Digital News Guru Desk:  India and Indians believe in so many superstitions that after a point it is not at all funny. ‘Kaali billi rasta kaat gai’ to ‘nimbu mirchi totka’, there are so many weird superstitions that Indians have.

I am not defending them or going against them, but simply sharing the possible reasoning that might just make us understand the origin of them all. Some may not have any logic but some surprisingly sound scientifically right. Yes, we do believe them but remember that every coin has two sides. There is no harm in keeping our minds open and giving a chance to the explanations for everything.

So let’s give these ‘totkas’ a chance and scroll down to know more.
The list features some of the popular Indian superstitions and the theories behind them:-

1. Hanging Lemon And Green Chilies

Fact: Lemon and chilli both have insecticidal properties that keep insects away and protect your homes and shops and keep them bacteria free.

2 .Don’t Go Near Peepal Tree At Night

Fact: We all know that Peepal tree releases large amounts of oxygen during the day and during nighttime it releases carbon dioxide. So, while there is no truth in the belief that a peepal tree is inhabited by spirits and ghosts, the aforementioned is reason is probably why and how this superstition came into being.

3. Taking A Bath After Attending Someone’s Last Rites

Fact: The body of the dead person can contain bacteria or infections and that’s why once the funeral is performed, it’s advised to take a bath before entering the house or socializing.

4. Menstruating women are impure!

In the year 2019, the Supreme Court of India gave a historic judgement of letting women inside the Sabrimala temple of Kerala. It smashed the age-old superstition that menstruating women should not be allowed to enter temples or auspicious physical spaces.

Fact- The reason behind this popular belief was most probably out of concern for the women of the household who had to travel long distances to visit the temple or were too much in pain to work in the kitchen. Somehow over time, it is considered as a mandatory custom in many homes, a clear misinterpretation.

5. Crush Head Of A Snake After Killing It

According to superstition, if you do not crush the head of a snake after killing it. Its kin might find an image in its eyes and seek revenge.

Fact- Now the actual reason is that a snake can bite even with a detached head. Therefore you have to crush the head to completely neutralise it. This is for most cold-blooded organisms (a chapter we had in school on). Even if some of its organs stop working it will stay alive for hours and die a slow and painful death. Just like cockroaches. You will give the snake a less painless death by crushing it not the opposite.

6. Nazar Utaarna

Putting a little dot of kohl on a child’s neck or on the forehead is something you get to see often. This is called ‘nazar utaarna’. This is just to ward off all negative vibes coming towards the kid.

Fact-The logic here is that a spot like that will make the kid look “ugly” and therefore no one will think ill of the child.

7.Don’t wash your hair on a certain day –

The practice of not washing the hair on certain days like Tuesday or Thursday are attributed by some to the water management practices.

8. Leaving your wallet or purse on the ground

Placing your wallet or purse on the ground is said to bring bad financial luck.

Fact- It may stem from the idea that putting money on the ground — the lowest point — could look careless or disrespectful.

9. Trimming your nails at night

There are several grooming-related superstitions in India, including the belief that it is bad luck to trim one’s nails at night.

Fact- People typically tried to avoid using sharp objects at night to avoid hurting themselves in low light

10. Do not sleep with your head facing the North

Our ancestors probably knew about the relation between Earth’s magnetic field and the human body’s field .They probably made this rule of sleeping with your head in the South because of the harmful effects related to blood pressure and other diseases that asymmetry with the Earth’s magnetic field would create. However, today we only get to hear that ‘sleeping with one’s head in the north is inviting death.

Hence, spreading awareness and scientific knowledge is essential in influencing change in society and more importantly the perspectives of people.

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