By Anukriti Roy
First publised on 2021-06-01 04:57:01
Numerology, like many other things which lead to superstition and unscientific thinking, has many followers worldwide. In India, even celebrities change their names overnight to add a's or e's in the spelling of their names. It is believed that the numerical value of your name, if matching the numeric value of your date of birth, brings you luck and smoothens your journey in life by removing all hurdles that come your way. Well, it will suffice to say that people believe in worse things.
But a numerologist, although not a famous one, has now said that if coronavirus and Covid-19 were spelt as Caronaa and Covviyd-19, and the new spelling is used in all documents and banners (see the lead picture), the virus would vanish from the world. S. V. Annandd Rao (note that he has added n's and d's to the conventional spelling of his surname), a stenographer with the judicial department in Ananthpuram who claims to be a numerologist, has put up banners (which have made their way in social media) suggesting this change which he says is as per divine power calculated by numerological principles. Perhaps, scientists the world over should now consult numerologists before naming any new virus, disease or cyclone to keep them in check.
The Bard had famously asked what's in a name. But obviously, numerologists think there is much. To them, an Ayushman is doomed to failure while the same person will be a roaring success as Ayushmann. Hence, it is no surprise that with the amount of unverified reports, suggestions and medical advice doing the round in the pandemic, a numerologist has suggested changing the spelling to 'kill' the virus. The pandemic has created experts and pundits everywhere. Hence, why blame a simple numerologist for spreading unscientific thinking when influential people are suggesting holding yagnas on the roads or drinking gau mutra (cow's urine) to either 'kill' the virus or to prevent it from infecting you?