Cross Your Fingers & Toes..

Cross Your Fingers & Toes!!! 

 By

 Vivek Hande

I  regard myself as a person of Science and I do believe I am above superstitions and quite rational in my thinking. I do think I am fairly logical and don’t really believe in irrational thoughts and beliefs. However, as I kind of introspect, I am amazed by the number of superstitions that have embedded themselves as a way of my life. They have been a part of my growing up years and they are so deep rooted now that, even though I don’t see the logic behind many, they are here to stay! Much to my chagrin, I tend to agree with John Toland, who wrote,” All men are superstitious; they only differ in degrees” 

I don’t cut nails after sunset. I don’t cut nails on Saturdays. I understand it angers ‘Shani’. I definitely don’t get a haircut on Tuesdays. Somebody told me down the line Saturday haircuts are also not a good idea because of the same ‘Shani’ issue. I am reasonably certain I would look fairly well groomed if I did have a haircut on any of these days, but I just cannot get myself to a saloon on those days. Many years ago my mother drove it in that homes are not to be swept and cleaned after sunset – you don’t want to scare ‘Lakshmi’ away. While one has stuck to the no cleaning after sunset policy, it doesn’t seem to have encouraged ‘Lakshmi’ to be a regular visitor. I tend to stop the car when I see a black cat cutting across the road. I allow some other car driver to go past and be cursed by the evil spirits and then gingerly drive. If there is no vehicle driving past, I reverse and pretend to go in a different direction and then drive ahead- I think it is adequate to confuse the evil spirits. Bird poop and especially crow droppings, I have been told are auspicious. Very often, I have tried to catch the eye of low flying birds and encouraged them to give it a go, especially when I am in dire need of some luck to bolster things. 

It is very difficult to set off on a journey even if it is an unearthly hour in the morning without a dollop of Curd (Probiotic) and Sugar (Glucose)-what has to be done has to be done… Whenever I have had an itching right palm, I am optimistic of getting some money coming my way. More often than not, the only thing that has come my way is a prescription from the Dermatologist. One remains an optimist. One has, at times, gone mad trying to look for wood to knock (especially after an aunt told me knocking on the head is not a good substitute). There is no way you can say something good or wish someone well without knocking vigorously on wood. In fact, it is a good idea to keep a block of wood in your pocket at all times- you never know. I was introduced many years ago by my wife to, “one for sorrow, two for joy” in the context of Mynah birds (Magpies in the Western context and the original poem also talks of Gold and Silver). I don’t really believe in all this joy and sorrow business being linked with these silly birds. However, if I see a solitary bird, I tend to become an avid birder looking for another one to ensure joy. Seeing just a solitary Mynah is kind of disconcerting, to be honest.

 I tend to avoid walking under a ladder, but that I think is more out of prudence rather than the fact that the triangle formed is considered to represent the Holy Trinity (Father; Son & Spirit) and is believed to be sacred. I think I automatically cross my fingers when I want to improve my chances for something or someone; though for the life of me, I have no clue how it helps the cause. The car washing man regularly fixes an arrangement of lemon and chilies on the car on certain ‘auspicious’ days. I definitely think the lemon would be more useful as wedges in a glass of Gin and Tonic and the Chilies could be better utilized in the Paneer Curry. But I do realize the man is doing his bit to keep my car safe from the evil gaze of others and is kind of a backup insurance. So, I kind of let things carry on. 

 I am good with all numbers and not much into numerology but yet somehow the number 13 is not very comfortable. Even though I have great memories of wonderful and joyous occasions on the 13th of a month..but still I subconsciously think twice before embarking on something new on the 13th. If you are not scared of Friday the 13th, you definitely ought to be scared of the folks who are- they are simply called ‘Friggatriskaidekaphobics’.

 I am a physician and I let science and evidence dictate my course of actions. I do understand that fear and ignorance are the root of meaningless superstitions. 'To conquer fear is the beginning of wisdom', remarked Bertrand Russel .  Dramatic , but not far from the truth, "Superstition, the mother of those hideous twins, fear and faith, from her throne of skulls, still rules the world" quoting Robert Ingersol.

There is little place for fear and ignorance in my practice. The practice of medicine is based on logic and hard facts and established guidelines. I know all of that and I fervently believe in the science behind it. And yet if someone sneezes just before I am doing a complicated endoscopic procedure, I am a little more careful; a little more cautious; a little more circumspect