As educators, we never miss an opportunity to teach the kids and impress and re-impress on them the frailty of relying on superstitions to attach meaning to everyday ha
ppenings.
It was the post-lunch session at school when I received a complaint from the class teacher of Class 9 stating that a boy had verbally abused his bench mate, a girl, for no apparent reason. I called up the boy to investigate. When I asked him if the complaint against him carried water, he replied in the affirmative. My curiosity was aroused as most students initially deny their role vehemently in the complaints lodged against them.
I asked him what part of her behavior or talk offended him. He mentioned that she had pointed out to a slight swelling below his right cheek and inquired about it. I questioned him further on what he had replied. He stated that he had verbally abused her. He continued that he had retorted that he would hit her with his slippers for posing that question to him. I was aghast. How could a 14-year-old boy lose his temper on someone for showing concern on him?
I probed him further, but he wasn’t ready to reveal any more. At last, when I threatened him with dire consequences, he blurted out that if somebody inquired him about swelling in the cheeks, it is believed that he would actually contract mumps.
I berated him for harboring such foolish belief being a student of science. How could he think of such idiotic stuff when he had learned the fact that it was microbes that cause mumps. He realized his folly and shed tears of repentance.
It is astounding how some of the most educated of us too believe so adamantly in beliefs like these which cloud our rational mind and project us in poor light in the society. I have seen educated motorists stopping their vehicles by the side of the road for a minute or two when they see a cat crossing the road. I have seen pedestrians throw coins to the river as offerings. I have seen people not ready to hand over broomsticks to another person by hand in the belief that it brings bad luck to the receiver. They insist the person drop the broomstick to the floor from where the other person needs to pick it up. All these are a blight on the society and need to be discarded for us to progress as a nation.
