rituals, which would monetarily benefit astrologers and other superstition based practitioners.<br /><br />Pressing demands<br /><br />While the debate for an anti superstition bill brews in neighbouring Maharashtra following the death of anti-superstition activist Narendra Dabholkar, rationalists of the State too are pressing for similar legislations in the country.<br /><br />Dr Narendra Nayak, President of Federation of Indian Rationalists Association said that most people become targets of exploitation due to an individual’s superstition or blind belief. But it is the dangerous forms of superstition, which requires a criminal law to prevent extortion of people. <br /><br />Speaking to Deccan Herald, he said that since residents of urban areas too are not exempt from extortions and other atrocities owing to superstition. As a result, a criminal law was required to curb it. “If organisations press for such legislation in the State, there will be a vocal opposition from right wing organisations, who are against such progressive reforms,” he added. <br /><br />Despite this, an Anti-Superstition Law should be implemented along similar lines of Maharashtra, not only in the State, but across the country, he said.</p>.<p>Similar were the views expressed by Panditharadhya, President of Mysore Freethinkers Forum, who pointed out at the rampant misuse of public money in the name of superstitions. “Reports of ministers spending tax payer’s money to change the Vaastu of their offices and exhibiting their superstitions are all too common now,” he said. When people at high offices are victims of superstition, the state of ordinary people was much worse, he added. </p>.<p>Rationalists feel that when the Indian Constitution has listed ‘developing scientific temper’ as a fundamental duty, a law to curb superstition is imperative.<br /><br />For rationalists, the very fact that activist, Narendra Dabholkar was murdered in cold blood is a testimony against superstition. If black magic or divine retribution or any other superstitions were practically possible, they did not have to resort to murdering him. Black magic would have done the trick, they said.<br /><br />How people are tricked?<br />* Blob of butter to determine internal illness.<br />* Sacrificial ritual to bear a male child.<br />* Whipping men to shun evil out of the body.<br />* Attributing problems to structure of a house. <br />* Threatening with divine retribution to perform rituals.<br />* Forcing people with mental problems to solitary <br />* confinement to ‘drive demons out of the body’.<br />* Attributing problems to ‘evil’ elements in the land.<br /></p>
<p>Mohan Badana is employed at an electronic retail firm in the city and has experienced the perils of superstition. Owing to a reaction in his body, in 2010, his oesophagus expanded beyond normal proportions, increasing acidity and giving him unbearable pains for nearly a year.<br /><br />A simple operation later provided relief to his condition. Meanwhile, however, he approached more than 20 witch-doctors or similar practitioners from Shivanjinagar in Bangalore to Sullia in Dakshina Kannada district.<br /><br />He recollected a peculiar instance during his visit to a faith-healer in Sullia. He was made to lie on the ground, a plate filled with water was kept over his stomach and a white cloth was covered over him. After ten minutes, the faith-healer removed the cloth and bingo, a piece of boiled chicken was floating on the plate kept over his stomach.<br /><br />The healer confirmed to Mohan that his illness was gone, as the piece of chicken which he had consumed causing him illness, was now removed from his body. The healer was paid two chicken (Rs 600), four coconut (Rs 60), 20 kgs of rice (Rs 520) and any cash payment the patient desired. However, his stomach pain was not cured.<br /><br />He had to offer similar payments to all practitioners, while his health was deteriorating, before a minor surgical procedure cured him. “My pain due to the condition was unbearable. People thought I was going mad. Some family members feared of demonic possession,” he said.<br /><br />Though he laughs off his superstitious practices now, he laments that many people fall prey to such instances of quackery, where people are extorted, on a daily basis.<br /><br />Comparatively similiar was a threat of death by an astrologer on television, regarding the death of former Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy. Historian Nanjaraj Urs recollected the incident and said that the astrologer claimed that Kumaraswamy would die by 2012-13. While Kumaraswamy is alive and kicking, Urs said that these were tricks employed to lure people to perform some rituals, which would monetarily benefit astrologers and other superstition based practitioners.<br /><br />Pressing demands<br /><br />While the debate for an anti superstition bill brews in neighbouring Maharashtra following the death of anti-superstition activist Narendra Dabholkar, rationalists of the State too are pressing for similar legislations in the country.<br /><br />Dr Narendra Nayak, President of Federation of Indian Rationalists Association said that most people become targets of exploitation due to an individual’s superstition or blind belief. But it is the dangerous forms of superstition, which requires a criminal law to prevent extortion of people. <br /><br />Speaking to Deccan Herald, he said that since residents of urban areas too are not exempt from extortions and other atrocities owing to superstition. As a result, a criminal law was required to curb it. “If organisations press for such legislation in the State, there will be a vocal opposition from right wing organisations, who are against such progressive reforms,” he added. <br /><br />Despite this, an Anti-Superstition Law should be implemented along similar lines of Maharashtra, not only in the State, but across the country, he said.</p>.<p>Similar were the views expressed by Panditharadhya, President of Mysore Freethinkers Forum, who pointed out at the rampant misuse of public money in the name of superstitions. “Reports of ministers spending tax payer’s money to change the Vaastu of their offices and exhibiting their superstitions are all too common now,” he said. When people at high offices are victims of superstition, the state of ordinary people was much worse, he added. </p>.<p>Rationalists feel that when the Indian Constitution has listed ‘developing scientific temper’ as a fundamental duty, a law to curb superstition is imperative.<br /><br />For rationalists, the very fact that activist, Narendra Dabholkar was murdered in cold blood is a testimony against superstition. If black magic or divine retribution or any other superstitions were practically possible, they did not have to resort to murdering him. Black magic would have done the trick, they said.<br /><br />How people are tricked?<br />* Blob of butter to determine internal illness.<br />* Sacrificial ritual to bear a male child.<br />* Whipping men to shun evil out of the body.<br />* Attributing problems to structure of a house. <br />* Threatening with divine retribution to perform rituals.<br />* Forcing people with mental problems to solitary <br />* confinement to ‘drive demons out of the body’.<br />* Attributing problems to ‘evil’ elements in the land.<br /></p>
