Science is beyond physics, chemistry or biology. It transcends the boundaries of engineering or medical field, rather it touches upon the life of each of the individual living on this planet. It often happens that when we or our dear ones gets affected by diseases like jaundice (treatment of which is more dependent on relevant diet and adequate rest) or chicken pox, we turn up to self made godmen or babas for instant relief. Do you remember your mother taking you to temple priest when you got affected by some viral diseases termed in Hindu religion as Mata (referring to Indian goddess)? As if God wanted you to get ill.
Medical science has often remained at loggerheads with superstitious ideas prevalent in our society. And there are some positive arguments in what medical sciences says. The baba culture or tantric culture prevalent in rural regions of our country has often derived benefits from ignorance and backwardness in the rural society. Having said that, ignorance is not limited to rural or poor people alone, I remember how the famous Indian sportsperson used to bow down in front of a baba who would wave his hands in air and magically shell out a gold chain or a watch - this is nothing but what is better known as haath ki safai.
Ask these babas to produce stock of grains so that no child in our country die of starvation. I know they would never do it because they don't have means to do it. In some other instances, when one visits the holy places like Haridwar, one just can not miss these babas with pierced tongue in which the trishul (trident) is well placed to create an aura of godly powers. Sometimes I wonder how many 'Supermans' do we have.
This is a serious issue though. Our country is progressing by leaps and bounds but these superstitious ideas keep pulling us back into the culture of oblivion. The western perception of India as a 'country of snake-charmers' has still not left us completely. These ideas are like 'mental slavery' to which most Indians are subjected to - the most visible manifestation of which is witch-hunt often reported in some states in central India.
Some progressive steps have been taken by the state governments and some rational individuals in our country but unless this turns into a national movement wherein each citizen has its own contribution, superstitions can not die. The priority now should be to educate students to build scientific temperament among them. The idea is to propagate scientific inquiry among the minds of younger generation so that they can insulate themselves from this form of slavery.
