Modernity is supposed to have ushered in the end of magic, with the help of rational thinking and scientific advance. Till recently, we saw magic as staged entertainment, not as a powerful source of desirable change that could be invoked in times of stress when no recourse was on offer elsewhere. Now, social media has resurrected magic, and people are as prone to magical thinking as they were in the 15th century.
Do people turn to magic or to religion when they are confronted with a knotty problem? Western scholars see religion as a way of making holistic sense of one’s condition and of magic as a way to tackle particular problems. Their conception of religion is informed by Christianity. In India, it is not uncommon for people to turn to religion for particular solutions to particular problems as well, promising lavish offerings on wish fulfilment.
Consider some recent social…
