Scholar wants ‘bhoot vidya’ course name to be changed

With a controversy over the introduction of a certificate course in “Bhoot Vidya” in the Banaras Hindu University (BHU) now raging on the social media, a member of BHU court has written a letter to the Vice-Chancellor suggesting a change in the name of the course.

The BHU has already clarified that the course, being offered by the Ayurveda department, deals with psychosomatic disorder and has nothing to do with paranormal activities as is being misinterpreted.

Shriram S. Savrikar of Mumbai, also a member of the BHU court, has said in a letter that since the common man’s comprehension is limited, more clarity in nomenclature is imperative.

“I am not aware about the course content. However, on the basis of my knowledge of the subject, it appears to be related to psychiatry. Therefore, the name of the course should be changed and renamed as Ayurvedic psychiatry,” Savrikar said in his letter.

The letter also adds: “Common people perceive ‘Bhoot’ as ghosts and demons, and invariably relate it to ‘tantrik’ rituals, which makes the issue very sensitive. The course name ‘Bhoot Vidya’ conveys a bad message.”

The BHU officials have yet to take a decision on renaming the course.