Superstitions
Superstition is an irrational fear of the unknown. Superstitious beliefs are as old as man himself and have continued in some form or the other in all ages. Some superstitions are common the world over, but others belong exclusively to a particular place.
In the West, the most popular superstition is regarding the number thirteen. Hotels do not have a thirteenth floor, aeroplanes do not have a seat number thirteen and Friday the thirteenth, is considered particularly unlucky.
Here in India, we hardly ever go through a superstition-free day. Never sneeze before leaving the house, don’t let a black cat cross your path, if your left hand itches it means something, if your right hand itches it means something else, and if a crow sits on your head, God help you for your days are numbered!
In modern times, however, superstitions are gradually losing their hold on people. Most events are logically explained, and if you did not do your examination well, it was not because a black cat crossed your path but because you did not study hard enough!
Sometimes it becomes difficult to draw the line between superstition and religion. Where does blind belief end and faith begin? Often, we fall into the trap of criticizing religious rites and rituals, calling them superstitious beliefs. As educated people we should be able to differentiate between the two and respect the ceremonies which are a part of every religion, but condemn those superstitions which are detrimental to the progress of society.
