India is full of superstitions that are uncountable with so many cultures and beliefs all across. Superstitions in India spread across like rumours or myths that emerge as A from one culture and end up as Z in another culture. There is no known source of the beginning of these superstitions. These have been followed down from our ancestors and continue to spread the belief system in the generation ahead.
Since India is known for its various cultures, every culture is led by its superstition, where every single one of them cannot be listed out. However, an insight will lead us to an idea of the kind of superstitions that exist in Indian households.
Let us see a few superstitions that have no scientific logic behind them:
Broom superstitions in India are fascinatingly common. It could be unimaginable that a broomstick could be associated with so many superstitions. Every household owns a broomstick with which people have created a particular belief system for the broom as it holds common importance in everyone’s daily life. A broom has uncountable superstitious beliefs that are also religious.
Some common superstitions associated with brooms are:
Since the origins of these superstitions are unknown, these are pure beliefs that have no right or wrong. And can vary from person to person.
Animals signify good luck or bad luck according to different cultures, not only in India but also worldwide.
Some common superstitions seen in every household family in India are below:
In different cultures and traditional marriages, there are all kinds of superstitions. Some common ones are below:
There are numerous traditions associated with superstitions that might have a more philosophical meaning behind them.
Numbers are associated immediately with good or bad luck, which might have been followed down and observed for years-
It involves superstitions regarding the position of objects-
In India, most believe that itchy palms indicate the outflow or incoming of money. The association of this is confused in the right palm or left palm. Some say that if the left palm itches, it is good luck and brings in money, and if the right palm itches, it indicates the outflow of wealth. These vary from person to person as some also say the right palm means inflow and the left palm is an outflow of money.
Itchy feet also have an association with beliefs. If the sole of the right foot itches, it means that a travel journey is upcoming, and in the case of the left foot, it brings bad luck or a failed journey and vice versa.
Eye twitching has various interpretations and superstitions, but the most common ones signify that if an eye twitches, it is bad luck or good luck, or the worst is about the happen. Body language always gives us a message beforehand, if noticed carefully. Different families interpret it in different ways. The most common are:
Hiccups also have the same interpretation as eye twitching which means someone might have you on their mind. It mostly is said that somebody misses you when having hiccups for no reason. This superstition also says that you could know who it is by simply taking the person’s name and waiting for the hiccups to stop.
Having a broken or a cracked mirror at home brings out negative energy and should be immediately replaced or thrown away. A mirror is an important part of our lives as it shows the reflection of us. Breaking a mirror acts as a curse of misfortune in many beliefs. If a glass breaks by mistake, it is considered to bring good luck. Whereas if a glass has been broken knowingly, it is pure bad luck. This belief is all around the world.
Especially in Bengali culture, it is believed that if a person shows one eye, it is considered bad luck. To cancel it out, they recommend closing and opening both eyes. The exact reason for the belief is unknown. But their belief is mostly associated with positive and negative energy.
This superstition is done as a kid’s tale, which means that if an eyelash breaks, we should make a wish by placing the lash on the back of our palms, close our eyes, make a wish and blow away the lash before opening the eyes. If you happen to find the eyelash again, the wish won’t come true.
Having sweet curd or anything sweet before beginning your day or before going to work is a common belief in Indian households. This is done for good luck and to have a good day ahead.
Before stepping out of the house, if a person sneezes, it is important to stay still for a while or pause the work you are doing. Sneezing before starting something is considered back luck. Sneezing has more interpretations similar to eye twitching and hiccups. If someone sneezes twice, it indicates someone might be bad-mouthing you, and if someone sneezes thrice provided there are no flu or infections, someone might be in love with you, or someone might have a genuine remembrance for you. But again, these are superstitions.
A common superstition in which praise or a boast is cancelled out with the literal touching. So, bad things don’t come upon after feeling appreciation for the things achieved.
Superstitious beliefs and practices are meant to have blind faith in them. Logic does not have a say in these, whether scientific or philosophical. But these superstitions have been passed on as learning from life either by hook or by crook. And to avoid anything bad happening in our everyday lives, these are some beliefs that have been told as either a story to children to make them follow these. Throughout the world, the belief system has a big margin, and it continues to grow.
It emerges from fear, predicting future events, bringing positivity, traditional right or wrong practices, mythology, stories of our Gods and Goddesses, and wars. These uncountable superstitions go on and can take an entire life to understand them and look for the origin.