Scene: A tea shop in Madurai. Two friends, Ravi and Arjun, are having their evening tea. A gentle buzz of traffic and temple bells fills the background.
Ravi: (excitedly) Arjun, tomorrow is the big day, da! My interview for that manager post!
Arjun: (smiling) Super, da! You’ve worked hard. You’ll nail it.
Ravi: (seriously) But listen… I need a small help. Before I leave for the interview, can you find a Brahmin for me? Just for two minutes. You know na, seeing a Brahmin first thing in the morning — it’s very auspicious!
Arjun: (chokes on his tea, laughing) Dei! What are you saying? Find a Brahmin? Like catching a Pokémon or what?
Ravi: (offended but grinning) I’m serious, macha! Amma says if I see a Brahmin, my work will be successful. It’s tradition, pa. Can’t take chances.
Arjun: (grinning) So what will you do? Stand on the street corner with a board: “Wanted: Brahmin. Urgent. Good salary. Tea included”?
Ravi: (laughing) Dei! Not like that. I thought you might know someone. Or maybe outside the temple…
Arjun: (sighs) Ravi, think about it. You’ve prepped for months. Studied late nights, did mock interviews. Your hard work will decide the result — not some random Brahmin sighting.
Ravi: (defensive) Still… tradition is tradition. Why else do so many big people — politicians, film stars — consult astrologers and purohits before big events?
Arjun: (leaning forward) Ok, fair question. But think about this: if meeting a Brahmin automatically brought success, then why do we see Brahmins also facing the same life struggles as everyone else? Jobs, health issues, loans… everything.
Ravi: (pauses) Hmm… but maybe they’re unlucky Brahmins?
Arjun: (laughs) See, da, that’s the problem. It becomes a “heads I win, tails you lose” argument. If things go well, we say, “Because I met a Brahmin!” If things go badly, “Oh, that Brahmin was unlucky.” No way to properly test it.
Ravi: (stirring his tea thoughtfully) But our ancestors believed it. So many generations can’t be wrong, right?
Arjun: (smiling warmly) Not necessarily. Earlier, people didn’t have science to explain luck, health, or success. So they made connections based on what they felt was true. Like… you know, how people once believed eclipses were dragons eating the Sun?
Ravi: (laughs) Ya, da! I remember that old story — Rahu and Ketu biting the Moon.
Arjun: Exactly. Nice story, colorful, but now we know it’s just the Earth and Moon blocking sunlight. Beliefs evolve with knowledge. Same with these rituals.
Ravi: (grinning) So you’re saying I should meet… who? A scientist tomorrow morning?
Arjun: (pretending to think) Hmm… maybe meet a mirror. Look at yourself and say, “You studied. You’re ready. You’ll do great.” That’s the most auspicious face you can see!
Ravi: (laughs out loud) Dei, you’re too much!
Arjun: (smiling) Trust yourself, da. Not random luck. Not someone’s birth caste. Your brain, your effort — that’s the real magic.
Ravi: (nods slowly) Maybe you’re right. But just to be safe… (grinning mischievously) maybe I’ll still hang around near the temple for five minutes tomorrow. Small investment for peace of mind!
Arjun: (laughing) Fair enough, boss! Science and tradition — India style!
[They clink their tea glasses and laugh, as the sun sets behind the bustling Madurai streets.]
Science Vs Superstition 
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