Research on the efficacy of Gayatri Mantra to cure COVID-19 questions faith in Science

Can chanting the Gayatri Mantra treat Covid-19?

This is not a joke.

‘Scientists’ at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Rishikesh have tied up with the Government of India to test this hypothesis. They have organised a 14-day trial where they will check the inflammation levels of 20 patients, half of whom will chant this holy Hindu verse morning and night, coupled with some Pranayam -- breathing exercises used in Yoga.

What this enormous clinical trial of 20 patients will prove, I do not know. What I have understood is that there are 20 Covid19 patients in the hospital in Rishikesh. And this is the treatment 10 of them will get. They will all receive regular medication. This “study”, if it can be called that, is sponsored by the Department of Science and Technology of the Government of India. Though what official connection this department has with the Hindu religion I do not know.

The summary presented to the Clinical Trial Registry of India, according to Outlook magazine, wants to see how this sacred Hindu verse helps. The summary also says there is no vaccine for Covid-19 yet! I do not know if similar verses from other religions will be similarly tested but I think we all know the answer to that. I do know that the same Government of India has announced a Covid-19 vaccination programme!

From around this time last year, we were told by several Union ministers and BJP worthies, from the Prime Minister downwards to sing “Go Corona Go”, stand in the sunlight, clap our hands, bang our pots and pans, sit naked in mud, advised to use Ayurvedic drinks, eat ginger to boost our immunity, use Patanjali’s Coronil, eat cow dung, drink cow urine… actually I’ve lost track of the absurd, even criminal advice we’ve been given.

Add to this the promise from a prime minister who announced a complete lockdown on March 24, 2020 and assured his loving fan club that while the battle in Mahabharat ended in 18 days, he was going to work hard that the battle against the virus would end in 21 days.

How unfair, you may say. No one knew. It is true. No one knew the severity of what has happening. And between then and now, much of India’s official reactions have been steeped in “don’t know, didn’t bother to find out, not going to tell you anyway”.

Those early 21 days of lockdown last year would have worked if some real work had gone into bettering our health care facilities, contact tracing methods and testing protocols. But what did happen is that bombast and optics, ceaselessly cheered on by a brainless media circus, won the day. The more photos appeared of waving and clapping, the less need to do any actual work.

And here we are today. With a Hindu religious chant being investigated by “scientists” while India’s vaccination drive is painfully slow even as it looks like we’re heading for another Covid 19 spike.

As ever, given the government’s love for self-praise and publicity, we have been cheering our vaccination pace. Figures like 3 million a day, 1.6 million a day are bandied about. Most of us appear to have forgotten our size: 1.3 billion people. How long will it take to cover even half that number at 3 million a day? Because at our current rate, we’ll take over 10 years to vaccinate 70 per cent of Indians.

If you delve behind the self-congratulatory cheers, you’ll see medical professionals – those not busy investigating the Gayatri Mantra that is – pleading for a faster pace. Not just that, categories of people eligible for vaccination need to be opened up. In some parts of India, vaccination centres are not running to capacity. There is over 6 per cent of wastage thanks to empty slots.

There is gossip about people fudging their comorbidities to get vaccinated. That in itself should be reason to open up. There are people who want to get vaccinated. The complex rigidity of the comorbidity requirements has only complicated matters and created confusion. Many parts of India do not have easy access to health centres. Vaccines need to be taken to them. The expertise of NGOs and social organisations should be used to the fullest.

The vaccines for children are still being developed. Until then, those around them need to be vaccinated for overall safety.

It is an irresponsible government which ignores science in the middle of a pandemic. And irresponsible “scientists” who pander to this irresponsibility.

(The writer is a commentator based in Dehradun. Views are personal)