Founder of the Goa Science Forum, Somu Rao from Panaji will deliver a lecture on Superstition and the relevance of Article 51 A (h) today at Museum of Goa (MOG), Pilerne. NT BUZZ finds out the need to demystify myths and understand the scientific reasoning behind superstitions

VENITA GOMES | NT BUZZ

You must have quite often heard people saying: today is not going to be a good day because a black cat just crossed my path or today is Friday the 13 something bad is bound to happen or someone is talking bad about me as my left eye is constantly twitching since morning. Such beliefs are widely termed as superstitions. They are generally irrational beliefs in supernatural influences, especially leading to good or bad luck or a practice-based on such a belief. There is a need to understand the origin of such belief and its relevance in todays world.

Somu Rao from Panaji, for many years, has been working to provide scientific explanation to such beliefs by making people aware of Article 51 A (h)- that states that it is the fundamental duty of every citizen of the country to inculcate scientific temper, humanism and the spirit of inquiry and reform in everyday life. Rao says: Superstition is any belief or practise which is irrational; it may arise from ignorance, misunderstanding of science, blindly believing in fate or magic, or fear of that is unknown. Through our organisation The Goa Science Forum we try to demystify myths related to natural phenomena and explain superstations giving scientific explanation. We also address myths related to health problems to help people get rid of fear of the unknown and phobias. So, that they do not get exploited by people claiming to possess supernatural powers (defying laws of nature).

Sharing some of the most common superstitions believed by people, Rao says: Superstitions like cat crossing the path or hanging lemon and chillies, evil eye have existed since many years. The latest superstition right now that is going on in the South Indian states is the breaking of the red coral stone from the mangalsutra. Married ladies are breaking the red coral stone from the mangalsutra because rumours are that the lady will create health problems for her husband, so there is a mad rush to break it from mangalsutra.

Rao explains that there is a need to question everything in order to avoid ignorance which leads to belief in myths and superstitions. He says: Scientific temper is a way of life. An individual needs to go through the social process of thinking and acting. He can adopt scientific methods which may include questioning, observing physical reality, testing, hypothesising, analysing, and communicating. This means that we should question everything by using science in order to find the truth.

In order to promote Article 51 A (h) Rao has started a voluntary organisation The Goa Science Forum. He has conducted several programmes on scientific temper and has conducted more than 1500 lectures, demonstrations and training workshops on scientific temper in Goa and other states of India. He has even participated in many international, national seminar/conferences on science communication, humanism, etc. He is currently conducting advance training workshops on scientific temper which is a residential programme of five days.

Rao is also the secretary of Federation of Indian Rationalist Association (FIRA) which is a federation of around 87 organisations in India, which works to promote rationalism, humanism in society. The organisation also holds awareness programmes to promote inter-religious and inter-cast marriages; awareness programmes to eradicate superstitions and promote organ donation, etc.

Since the age of 12 Rao has been interested in understanding the basis of such superstitions, he says: Reading different types of books right from childhood gave me lot of information on different subjects. Some of the information I had turned out to be irrational later. Like the information that saints performed miracles, evidence for the existence of ghosts, especially eye witness account of seeing ghost, supernatural claims of so called god men, etc. Scientific evidence to demystify myths and superstitions I learnt gradually. The learning process that started at the age of 12 is still on. I am still learning.

Rao is also associated with the Indian Committee for Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal (CSICOP). Speaking about the work carried out by (CSICOP), he says: The organisation was formed by B Premanand to study and investigate claims of paranormal. Some of the cases investigated so far are related to claims of rebirth, claims of supernatural powers of god man and other pseudoscience claims.

(Lecture on Superstition and the relevance of Article 51 A (h) will be held today at 11 a.m. at MOG, Pilerne.)

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Dispelling myths through science - The Navhind Times