21 Superstitions That Indians Believe
Are you familiar with the practice of touching wood when you wish for something to turn true? India is a country that is full of superstitions like these that cannot be explained by reason. Yet, we have continued to witness their practices since childhood.
How many times have you asked your elders about a reason behind a superstition and got no answer? That is because most superstitions are based on no logic whatsoever, while others may have originated from a genuine reason, but have gradually lost their real essence.
Regardless of their source, it can be quite interesting to explore some of the most common superstitions in India and how they have come to be.
1. Cutting Nails o Hair After Sunset Brings Bad Luck
Cutting nails or hair after sunset is considered to bring bad luck to yourself. The superstition defies any reason or logic, but the practice may spring from the times when electricity was scarce. Hence, people preferred to get these chores done before dark to avoid any hygiene issues or injuries.
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2. Eye Twitching Signifies Wealth Coming Your Way
You may often find one of your eyes twitching. While this can be due to a multitude of reasons related to your physical health, the Indian interpretation is a little different. According to the famous superstitious belief, if the right eye is twitching, then it signifies promising news for a man. On the contrary, for a woman, it implies that some foreboding news is on the way. For the left eye twitch, it is exactly the opposite.
3. Applying Kohl to Ward Off Evil Spirits
The practice of applying a black mark of kohl on a child comes from the belief that it can ward off evil energy or nazar. If someone views the child with bad intentions in their mind, the kala tika will make sure they remain unaffected. The popular belief is that the black tika makes the child seem ugly, so any negative energy will shy away from it. This mark is usually applied in places such as behind the ear or on the forehead.
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4. Not Stepping Out of Your House During an Eclipse
It is considered extremely bad luck to step out of your house while an eclipse is happening. This is one of many popular Indian superstitions that instill fear in the minds of the common people. People prefer to remain in their homes, practice fasting, and pray to God.
An eclipse is also considered to be harmful to an unborn child as it may cause skin diseases. This belief probably comes from the fact that looking directly at an eclipse may cause permanent blindness. But, years of passing it down through different generations have turned it into a silly superstition.
5. Itchy Palms Are A Sign of Incoming Wealth in Your Life
A slight itching of your palm is considered a superstition in Indian culture. It indicates either wealth is coming your way or you are going to have additional expenses and a loss of wealth. This popular belief is based on which one of your palms is itching. If it’s your left hand, then it is probably bad news. However, if the itching is in your right hand, then you are about to be rich!
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6. Adding One Rupee to Your Gift is Lucky
You must have witnessed people receiving money in the form of gifts. Each of these envelopes has an odd amount of money. Even the market sells envelopes with a one rupee coin sealed in it. This is because it is considered as good luck to add a one rupee coin to your monetary gift. Hence, such gifts are mostly the numbers of 51, 101, 501, and so on.
7. Spotting a Single Mynah is Unlucky
Mynahs are part of one of the most common superstitions in India. These birds are generally found in pairs. But beware, because if you spot a single one, it is considered immense bad luck. Hence, you must wait till you spot another one to nullify the bad omen. Paired mynahs indicate that your day ahead will go well. Another popular belief says that finding six mynahs together signifies wealth coming into your life soon.
8. Taking a Bath After a Funeral is Mandatory
It is a part of Indian customs to not touch anything in the house after coming back from a funeral. You can only do so after taking a bath and changing your clothes. While this superstition has been in practice for a long while, it does have some scientific relevance. A dead body is a nest for many harmful bacteria which may cause various infections. Hence, it is compulsory to wash yourself free from bacteria after being close to a dead body.
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9. Menstruating Women Are Impure
It is a pity that even in the 21st Century women are prohibited from taking part in rituals and religious practices if they are menstruating. This time of the month for every woman is perceived as being impure. However, centuries before, the privilege of using sanitary products when women were as active in the field as in their homes was simply non-existent.
Instead, they were excused from their chores to rest at home. This meant not going to temples as well because it indicated travelling with discomfort. But, gradually, the myth of their impurity came into being when this method was adopted for their well-being.
10. Hanging Lemons And Chilis Keeps Misfortune Away
Lemons and chilis are often at the entrances of homes due to the popular belief that they keep evil spirits and negative energy away. The goddess of misfortune is believed to be a fan of spice and sour, hence she keeps out of houses that satisfy her preferences. It is for this reason that you will find lemons and chillies hanging in a vehicle as well.
However, the scientific logic behind this is the insecticidal properties of lemons and chillies. It successfully keeps your home and vehicle free from the entry of insects and pests.
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11. Crow Droppings Bring Good Luck
Any kind of animal dropping is quite disgusting, to be honest. Hence, it is no surprise that superstitions have found a way through this to make the experience seem more optimistic. It is popularly believed in Indian culture that crow droppings bring you luck and wealth. This may sound extremely silly and has no scientific basis, but it may provide a little relief and hope from an otherwise unpleasant experience.
12. Stepping Over Someone Hinders Their Height
How often have you been asked not to step over someone and to instead go by their side? The belief here holds that if you walk over someone while they’re lying down, it restricts their growth. Hence, they will be stuck in their current height forever. Choosing to not step over someone can be perceived as a sign of respect, but otherwise, it has no other scientific explanation or proof that it can hinder someone’s increase in height.
13. The Unlucky Number 13
The number 13 is considered unlucky in almost every culture. People born on the 13th date are considered doomed for life, while any Friday, the 13th is feared as the most haunted day. Many house hunters steer clear from buying their home on the 13th floor. Moreover, some buildings even skip naming the 13th floor. Hence, there are numerous prejudices against the number 13, yet none are backed by scientific evidence.
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14. Black Cats Are Signs Of Evil
The ancient Egyptians considered black cats as evil and, somehow, the prejudice has crept into India as well. People are horrified if a black cat crosses their path because it indicates that they will be met with misfortune if they keep walking. In Indian culture, it is believed that a black cat is the representation of the God of bad luck, Shani.
Hence, people avoid the forthcoming misfortune by letting someone else walk through the path that the cat crossed. Once again, this superstition is not based on any facts or scientific research.
15. Eating Curd Brings Positive Results
The habit of eating curd and sugar before an important event in your life is believed to bring positive results and good luck. While this may not have any hard evidence, this harmless superstition has made its way into every Indian household and turned into a simple and sweet tradition. Hence, if you need the confidence to brace an interview, eat a spoonful of curd from your mom and you will be good to go!
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16. A Peepal Tree is Haunted
In popular Indian myths, the peepal tree is home to ghosts and evil spirits. Hence, if you find yourself beneath one after darkness, you will surely get possessed by the spirit inhabiting the tree. Needless to say, this has no factual evidence. It probably stems from the warning that was issued to stay away from trees at night because of the release of carbon dioxide. Unfortunately, generations of stories have molded it into a superstition.
17. Shaking Legs Results in Loss of Wealth
Constantly shaking your leg is a sign of anxiety. If you find yourself doing so often, you are probably being troubled by uncomfortable thoughts. However, Indian superstitions have a different explanation for it. According to popular belief, the more you shake your leg, the more risk you have of losing your wealth.
Hence, if you want to preserve your wealth, consider working on your anxiety. Regardless of what any superstition dictates, it is always recommended to take the help of astrology services to determine which rituals are mere superstitions, and which ones can help you move forward towards success.
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18. Broken Glass Brings ill Fortune
This popular belief originates from Rome where it was gradually spread that breaking glass brings seven years of misfortune. India seems to have followed in its footsteps as we often hear our elders asking us to be careful with glass because breaking it will result in bad luck.
19. Sweeping After Sunset is Unlucky
Indian mythology dictates that the Goddess of wealth, Lakshmi visits every home in the evening. Thus, if you sweep your house at the same time, the goddess will be unable to enter causing you to be deprived of wealth. This superstition probably rose from the fear of losing something in the dark after sunset.
20. Passing Sharp Objects Causes Conflicts
Indians believe that if you keep your shoes overturned or pass any sharp objects, it can lead to disagreements and conflicts. Instead, a sharp object must always be kept on a surface for someone to pick it up from there to avoid any unwanted arguments.
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21. Spilling Salt Is A Bad Omen
Spilling salt is considered to be a terrible omen and is known to indicate inevitable disaster. The only way of protecting yourself from it is to throw a pinch of the spilled salt over your shoulder.
Conclusion
Thus, we can conclude that many Indian superstitions have almost no basis of logic or reason, yet they form a significant part of our culture. Exploring their cultural significance tells us a lot about the powerful belief system of India.
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