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Prabhu’s death and superstition

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My friend Prabhu passed away last month from colon cancer. His death has deeply impacted my life, as he was one of my closest friends. I miss him immensely. I was discussing his death with two friends, Babu and Rahul. Babu has a degree in science and is preparing to study in London, while Rahul has a degree in arts. Both are educated and have lived in the city all their lives. Although everyone who knew Prabhu was aware that he died of colon cancer, Babu and Rahul offered an explanation that shocked me.

They claimed that one of the main reasons for Prabhu’s death was his motorbike, which he had purchased a year ago. According to them, Prabhu’s Saturn was not aligned favorably, and buying anything made of iron is considered dangerous for someone whose Saturn is not in a good position. They identified four mistakes Prabhu made: buying a motorbike, purchasing it on a Saturday, choosing a black color for the bike, and not allowing others to ride it. Babu and Rahul believed that black is an “anti-Saturn” color, and buying a black motorbike was a significant error.

Prabhu was very attached to his motorbike and never let anyone else, even his family members, ride it. Babu and Rahul suggested that if Prabhu had allowed others to use the bike, it might have reduced the negative influence of Saturn and helped him fight colon cancer. Hearing this explanation left me astounded. It seemed absurd to link cancer to something as trivial as a motorbike, especially when we need to understand the real causes of such diseases.

I often hear about unhealthy practices such as mixing animal fat with oil and butter, treating old potatoes with acid to make them look fresh, or the increasing consumption of meat products. While these practices are concerning, Prabhu’s doctors attributed his cancer to excessive consumption of deep-fried and spicy foods. Prabhu himself admitted that he hadn’t eaten lunch in the past seven years. He ran a Kachaudi shop and would consume 10-12 Kachaudis with very spicy vegetables every morning, then eat nothing else for the rest of the day.

He also mentioned using burnt oil to prepare the Kachaudis. He maintained this diet for seven years, and his dinners usually consisted of roti with spicy vegetables. He had rarely eaten lentils during this time and suffered from serious constipation for years without ever consulting a doctor. Additionally, he chewed betel and tobacco frequently. I believe these factors, not his black motorbike bought on a Saturday, contributed to his colon cancer.

It seems that while India is evolving with its younger generation, there are still many outdated beliefs that hinder progress. The younger generation must move beyond such superstitions to better understand and address real health issues.

Frustration in villages

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I visited my village after being away for ten years, and I saw many changes that made me sad. I used to think that Indian villages were still safe, but the reality was quite different. I remember that there used to be a pond right in front of my village house, but now half of it is covered with clay and other waste. India’s purchasing power has increased significantly over the past fifteen years, and while people are buying more products, they lack proper waste disposal methods.

I don’t blame the people for this issue; rather, I think the government has failed to address waste management effectively. These are relatively new problems for India, and there is a clear need for education on proper waste disposal. Traditionally, throwing rubbish outside the house was part of Indian culture, but in the past, the waste was made from natural materials. Cows and other animals, which have always roamed freely in India, used to help dispose of this natural waste. Today, however, our trash is largely plastic and chemical, which these animals cannot decompose.

Villagers have started buying packaged products and often discard the waste in open spaces or ponds, leading to the degradation of places like the pond in front of my village house. People do not realize how this will affect their lives in the future. When I discussed this with the villagers, they showed little interest. They believed that covering the pond was a solution because it would reduce the water and consequently the mosquitoes. Covering the pond isn’t a proper solution to mosquito problems; proper cleaning and maintenance could have achieved that.

I also wanted to see an old well near the pond that had personal significance to me—my brother had fallen into it about fifteen years ago. To my surprise, there was no sign of the well, just plain ground. My cousin informed me that they had completely covered it up. This decision was shocking and baffling. I understand the importance of wells for recharging groundwater and was dismayed to see such a crucial resource discarded. The villagers claimed the well was no longer useful for two reasons: fear of accidents and the water quality. They could have covered it with a screen to allow rainwater to pass through but chose to seal it entirely.

I observed that everyone in the village uses plastic products in their daily lives and disposes of them improperly. There is a lack of awareness about the impact of plastic waste. It is crucial for the government to step in and address these issues by introducing environmental studies in schools and making them compulsory. Villages face significant challenges now, including a decline in the quality of education. Students often attend school, pass time by massaging their teachers’ feet, and leave with degrees that do not equip them for real-world jobs. This lack of practical education leaves them unprepared for city life, leading to social and economic struggles.

The frustration from their isolation and the exposure to city lifestyles, like seeing girls in short skirts, can lead to unhealthy behaviors. Many young men, feeling disconnected and frustrated, may turn to brothels, contracting diseases like HIV due to ignorance about safe sex practices. Additionally, the use of gutka, a chewing tobacco, is prevalent among youth and is a leading cause of mouth cancer in India. The prospect of a global water crisis is often discussed, and given the current state of affairs in India, it seems possible that India might face severe water scarcity in the future. We have severely depleted our rivers, deforested much of our land, and are now threatening our groundwater.

Pesticides banned in other countries are still used in Indian agriculture, often without awareness of their harmful effects. The Indian government appears to lack effective control over these issues, and the situation could escalate into a major crisis. While the world is working to repair environmental damage, India seems to be exacerbating the problem. If environmental quality dictates living standards, India could face the worst living conditions globally within the next fifteen to twenty years. I hope the Indian government will eventually address these problems, but by then, it might be too late.

Will No Smoking work in India?

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The Indian government’s decision to ban smoking in public places, announced on October 2nd—Gandhi’s birthday—seemed almost laughable. I was skeptical about whether people would adhere to this new rule. During the first week after its implementation, media outlets captured images of people smoking in public areas and presented them to the District Magistrate (DM), questioning whether the rule applied to Benares. The DM responded that they had not yet received a written copy of the regulations, so they were unsure how to enforce the ban.

Recently, I visited Delhi and went to the Delhi High Court for some work. To my surprise, I saw many advocates and police officers smoking within the court premises. At first, I thought I must have mistakenly entered the wrong place because it seemed inconceivable that law enforcement and legal professionals would flout the very laws they are meant to uphold. There was a canteen inside the court where smoking seemed permissible, but many people, including advocates, were smoking outside the canteen.

After finishing my work, I went to a tea shop about 50 meters from the High Court and asked for a cigarette. The shopkeeper informed me that he did not sell cigarettes. When I inquired about the nearest place to buy cigarettes, he directed me to a shop inside the High Court. He explained that selling tobacco products near the High Court was prohibited, yet tobacco products were sold within the court premises. The inconsistency left both of us puzzled. It’s common to see people smoking in public spaces, including trains and buses, despite a long-standing ban.

Many restaurants catering to foreigners still permit smoking. Although there was some discussion about the new law in its early days, I doubt anyone follows it, and I believe it will continue to be ignored. The law seems to be ridiculed, and there’s a prevailing belief that it won’t work in India. Ironically, while the government sought to curb cigarette smoke with this law, it recently repealed the Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA), which was enacted by the previous BJP government to combat terrorism.

Although terrorism persisted under POTA, the law kept it in check to some extent. Since its repeal, the number of terrorist activities has surged dramatically. While countries around the world are enacting new laws to combat terrorism, India appears to be moving in the opposite direction by withdrawing existing ones. The repeal of POTA was driven by political motivations rather than effectiveness. In the last six months alone, India has experienced sixty-four bomb blasts—a record high. This escalation highlights the urgent need for effective counter-terrorism measures, rather than dismantling the tools that helped control it.