When Lemon-Crushing Went Horribly Wrong!

By Sumit Paul, New Age Islam 16 September 2025 Buying a new car is often a moment of joy, celebration, and pride. In many families it is also a symbol of achievement, a gift, something that families plan for years in advance. People also follow an array of rituals on buying a new vehicle, decorate, offer blessings, perform pujas or small ceremonies. But sometimes, unexpected things happen that turn excitement into shock. Recently, an incident happened where a joyous car delivery ritual ended in a dramatic mishap. A young couple in Delhi just purchased a high-end Mahindra Thar Rox, priced at about rupees 27 lakh. To 'bless' the vehicle, they decided to perform a traditional ritual inside the showroom. Part of the ceremony involved placing a lemon under the tyre and gently driving over it for good luck, as is common in many parts of India. The process was supposed to be simple, but the Thar plowed through the showroom's glass wall and fell approximately 15 ft. onto the pavement below. Fortunately, no one died in the mishap. Since no one died, the superstitious couple attributed it to Mata Rani's Kripa (Grace of some popular Hindu goddess in North India). That a lime-crushing superstition actually caused this disaster was inconsequential. Mata Rani saved their lives as well as the life of the salesman was a divine miracle! Jay Mata Rani. This lemon-cutting and crushing ceremony is widespread in India. People cut lemons only to be crushed under the wheels! A few years ago, India's Defence Minister, himself a science Post Graduate, who taught Physics, cut lemons when India got Rafale aircraft from France. Despite that, India probably lost Rafale during Operation Sindoor. This happens because humans, not just Indians, seriously lack scientific temperament and rationality. Science is the great antidote to the poison of over-enthusiasm and superstition. Many of us may have studied science at the highest level like our lemon-cutting Defence minister, but they didn't imbibe the spirit of science and logic. Human brain tends to act in an illogical manner. That's why, Montaigne said, “Man is certainly stark mad; he cannot make a worm, and yet he will be making gods by the dozens.” The problem with all of us is that despite knowing the futility of superstitions, we never want to get rid of them. Superstitions, like religions and gods, provide a false sense of power, strength and also comfort. Even the most educated amongst us have vestiges and remnants of superstitions or irrational behaviour. We're hamstrung by superstitions but handicapped without them. Our most 'advanced' minds at space centres still break a coconut before launching a rocket or missile into the vastness of space. This may be an irony but the fact is, the scientific temperament of these brilliant scientists stops working in the realms of traditional faith and ingrained (superstitious) beliefs. What has been inveterate in the collective psyche for thousands of years, doesn't go with the advent of science and education. Humans are evolving and the whole process of evolution is so damn slow and imperceptible that by the time humans evolve, our civilization will have ceased to exist. We, therefore, will die unevolved with a raft of superstitions. Those who're making fun of the young Delhi couple, esp. the lady, for falling with their four-wheeler, should ask themselves, are they free of superstitions and all sorts of irrationalities? ----- A regular columnist for New Age Islam, Sumit Paul is a researcher in comparative religions, with special reference to Islam. He has contributed articles to the world's premier publications in several languages including Persian. URL: https://www.newageislam.com/current-affairs/lemon-crushing-horribly-wrong/d/136852 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism