Now, the superstitions associated with eclipses. In India even today and even among the most educated people, the beliefs that prevail regarding eclipses are the most ridiculous. One must not eat for the entire duration of the eclipse and some people actually follow it. You must not cook and when the eclipse gets over all the water in the house must be thrown away and replaced with fresh water. Since there is a scarcity of water these days and you can’t afford to throw it all away, there is a way around this one. Put some kind of grass or weed in the water to purify it :). Pregnant women must not venture out so that there are no ill effects on the unborn child. Why? Because, harmful radiations are emitted during the eclipse!
Obviously, this observation has no scientific backing but who cares about science. I have been eating, drinking and doing everything I normally do during eclipses and I haven’t seen any harm coming upon me or my family. But, naturally. I am aware about the scientific reasoning behind eclipses which are natural phenomena which have been happening since there has been earth. But try telling this to the people who follow the ridiculous traditions. And, the best answer they give is — If our elders have been doing it, then there ought to be good reason behind it. Really, I disagree. We have an analytical mind to understand what is right and what is not. So everything that our elders do is definitely not right. The right to reason, understand and then adapt what is sound is the understanding that education offers us and it is the only way we can come out of these ignorant beliefs.
As it is, Hinduism is riddled with all kinds of superstitions, rituals and discriminatory practices (the caste system is a case in point). Unless, educated Hindus open their minds and rid ourselves of these beliefs, we would continue to be backward in a lot of areas no matter how much economic progress we may achieve.
Rachna says 
Leave a comment