Last weekend, while I was out for my morning stroll, I overheard
a group of elderly uncles talking about a supposedly gifted man, in a village
called jhajjar, who can cure virtually all diseases and disorders with simple
pressing of nerves. In a country like India, it is not uncommon for these
miracle men to pop up in far-flung places. But what got me going was the fact
that the people I saw talking come from a well- educated, financially sound section
of the society. So the rest of the week was spent in gathering more
information.
My findings: A man of around 50, he does something similar
to accue pressure with a plier-like instrument. He talks of being blessed by a ‘guru’
two years back when he used to go for ‘sewa’ near rishikesh. The blessings, he
claims, have empowered him to cure all ailments. From diabetes, to blood
pressure, to simple coughs and colds, you name it and he knows which nerve to
press. His patients range from an ordinary villager to people rich enough to
own flashy cars. He cures all…from the illiterate to the over-literate (I just
coined that term).
My basic question is; what makes educated people go to him? Why
this blind faith in someone? The case under question is just an example…there
are tons of similar examples. When doctors advise diabetic patients with sugar
levels as high as 400 (PP) to get admitted in the hospital, why do these
patients come knocking at his door? Why do they risk so much? How can they just
stop taking there medicines on the word of someone who is, technically, not
even a doctor?
I talked to nearly a dozen people and not one of them was
able to supply me an answer. All of them are on strict diet control and
exercise regularly (They are regulars at my park). I got answers ranging from “he
is a gifted man” to “I wanted to get rid of my medicines.” So did all of them
just play a huge gamble with their life at stake? Mind you…I am not questioning
their wisdom.
I have always known India as a land of superstitions. We don’t
walk forth if a cat crosses our path. We still believe that a ‘mangali’ girl
will bring catastrophe on her family, if married to a ‘non mangalik’ boy. Many communities
do not practice birth control measures simply because they consider children to
be God’s gift. While in other places, the girl child is killed wantonly. Why are
we such a people?
In this particular case, it might be because the allopathic
world has no permanent cure for a specific disease. You become medicine-slaves.
Or people might not trust the medicines being prescribed by doctors who often
burn a hole in their pockets. Word of mouth and common gossip might be another
reason. The last reason being simple desperation, the desperation to get a better
life without much effort. After all, it does seem appealing to visit him once a
week and get rid of all our medicines. The last one is the strongest bait. Who doesn’t
like to be fit? And when something like this turns up, the general attitude of ‘try
kar lete hain’ prevails. But ‘trying’
with such high risks…I wonder if it is feasible…
Another reason might be the positive publicity they get. If he
cures even five out of ten people, those five will get him twenty more
patients. The other unlucky half, doesn’t say much. They are afraid of being
taken as ‘literate fools’. All in all, there is no negative publicity. Slowly and
steadily, the followers grow in number. This phenomenon can almost be a subject
for effective business marketing strategies. Imagine a business model with guaranteed
expansion with no expenditure on publicity. Seems utopian. But it is happening
now and here, in the real living world.
I know I have put up a lot of questions with barely any
answers. The explanations for such irresponsible human behavior will never be
enough. In the past week, I’ve thought of a thousand different reasons and systematically
shot them down. It might be because I haven’t experienced it yet. But trust me,
I don’t even want to be a part of it. Rather I’d like to keep myself apart from
it.
I just want to appeal to your common sense... can someone
really do what medicines can’t? maybe…in singular cases. The dictionary calls
them ‘miracles’. But folks…miracles don’t happen everyday.
Dhongi baba or not…is for you to decide…
