Sold on Superstitions

Based on a seer’s dream that tonnes of gold lie buried underneath an old fort in a village in Uttar Pradesh, the decision of the Archaeological Survey of India ( ASI) to undertake a massive exercise to unearth hidden treasure is ridiculous (“Gold Rush on the Ganga”, November 4). It is nothing short of promoting superstition among the gullible and illiterate people who are already under the spell of Godmen. The site attracting huge crowds is a clear pointer that ASI has started the work with the tacit approval of the Government. It is shocking that despite scientific advancements, vast sections of the educated class, including scientists, still believe in superstitions.

K.R. SRINIVASAN, Secunderabad We have heard about many ‘gold rushes’ during 19th and 20th centuries but India’s 21st century gold rush for the mythical treasure based on a daydream of a self-styled god man is bizarre. Shobhan Sarkar’s “vision” prompted the Government to deploy top scientists on a weird gold hunt. Unfortunately many brilliant minds in the Government fell for the godman’s eccentric dream. The seer’s subsequent dreams point to few more places where many tonnes of gold lie buried. If the Government allows similar digging, India will be the land of a thousand holes. Godmen have been deceiving gullible people so far, now they are deceiving top scientists, the mass media and the Government.

V.S. DHARMAKUMAR, Gurgaon