Since time immemorial this universe and its entire species including humankind have been governed and guided by a vast myriad of rules & laws. Though none of us can ascertain how exactly events unfolded when Adam & Eve met in the Garden of Eden for the first time considering the infallibility of the laws of attraction it may be presumed that both were dragged incredibly close until they tumbled and fell over each other on the ground as per the sacrosanct laws of gravity! And it is needless to mention that the laws of kinetics & fluid mechanics prevailed in the next phase & the saga of evolution got kickstarted in the holy Garden of Eden!

Ever since that day of our creation, we human beings like all other living and non-living objects have been ruled by laws that Mother Nature has imposed on us. But what makes us different from other species is our ability to frame our own laws or rules. This unique power that has been bestowed upon us by the creator of the universe has made us what we are today. Human beings have set different rules for almost every aspect of their lives and have modified them as per their needs from time to time. As the wheel of civilization progressed, more and more complex and intricate rules evolved. Today we are chained by rules in every sphere of our lives. Some of these rules we have inherited from our ancestors and we are expected to uphold them with great reverence. But the credibility of a few of these rules which seem to be discordant with our generation often comes under our scrutiny. All of us have more or less made a mockery of such rules in our schools and colleges and yet we have passed our exams, got good grades, and graduated successfully. In the workplace also we often come across some bizarre rules which drive us crazy. Nevertheless, we obey them religiously as we are paid at the end of the month! Surprisingly at times, it seems, that handcuffed by such rules in our offices, home, schools, colleges, temples, churches, and all other places, we human beings probably have developed an unusual penchant for more of these statutes and decrees over the years.

Some of these rules are so abstruse that much perseverance is required to understand them correctly. Take for example Duckworth-Lewis’s rule in cricket. The calculations are a mystery to the commoners and even the players will agree that it is much more difficult than the game itself. In football also, we have seen how often the tricky offside rules have triggered violence on the field, tension among the players, and brawl among the spectators.

There are some many more weird rules and laws confounding in various parts of the world.

Honking is illegal in Texas; blinking in Poland! Now even if one must agree to those, how could one come to terms with the prohibition of kissing by law in French trains and stations? If kissing in a train is felt to be a danger and needs monitoring then how can the more life-threatening menace of flatulence and its manifestation in public transport still go unnoticed in different parts of the world, especially in India? So many times, it has happened to us; that we have experienced this trauma in a packed Indian Railway compartment boarded by half the population of the country! The agony is inexplicable. Just imagine yourself stranded among thousands of fellow countrymen, with many uncouth souls standing on your feet and you holding on to your dear life inside a daily local coach! And then a sudden muffled ejection from some hidden, untraceable source that stops your heart for a second! Isn't that scary & gross too? Some law needs to be passed very soon to put an end to this!

To add more to our surprise, in our country, the law permits a person to vote when he or she is eighteen. But the same person has to wait three more years at least before he can taste alcohol legally. Does eligibility for the consumption of alcohol require more wisdom and maturity than that of suffrage? Yes, there is a question of making a careful and wise choice in selecting a proper brand and type when it comes to alcohol and it does come with a hell of a lot of options and in multiple flavors or essence, all great; but undermining the importance of polls and blatant dismissal of the same as mere child’s play is also quite baffling.

The list of hilarious rules around the world does not end here. Rather it is quite exhaustive!

It is said that one cannot drive shirtless in Thailand, no matter how hot the weather or your six-pack body is! In some countries, men cannot grow a beard while it’s exactly the opposite in some other places. In some countries, rules dictate what a person can safely adopt as attire!

Leave them all, one area where the rules play a major role is 'religion'. The rules of religion have been the most intriguing with far-reaching and everlasting impacts on humankind. They have shaped the course of human history. Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, Islam & other religions all have their own set of rules, dos, and don'ts. Abrahamic religions are monotheistic while Hinduism offers numerous Gods (some people say thirty-three crores) to whom the followers can confide & seek solace. Rules of every religion are diverse, sometimes in harmony with other religions and at times revealing unfathomable contradictions.

Laws, rules, regulations, and codes of conduct dating back from the time of Hammurabi or even before him, have transformed many lives. Many of those are still relevant while a lot of other such rules have become outdated and incongruous with our present times.

But it must also be accepted that in many countries many archaic and obsolete rules still prevail which are a deterrent for all. Even our Prime Minister has acknowledged this fact and he stated that one of his many missions is to free India from the ‘maze of useless laws.’

Rules and laws without any hint of doubt are much required for a systematic and cohesive functioning of any institution, administration, or society and should be respected and upheld by all. But rules which spread hatred, discriminate between human beings, break hearts, shake trusts, divide families, ruin marriages, destroy temples and mosques, slaughter animals and inflict suffering on our fellow brothers must be broken. There is no harm, no crime, and no sin in it. 

.    .    .