India’s more than half of the population literally thrives on baseless superstition beliefs. Let’s just start a ride unfolding and talking about 12 superstitions & myths only Indians believe.
In India science and superstition go hand-in-hand. From trying to alter our destiny with gemstones to warding off evil with lemon and chilly totems, here are some of the age-old beliefs that we can’t seem to let go of.
Here are some superstitions which don’t make sense, but we Indians blindly follow
- Cutting nails and hair on Saturdays brings bad omen.
Hindus people mostly believe that it’s inauspicious to cut hair and nails on Saturday because it angers planet Saturn (shani), which then brings bad luck.
However, ask people who cut their hair and nails on Saturdays, and we bet they’ll tell you their hair looked better and their nails neater, and no planet hovered above them with bad luck.
- Women not allowed in temples during menstruation.
Earlier, women did not have the convenience of sanitary napkins and few other pain reliever pills. Temples used to be at a distance and it used to be tedious for them to go there and spend long hours in the rituals for the day.
Hence women were not allowed in the temples so that they could be home and rest but, people believed myths like if a woman on periods enters the temple then the temple will be “ashudh” impure.
We clearly misinterpreted the concern of our ancestors and till date 90% of the women follow this misconception. Though menstruation has nothing to do with worshiping god or entering a temple.
- If black cat crosses your path, then your tasks will get delayed or postponed.
Poor black cats. They are blamed just for being black (no racist joke here). It’s a popular belief in the west too that, if a black cat crosses your path, it’s a bad omen. For the west, the origin of this superstition came from Egypt.
Egyptian culture believed that black cats were evil creatures, whereas the Indian explanation is that black represents the Shani (planet Saturn) and therefore brings bad luck. It is said that if a black cat crosses your path, then your day’s tasks get delayed or postponed.
- Keeping onions and knives under your pillow can drive away bad dreams.
An onion and a knife is kept under a newborn child’s pillow to drive away bad dreams. It is also believed that placing an onion under your pillow while you sleep will bring you great insight when dreaming about who your future partner in life will be.
I will personally suggest all single people try doing this to prove how wrong this belief is!
- You lose your wealth, if you shake your legs.
Shaking legs is not just a sign of nervousness. It also drives away your wealth. It is believed that if you shake your legs, prosperity will flow away from you.
That totally explains why we are so broke always at the end of the month!
- Lemon and 7 chillies for protection
This is a common sight in the doorways of Indian shops, houses and offices as well as in vehicles like auto rickshaws and trucks. It is believed that Lakshmi’s sister, Alakshmi, considered to be the absolute opposite of Goddess Lakshmi, brings in bad luck to these places.
However, as she loves the taste of acidic food, people believe that hanging these vegetables outside their personal spaces would urge her to have them and leave without entering, thereby ensuring that their wealth is not drained by her isn’t it funny?
- Sweeping floors in the evening drives Laxmi from the home.
Even if your room is filthy, your mom will not let you sweep the floor in the evening. That’s because Hindus believe that Goddess Laxmi generally visits homes during the evenings (specifically around 6-7 pm), and therefore sweeping will drive her away. Thus, the entire activity is avoided when the sun goes down.
They of course, assume that Goddess Laxmi has a problem with basic hygiene or something related!
- Crow shit brings luck.
We’re not making up shit if we tell you that crow shit is considered lucky. Hindus believe that crow shit brings ‘laabh’ and that money is on the way.
I think if this was ever the case, then crows would’ve been the best pets right now don’t you think so?
- Don’t go near a Peepal tree in the night
Peepal is one tree the ghosts like to stay around and if you sleep around a peepal tree at night, the ghosts will kill you. Do you know that plants and living beings keep a balance in nature?
In the morning, when the photosynthesis is occurring in them, they absorb carbon dioxide, change it into energy and give out oxygen in the air which we breathe in but in the night, the opposite reaction occurs. At night, plants exhale carbon dioxide while there is a lack of sunlight.
Animals sleep under trees all the time, why don’t we see all of them dead, next morning?
- Adding one rupee to a gift sum is auspicious.
People think that one is a lucky number. The shagun must hold an amount which ends with one. It should be gyraah rupaye ka prasad or ek sau ek ka present at Indian weddings and pujas. It’s totally a baseless belief.
Adding one rupee can’t make the money double anyways.
- Broken glass
Indian households have a major problem with broken mirrors as it is considered to be a bad omen. Broken glass goods are not kept for long. A logical explanation can be formed from this. Broken glass creates a hazardous situation and one might cut oneself on shards. Thus, the faster they are disposed of, the better.
But do you think this belief can stop kids or shanta tai from breaking stuff?
- Itchy left palm.
It is believed that if your left palm itches, wealth is on your way. If you were eyeing that vintage purse or the new car, or were planning on a luxurious vacation, it would do you good to hope that your left palm starts itching soon enough.
Just a solid myth sticking the whole day with Netflix and chill and suddenly you feel itchiness in your left palm, will you get money or chappal from your mom?
Superstition beliefs continue to rule the lives of people even today, as such beliefs are closely linked to faith in god. For example, practices such as sati were used to be performed in India. It was also a superstitious belief connected to history and religion.
Superstition is most often portrayed as a symbol of backwardness and even an indicator of poverty which often gives rise to the idea that it is in poor countries that superstition rules supreme.
We all know how we have also been brought up with a set of weird superstitions and most of them simply are far away from logic. Yet, there are many who refuse to question their rationality and continue to live in blind faith holding Myths tightly.
Tell us in the comment section below what myths and superstitions you have heard before?
Also Read- Sexuality in today’s world