CAMPAIGN AGAINST SUPERSTITION;
SUPERSTITION ABOUT 6,TUGHLAQ ROAD,NEW DELHI, RESIDENTIAL HOUSE;
Superstition is not something new in the judiciary. There are judges in the Karnataka High Court who prefer their chambers to be facing a particular direction.

The judges of the Kerala High Court had also once decided not to use court hall-13 for superstitious reasons. This matter however did not end over there and was taken right up to the Supreme Court of India by an advocate who one could say was anti-superstition. The result was a dressing down by the Lords of the highest court of the land and along with came a direction to start using court hall-13 with immediate effect.

However here is a bit of information on the superstition that surrounds the judges of the Supreme Court. Well read through it and I can assure that you will be as surprised as me.

No 6, Tughlaq Road, New Delhi: A residence on this road was earmarked for the judges of the Supreme Court. Alloted in 1980, this house lies vacant today with none of the judges willing to occupy it.

Here is how the story goes.

It is said and believed that the wives of the judges residing in this house contract cancer.

It all started with Justice K Ramaswamy who occupied the house first. His wife died of cancer. The house was then occupied by Justice Srinivasan. His wife too fell ill and later died of cancer. The house was then occupied by the former Chief Justice, Y K Sabharwal. Sadly, his wife too contracted the dreaded disease and passed away.
Next, it was the turn of a sitting SC judge from Punjab. His wife too has reportedly contracted cancer now. After him, a newly-appointed judge occupied the house. However, two months later a similar fate befell one of his family members, following which he decided to vacate the house.
Foxed, the SC has written to the Centre to withdraw the house immediately from its pool.

"However much we may say that we are not superstitious, none has the guts to fight the unknown.''

Think about it

MANY THINGS ARE NOT RIGHT ABOUT RELIGION ;
Politico-historical factors notwithstanding, the present crisis is a conflict between “Science and Religion.” Conservatives of all colours and all items and nations have resisted scientific, social changes. Today, the fanatical elements of the Islamic world violently resist social reforms in the cyber age that were confronted by western societies in 19th century. Equality of life and liberty are the new mantra that threatens all old traditions that are based on the exclusiveness of their religious paradise.

But, as we know, now there is no exclusive blood group identity that divides us in terms of gender, caste, race and region or religion. The democratic equality paradigm has undercut the very basis of exclusiveness. The principle of equality, irrespective of gender, caste, class, race, region or religion, is not found in the religious testament of any faith, or ancient religion.

In fact, all religions promise a safe heaven or paradise, liberation or moksha or nirvana but for their own flock. No religion speaks about the inclusive civil rights of all humanity. No world religion speaks of establishing a non-discriminatory social order. There is no fatwa against killing a non-believer. There is no testament against raping and stoning to death a female or Dalit. In fact, all religious preachers practise social discrimination, and have disfranchised the non-believers, women, the poor and the outcast.

Those who think the conflict is between the West and the East or Islamic world often justify terrorist violence due to the hopelessness of “the oppressed minorities” who turn to “violence and terrorism to avenge the majority oppression” But, according to the Concerned Scientists and Philosophers, it is an irrational political reasoning. (The 21st century Manifesto). For poverty and discrimination are not country-community-or religion-specific. In fact, there are no innocent followers of any caste, region or religion that have not violated the human rights of women and the weak. No race, region, religion or, caste, class or creed was or is free from wrongdoings against “other” humans.

In the Hindu belief system, the social status is determined by the Law of Karma. If you are born as a woman, poor, or Dalit, that is divine dispensation based on your karma (wrongdoings) in the previous birth. There is, however, some redemption for those who die drinking the holy water of the Ganga. But there is no constitutional provision to grant equal human rights to women and the poor in any holy book of any world religion.

Although banned under the Constitution, Hindutva votaries still worship satis (widow burned alive) and the neo-conservatives still commit “honour killing.” Raping and killing nuns by Hindu fanatics is symptomatic of the same sickness which drives Islamist jihadis to stone helpless women to death. We must be reminded of the ghastly act of burning alive an Australian Christian missionary, along with his two children, by Hindutva gangsters. But no Hindu saint or religious head cried of curse, or condemned Hindu rightist crimes.

Similarly, those who raped and killed thousands of helpless women, and massacred Bangladesh President Mujibur Rehman and his family were not the oppressed poor minority. The genocide of the majority Muslim Bengalis was committed not by Hindutva men but by the Muslim majority state of the Islamic Republic. Those who issued a fatwa and attacked Taslima Nasreen, author of Lajja (the Shame), were not oppressed Kashmiris.

Mrs. Malalai Kakar, 40, mother of six children, was a high profile first policewoman officer in Kandhar. She was investigating crimes against women and children in the Muslim majority Afghanistan. “We killed Malalai Kakar. She was our target and we successfully eliminated our target,” boasted a Taliban spokesman. In another case, a film director of the Netherlands was killed for making a film on the women’s struggle for equal rights in an African Muslim society.

A multireligious nation, India adopted a secular and democratic Constitution granting inclusive equal rights to all citizens, irrespective of gender, caste, creed, region or religion. But religious conservatives of all colours actively oppose the political theory of separation of state and religion. The Christian world faced this problem in the 18-19th century when the Pope ruled the West. But theological polity cannot survive the challenges of scientific restructuring of society.

CAMPAIGN AGAINST SUPERSTITION,FANTASIES AND IDIOSYNCRASIES ;
"DEVOTEES" PLEASE THE "GODDESS" WITH CHOICEST ABUSES !
The most that a particular religion can base its claims on is faith, which really amounts to superstition. If people are to know and understand the real world, they must give up superstitious beliefs because they have a narcotic effect on the mind. As an opiate, religion drugs people into thinking they have found a form of security and salvation. However, this comfort is actually an illusion. Progress cannot be made in society until mankind has discarded the drug-like effects brought on by the superstition of religion-so said Karl Marx.

[In Kerala, India, there is a temple called 'Kodungalloor Bhagawathy Temple'. Every year in the Malayalam month of 'Meenam' (March-April) the'Bharani' day is celebrated here. Large number of oracles (velichappadu) assemble here for the festival and they go into a frenzied mood. The major highlight of the festival is hurling of abuses at the deity in the form of songs in highly obscene language. No 'devotee' is annoyed by this nor anyone take objection on the deity being abused in filthy language for it is part of the ritual. Read more in the followig reports.]

"How many here have heard about "Kodungalloor Bharani festival" in kerala? This is a festival in a famous temple in Kerala (supposedly a budhist/jain shrine at some point) where profane songs are sung as part of the festival and procession through the town. "Bharani pattu" (Bharani song) is synonymous with obscene song in malayali vocabulari. Usually people living in that area shut the doors and stay inside while the procession goes around (to avoid hearing "bharani paattu") during the festival."

"Kavu Theendal', (the pollution ceremony) is the most important event of the Kodungallur Bharani festival. Hordes of vellichappads (oracles) including women who have arrived from other parts of the state assemble at various spots in the temple compound. The Oracles in their red attire charge around the temple in a mad rush, waving their sabres in the air, while members of their retinue strike the temple roof beam with sticks and hurl objects including cocks over the roof on to the inner quadrangle. They use abusive words to goddess of the shrine. This abusive language is supposed to be acceptable to her. The offerings by devotees include turmeric powder, kumkum, pepper etc and the cocks. The velichappads and their followers circle the temple three times in a frenzy and then fall before the king for his blessing."

CAMPAIGN AGAINST SUPERSTITIONS;
THOUSANDS FLOCK TO ANNUAL MADYA PRADESH "BHOOT MELA" TO GET EXORCISED !
BETUL: It's a mela with a spirited presence. In Malajpur, a village in Betul district some 300 km from Bhopal, an annual fair is devoted to the exorcising of ghosts. Thousands throng here from Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and even Andhra Pradesh for the month-long 'bhoot pret ka mela' that will make their lives easier.

While exorcism is an old practice in some of India's villages, holding a fair for it is rare. The mela is held in a temple on the first day of Paush Poornima and continues till Basant Panchami. Bhikhari lal Yadav, a priest there explains, "Exorcism here is a centuries-old practice. We hold a samadhi of Guru Deoji sant and every evening, after the prayer, we treat those under the spell of ghosts and evil spirits." Guru Deoji, incidentally, was a Rajput with supernatural powers who was born around 1700 AD. His powers included turning sand to sugar, clay to jaggery and restoring eyesight to the blind. His reputation grew when, during droughts, he made the granaries overflow. After his death, a samadhi was made and for the last two-and-a-half centuries, exorcism has been going on here.

It is mainly women who come here to get rid of evil spirits. Psychiatrists say this is because their mental problems are often ignored by their families till it gets worse and they seem 'possessed'. The treatment is free here and devotees offer jaggery if their wishes are fulfilled. This year, more than 1,000 women were exorcised.

The exorcism starts late in the evening after 'aarti' has been performed. While normal people do a 'parikrama' of the temple anti-clockwise, the 'possessed' walk clockwise. Crowds chant, "Guru Maharaj ki jai" and families bring their ill members one-by-one. Amidst the chanting of mantras and sprinkling of holy water, the women become hysterical and flay about wildly before collapsing. Earlier, the priests would wield brooms during the rituals but that's a practice of the past.

Sunita, a Class IX student from Rampur village in Chhindwara district, is one of those believed to have benefited from this ritual. A relative of hers says, " One day, she suddenly fell unconscious and we were convinced she was possessed by an evil spirit. After a session of exorcism, she has started behaving normally."

Families of others too say their wards have got better. However, Rahul Sharma, a clinical psychologist from Gandhi Medical College, Bhopal, says the psyche of those assembled at Malajpur can be termed as a "hysterical" and says that conventional treatments such as psychotherapy, sociotherapy and medicines can also cure this problem.

Such blind practices are being combated, says S R Azad, general secretary of MP Vigyan Sabha. "We often do awareness camps and communicate to the villagers through science. The government should discourage this kind of superstition where poor villagers are exploited."

That's easier said than done.

THE ONLY TRUE FACE.
We may rightfully criticise Taliban and other jihadists for adopting violent and inhuman means to enforce an abusive, oppressive, obscurantist and brutal way of life in the name of the only true and final word of god but how can we forget their unparalleled, unique and undeniable service of bringing the only one and true face of their faith to the lime light. These jihadists though naively but truthfully and with the depth of their sincerity and devotion have convinced the world to the only true face of their faith by blowing up people, cutting their throats and condemning and rejecting any other interpretation of their religion as fake and hypocritical. In this wonderful era of social media networks appearing on the horizon, it is no more possible for an obscurantist and violent ideology to hide its ugly face behind any fake or hypocritical facade of moderation and civility. We may differ with Taliban and other jihadists for making a violent and inhuman bid to enforce an obscurantist and medieval philosophy, mindset and way of life upon their respective societies, but we can't deny to their untiring and sincere effort for successfully doing away with every hypocrisy and bringing to light the only true face of their faith, how so ever it may be hurting to our cherished beliefs and illusions.

FUTURE MIRACLE !

7 "Whenever, O Bharat, righteousness (dharm) declines and unrighteousness is rampant, I manifest myself."


8. "I manifest myself from age to age to defend the pious, destroy the wicked, and strengthen dharm."
Though believers have been waiting since time immemorial for miracle to happen ,supposed manifestation [reincarnation] in order to destroy the wicked and establish righteousness ,has not happened. The faith of followers and believers is rock strong and they strongly believe,that miracle is going to happen in near future.