Read the following passage and answer the question that follows by selecting the correct option:

In the quaint village of Malgudi, nestled between lush green fields and swaying palm trees, lived a man named Raghavan. He was known for his peculiar habit of collecting colourful pebbles from the riverbank every morning. The villagers, initially perplexed by this ritual, soon came to see it as a unique aspect of Raghavan's character.

One day, as the Sun painted the sky in hues of orange and pink, Raghavan discovered a pebble unlike any he had seen before. It shimmered with an iridescent glow, casting a magical aura around it. Intrigued, he decided to keep this special pebble in a small wooden box on his windowsill.

As days passed, rumours of the enchanted pebble spread across Malgudi, attracting visitors from neighbouring villages. They sought Raghavan's wisdom, believing that the mystical pebble held the answers to life's mysteries. Raghavan, a humble man, shared his insights with those who came, emphasising the beauty of simplicity and the magic within everyday moments.

Raghavan's neighbour, Murrku, jealous of his success, decided to rob him off the pebble and sell it off to a bidder at a good price. This was important as he would be able to buy the most expensive doll for his daughter Rae on her birthday. He spent days and nights planning for the robbery and was successful in fulfilling his target. But this did not make any difference in Rae's birthday celebration which had been complete with the simple toy made out of household stuff presented to her by Raghavan. Murrku understood Raghavan's simple philosophy of life. In the bid to get the most precious gift for his daughter, Murrku had forgotten Rae's birth day.

Why did the villagers initially find Raghavan's pebble-collecting habit peculiar?

They did not understand the reason for it.

The correct answer is Option (3) → They did not understand the reason for it.

The passage states that the villagers were initially perplexed by Raghavan's habit of collecting colorful pebbles from the riverbank every morning. This suggests that their confusion stemmed from a lack of understanding of why he engaged in this ritual, rather than feelings of jealousy, beliefs about bad luck, or opinions about it being a waste of time.