Myths and Superstition

So a random thought occurred to me in the shower at the gymn this evening. I was thinking about all the nonsense customs we have in our culture for the maintainance of 'suhaag' and fasts that married women must keep to assure the longevity of their husbands etc. and of which I personally have not heard any men, married or otherwise keeping - for the sake of their marriage or the assurance of finding a good wife, that is. Mondays - supposedly for a good husband, Karvachauth, Chunari Chaudas, Garv something - some fast that Kutchchis have, and so on...

And besides, there is some controversial theory in Hindu scholarship that states that women became widows because of their ego. And thinking about that theory (well, hypothesis, or opinion, technically)...

One could very well dismiss this as nonsense, or if one wanted to give these customs a little more credit than that - as a vestige of the virulent and very conspicuous social injustices women were subjected to if for whatever reason they did not have a husband - being considered unlucky if they were single, or raped, ostracised or otherwise ill-treated if they were widows or war wives. But at the same time I wonder that if one has grown up being taught to believe in and to keep these fasts, and if one rejects their belief and practice in one's adult life, that one's attitude accordingly would become less irreverent of the husband, causing, in fact, a dissolution of the marriage, or (to really stretch it to theological proportions) the death of the husband. Which begs another question - do husbands exist and thrive because women worship them or what they stand for? Does the very phenomenon of belief bring God into existence?

It would take a great deal of courage to break the walls of vehem that surround us to stop fasting and see what happens, if a change in attitude really occurs, - I know I dont have that kind of courage - and it would certainly cause an uproar in many families if they believe in it. (Of course note that this only stands true if you've grown up in such a culture - I dont believe this would even be questioned in the Western culture, for example, where women and men dont have all this socio-cultural pati-parmeshwar - "husband as God" baggage attached to them).

And somehow, its unfortunate that worldwide, despite the public lauding the advancing education and achievements of women, they are still speculated upon if they are single (though we already know from statistics that more professional men in high positions are likely to be married and have children than professional women are).

There is no doubt about the improved quality of life that a good marriage can offer for both sexes (or genders, or parties) - companionship, constructive criticism, a warm bed and hearth, love, laughter, understanding, co-operation, compromise, trust, loyalty... and all of that comes because two have tangoed (in the bed and out).

It's just odd that someone thought that something external like fasts or temple visits or certain food or clothing for the husband would foster that relationship. On the contrary, it speaks to me of an inherent weakness in man, a tenuousness in this bond, that isnt supposed to exist.

*shrugs*