Since we have been discussing “Superstition” lately, a number of pertinent factors are not even mentioned cos they are deemed to be too “superstitious” to even be brought to light.
Did you know that in the Thai Cave rescue, the boys could ONLY be rescued AFTER the goddess of the hill was propitiated? Every effort to try to rescue them was previously failing. As a part of the propiation the boys had to become monks for a period of time. The goddess was Jao Mae Nang Non. The locals were always convinced that the disappearance of the boys was connected to her displeasure. After a number of efforts to rescue them ‘secularly’ came to naught, the Goddess was approached by the local ‘shamans’. Then, on receiving a ‘go ahead’, and after making the promise wrt the boys and no further transgressions into the caves, the boys were extracted. In the telling of the rescue tales, this crucial aspect of the rescue was never mentioned. It was touted as a triumph of human will and technology. All mention of this skipped in the story’s retelling. Only, the boys tonsured thereafter and became monks for a part of their lives. The caves became out of bounds. [There was only one detailed coverage of this an aspect of it by one of those international rescuers, which i had read, but it was not covered by the media. Any mention of it was presented as local ‘superstition’.
The tunnel in Uttarakhand was built by razing the temple of the local Nag deity, Baukhnag. This was despite vehement protest by the locals. Some Govt official, who deemed himself/herself as superior to such ‘superstition’, ordered to raze it and construct the tunnel. The result of which we are all witness to. Some of you might have seen images of Arnold Dix kneeling in front of a makeshift temple made at the mouth of the tunnel, seeking blessings? Many of you must have passed it off as being sensitive to local sentiments. No one who has worked at the edge of nature’s anger ever passes off these as ‘superstition’. To proclaim such is the privilege of those cocooned in distant security.
Anyway, Arnold Dix, last night, was confident of rescuing the workers last night. The effort to drill a hole from the top and extract them was going well, and they were just 30 odd feet away, but that drilled bore also collapsed. Arnold Dix, with dismay exclaimed that the ‘mountain was working with its own mind against the effort.”
Until the Govt official who had the temerity to raze the temple is brought to books, the rescue will not be effected. The Nags are rulers of the mountains and rivers. Their will very much in effect and supreme within their provenance. The official WILL meet his comeuppance irrespective. The question is whether he will meet it on his own or will effect “collective punishment”? Also know that Kashmir won’t be settled without propiating the Nagas. Ignore them and their venom will play on minds of the denizens and they will equally spew the venom then.
You are free to keep passing it all off as SUPERSTITION, as long as you are ready and willing to bear the cost, and don’t try to hive it off to others. The powers which are greater than us will continue to prevail.
