Superstitious Beliefs in India

There are many superstitious beliefs in India of which some have scientific background. Here are twenty such beliefs

1. Cats Crossing Your Path

In ancient times, during night people used to travel through forests in bullock carts with a light of kerosene lantern. The carriage animals get past big cats like leopards, hyenas and jackals foxes. These animals have glowing eyes and scare the cows, horses or the bulls that pull the carts. That is why the travelling party halts nearby and help the animals refresh themselves before they pull the carts for the long journey ahead without any stress. Travelers shared their hard experiences and told other travelers not to proceed travel while the cats crossing the roads and in the course of time changing, the cat crossings got live and the people forget forest cats and took the domestic cats instead.

2. Hair Cut On Tuesday

In past days a large portion of the Indians were farmers. After a week of hard work, Monday was their resting day. Characteristically majority of them cleaned their homes and cut their hair on that day. So the Barber wouldn’t have much deal with Tuesdays and would close his shop. This practice is continued till date but the reason behind it is completely forgotten and lot misconceptions revolve around this.

3. Opening An Umbrella Inside The House

Restriction of opening umbrella inside house had a sensible reason back in the days. The umbrellas were built with hard metal spokes and spring  triggers, which could be dangerous to open. In fact, opening one indoors could pose a danger to people and fragile objects nearby.

Warning people not to open an umbrella indoors served to protect the health and safety of people and property indoors. Later this was considered as “bad luck” considering the injuries and broken objects, which often coincided with the umbrella’s opening.

4. Hanging Lemon And 7 Green Chillies In Shops And Business Places.

Superstitious belief goes like this: Alakshmi, god of misfortune brings bad luck to the shop owners or business. In order not to allow her entering the shops they hang these 7 chilies and lemon. Alakshmi likes sour, pungent and hot things. Therefore at the door, Alakshmi will only come up to the door and eat her favorite food and satisfy her hunger and leave without entering the shop. It is believed that after consuming lemon and green chillies, Alakshmi loses her urge to enter the house or shop. She will turn around without casting her vicious eye.

Scientific Reason:  The cotton thread which is used to pierce the chillies and lemon absorbs the acid from the fruit whilst it is fresh. This smell keeps the pests and insects away from the shops. This is a simple pesticide which came into practice from ancient times, which is mislead now superstitiously as explained above.

5. Breaking Mirror Brings 7 Years Bad Luck

During old times, mirrors were not cheap and they were low quality and easily defected. In order to avoid negligence it was told that breaking a mirror brings seven years of bad luck. That was simple scare tactic. Romans were the one who tagged to the broken mirror a sign of seven years bad luck. The length of the prescribed misfortune came from the ancient Roman belief that it took seven years for life to renew itself. If the person looking into the mirror were not of good health, their image would break the mirror and the run of bad luck would continue for the period of seven years, at the end of which their life would be renewed, their body would be physically rejuvenated, and the curse would be ended.

 6. Cutting Nails And Shaving After Sunset

In the olden days there was no electricity and shaving or cutting nails would result in cuts after sunset because of darkness. Hence our ancestors advised not to cut nails or shave after sunset. In Later days it was believed that the night spirits will be awaken and come in the search of flesh. People have been warned to get attacked by these evil spirits in the darkness of night if people cut nails or shave hair after sunset which continues as a superstition.

 7. Lighting 3 Cigarettes With One Matchstick

‘Three on a match rule’ apparently was a tale told to the young ones after the World War 1. When it was night and you lit a pipe or cigarette if you lit three people off the same match a sniper would have time to zero in and he would kill the third man. Would you want the enemy knowing exactly where to lob a grenade because you lit the pathway for him? This story was twisted around as the time passed by and considered to be bad luck.

So folks, as long as you are not in war zone you are safe to light three cigarettes. Oh, hang on you are not safe until you quit smoking technically.

8. Pregnant Women Not Allowed To Go Out During Eclipse

In India it is believed that during an eclipse one must not wander out, since it is believed that the Sun is swallowed up by the demon. Pregnant  women, especially, must stay indoors in order to ensure that their babies are not born with any deformities. In fact, pregnant women are often not allowed to sew or cut vegetables during an eclipse. Some families avoid cooking and eating altogether during an eclipse. However,  the reason behind some of these superstitions can be scientific. For example, one should actually avoid going out during an eclipse in order to keep away from the harmful UV rays

 9. Menstruating Women Are Considered Impure And Unclean

In India, menstruating women are considered impure and unclean. This, of course, gives rise to many superstitious beliefs. Women who are menstruating are not allowed to enter the kitchen. They are also supposed to stay away from temples, mosques and all religious spots in the house itself. A woman on her period is not allowed to perform regular household duties like cooking food. Some might argue that the reason behind this superstition is scientific, and that a woman menstruating loses a lot of blood and thus becomes weak and must refrain from strenuous activities. Others claim that there is nothing scientific in this belief and it is just another superstition created to subordinate the position of women in society

 10. Do Not Leave A Dead Person’s Eye Open

This is a very common superstitious belief in India,  if a dead person’s eyes is left open it is believed that the other soul around the dead body will be taken away with him through his eyes. But the real reason behind this is to make the dead person look as if he is sleeping peacefully and nothing more or less.

11. Bats Entering The House Brings Death

The fact that few species of bat drinks blood does not help to the superstitious beliefs revolving around them. There is an old myth that if a bat enters the house or flies around the hose for three times or more then death is waiting for someone in the family. There are many different myths associated with the bats in different countries and culture which adds up to bats being an bad omen.

The real reason behind the bats entering the hose brings death is because of the disease transmitted by bats were deadly back in the days when there was no medicines for these disease. Rabies, Nipah, Hendra, Ebola and Marburg are all viruses carried by bats that can cause serious disease in humans. Marburg virus and some strains of Ebola virus can kill up to 80-90% of humans infected.

 12. Lizard Falling On Human Is Bad Luck

Every movement of the wall lizard holds some significance according to Gowli Shastra in India. The colour, spots, stripes, chirping or twittering of the lizard and where it falls on a person’s body are said to indicate future happenings. However the fact is that, lizards that are poisonous in nature release poisonous chemicals from their body in order to protect them from their enemies. If such lizard comes in contact of a person’s body or falls in a food item like milk etc. then is bound to make it contaminated. One should wash that particular spot and area to avoid infectious disease.

 13. Friday The 13th And The Number 13 Is Unlucky

The number 13 is considered an unlucky number in some countries. The  superstitious sufferers try to avoid bad luck by keeping away from anything numbered or labelled thirteen. As a result, companies and manufacturers use another way of numbering or labelling to avoid the number, with hotels and tall buildings being conspicuous examples (thirteenth floor). It is also considered unlucky to have thirteen guests at a table. Friday the 13th has been considered the unluckiest day of the month.

One major reason is that, at Jesus Christ’s last supper, there were thirteen people around the table, counting Christ and the twelve apostles. Some believe this unlucky because one of those thirteen, Judas Iscariot, was the betrayer of Jesus Christ. Another major reason for Friday the 13, On Friday 13 October 1307, King Philip IV of France ordered the arrest of the Knights Templar, and most of the knights were  tortured and killed.

 14. Fallen Hair Around The House Will Bring Fight In Your Family

The myth is that if you throw fallen hair inside the house instead of binning it, soon you will see a fight within your family. Well, who would like to pick up a quarrel at home?

But the real reason behind this superstition is if you leave the fallen hair inside the house it may end up falling inside the food when the wind blows.

 15. Twitching Of The Eye Is Inauspicious

Twitching of the left eye is considered to be either a bad or a good omen, depending upon which culture we are referring to. These superstitions take into account the gender and the part of the eye in which the twitching is observed as well. Eye twitching or the sudden involuntary movement or spasms in the eyelids is a common condition. Although there is an established explanation for these constant or intermittent involuntary muscle twitches, including various medical reasons behind them. Apparently, these twitches are nature’s way of warning a person about some impending problem or indicative of some good news on the way.

16. Adding One Rupee To A Gift Sum Is Auspicious

It is common in India to give money for weddings and auspicious occasions. It is considered auspicious to add a rupee to the sum total.

There are various reasons, for some, it is a blessing, a token of love and luck. For some it is the beginning of a new cycle. For some it makes the sum an odd number and indivisible which is a good omen for the married couple. If the rupee is not added the sum total will be separable or it will end in zero which indicates the end, so adding the rupee will make the number odd hence assuring continuity.

 17. Walking Under A Ladder Is Bad Luck

There are a couple of theories about this superstitious belief. Many Christians are believers in the Trinity—that God is made up of three parts, the Holy Father, the Holy Son, and the Holy Ghost (or Holy Spirit). A ladder leaning up against a building was seen as a triangle of these three. To walk through this triangle was seen as breaking the Trinity and hence considered as bad luck. Another origin of the superstition was a bit less specific, and had to do with the similarities between a ladder leaning against a wall and a gallows. However the fact is that, it is simply unsafe to walk under the ladder and you may get hurt or might hurt someone around by knocking the ladder down.

18. Crows Are Referred As Our Ancestors

Crow is the vahana of shani who represents the karmas of past. We are indebted to our ancestors who have given us birth. So offering food to crow is regards as pacifying the hunger of ancestors where ever and whichever form they are reborn. It is believed that crows are being related to our ancestors since the ‘treta yuga’.

As per this popular legend, once Jayant the Son of God Indra, disguised in the form of crow and hurt Sita. In turn God Rama took hay and used it as an arrow and parted one of the eyes of Jayant. After realizing his mistake, Jayant asked for God Rama’s forgiveness. Then Rama forgave him and blessed him with a boon that when food is offered to the crows that will reach the ancestors.

19. Do Not Sweep The House After Sunset

This is another common myth in India. If you sweep your house after sunset Lakshmi will walk out of the house and hence inviting poverty.

But the real reason behind this is back in the days when there was no electricity, light of lamp was not enough to spot any small gold ornaments while sweeping and hence chances of sweeping them away with the dust is high. Hence it was not advised to sweep after dark.

 20. Sacrifice Of Goats To God

In all the ancient religions of the world, the ritual of animal sacrifice has remained a great means of attaining the nearness of the Almighty. In India, Goddess Kali is known to favor animal sacrifices—goats in particular. Killing a goat in her name is believed to relieve one of negative emotions such as fear, anger, and jealousy.

There is no scientific explanations behind this tradition apart from having a feast. Sadly this is still in practice in most of the parts in India. Can we justify the act of killing animals for whatever superstitious belief is been passed on?

Hindu Festivals -Part VII Sri Ramanavami and the Epic of Ramayana

Sri Ramanavami festival is being celebrated today (15.04.16). 

It is one of the  Hindu festivals, celebrating the birth of the  Rama who is  the seventh avatar of Vishnu. 

Several temples of Shriram celebrate this festival for nine days, beginning from Gudhipadva (the first day (pratipada) of the month of Chaitra). It is celebrated by periodic readings (parayans) of the Ramayan, organizing and attending spiritual discourses (kirtans) and beautifully embellishing Shriram;s statue. During these nine days, reciting the Ramaraksha prayer (stotra) eleven times daily with a resolve (sankalpa) brings the prayer to fruition, yielding benefits like reduction of speech impairment and other ailments, and gaining prosperity. On the ninth day, that is, on Sriram Navami a spiritual discourse on Shriram’s birth is held in the afternoon. At noon, a coconut, draped in a hooded cloak is placed in a cradle and rocked. The coconut signifies the baby Shriram. A red, fragrant powder (gulal) and flowers are showered onto it. Many places in North India host fairs in connection with the festival, culminating in spectacular fireworks on Rama Navami.
Source:http://www.hindujagruti.org/hinduism/festivals/ram-navami/

Epic of Ramayana:

The Ramayana is a Sanskrit epic poem ascribed to the Hindu sage and Sanskrit poet Valmiki. It is regarded as one of the two great works of Indian literature, along with the Mahabharata. The Ramayana also plays an important role in Hindu literature., 

There are other versions of the Ramayana in Indian languages, besides Buddhist and Jain adaptations; and also Cambodian, Indonesian, Filipino, Thai, Lao, Burmese, and Malaysian versions of the tale.

The Seven Kandas (Books)

The epic is traditionally divided into several major kāndās (books), which deal chronologically with the major events in the life of Rama. The division into seven kāndās is as follows:

Kanda/Book	Title	Contents
1	Bāla Kāṇḍa(Book of Childhood)	The origins and childhood of Rama, born to king Dasharatha of Ayodhya and destined to fight asuras. Sita's swayamvara and subsequent wedding to Rama.
2	Ayodhya Kāṇḍa (Book of Ayodhya)	The preparations for Rama's coronation in the city of Ayodhya, his exile into the forest and the regency of Bharata.
3	Araṇya Kāṇḍa (Book of the Forest)	The forest life of Rama with Sita and Lakshmana, his brother. The kidnapping of Sita by the asura king Ravana.
4	Kishkindha Kāṇḍa (Book of the Monkey Kingdom)	Rama meets Hanuman and helps destroy the vanara king, Vali, making Vali's younger brother, Sugriva, king of Kishkindha instead.
5	Sundara Kāṇḍa (Book of Beauty)	Detailed accounts of Hanuman's adventures, including his meeting with Sita. Traditionally read first when reading the Ramayana, this book's name derives from the fond name given to Hanuman by his mother.
6	Yuddha Kāṇḍa (Book of War, also known as Lanka Kanda)	The battle in Lanka between the vanara and the asura armies of Rama and Ravana, respectively. After Ravana is defeated, Sita undergoes the test of fire, completes exile with Rama and they return to Ayodhya to reign over the ideal state. The test of fire or Agni Pareeksha is not part of the original Valmiki Ramayana, most scholars consider it to be a later addition as is the story of Sita's banishment below. The movie sampoorna ramayanam(1971) shows a popular believe that Ram wanted to see Sita's devotion and her willingness to prove her purity. It is implied she is stopped before stepping into the fire by Ram himself.
7	Uttara Kāṇḍa(Last Book)	The detailed story of Ravana's life, his encounter with Lord Shiva, Vali, Sugreeva's brother and Kartha Veera Arjuna and many others until Shurpanakha's humiliation in the Aranya Khanda is retold by sage Vashishta to Rama and Sita. Rumours of impurity lead to Sita's banishment, during which she gives birth and raises Lava and Kusha. Later, in course of time Sita disappears into the earth. The twin boys of Sita later ascend the throne of Ayodhya, after which Rama reaches Vaikuntha upon requests from the gods. People of Ayodhya who followed Rama were offered santhanika lokas.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramayana

I am glad to share below the Story  of Ramayana narrated in brief as narrated in a Website.

Intrigues in the Royal Family

Dasharatha, the king of Ayodhya, had three wives and four sons. Rama was the eldest and his mother was Kaushalya. Bharata was the son of his second and favorite wife, Kaikeyi.

The other two were twins, Lakshmana and Shatrughna from his third wife Sumitra. While Rama is all set for coronation, his step-mother, Dasharatha’s second wife, Kaikeyi, wants her son, Bharata, to become king. Before the aged king could hand over his crown to his eldest son Rama, Dasaratha is destined to die. And instead of being crowned king of Ayodhya, Rama is sent into exile in the forest for fourteen year by an intrigue in the palace and a quirk of fate.

Rama is Banished for Fourteen Years

Rama goes to the forest, accompanied by wife Sita and brother Lakshmana, and they live as recluses among the hermits that lead a life of meditative retreat in the deep woods. Bharata, whose mother's evil plot won him the throne, goes to meet Rama in the forest and pleads him to return to the capital. As Rama declines to break his vow given to his deceased father, Bharata is compelled to go back to Ayodhya with his sandals, which he places on the throne as the symbol of Rama’s continuing monarchy.

Rama Fights Ravana, Rescues Sita

While Rama, his wife and brother are living a simple yet happy life in the forest, tragedy strikes! Henceforth, the plot revolves around the abduction of Sita by the demon king Ravana, the ten-headed ruler of Lanka, and Rama’s pursuit to rescue her, aided by Lakshmana and the mighty monkey-general Hanuman. Sita is held captive in the island as Ravana tries to persuade her to marry him. Rama assembles an army of allies comprising mainly of monkeys under the brave Hanuman. They attack Ravana’s army, and after a fierce battle, succeed in killing the demon king and freeing Sita, reuniting her with Rama.

Rama Regains His Kingdom, Sita Returns to Mother Earth

After fourteen years, Rama and Sita return to Ayodhya and are warmly welcomed back by the citizens of the kingdom, where they rule for many years, and have two sons – Luv and Kush. Unfortunately, Sita’s chastity during her period of capture by Ravana comes under scrutiny, and she has to go through trial by fire to prove her purity. But queen, who emerged from the earth at her birth, invokes Mother Earth to take her back into the earth, and the saintly Sita returns to her Mother, never to reappear again.

Ref: http://hinduism.about.com/od/epics/a/ramayana_story.htm

How to Recharge Your Energy Levels

Do you get that feeling sometimes you're so tired your head is just going to drop down at any moment? We've all been there, and it's hard to deal with this feeling, especially when doing something important work or hanging out with family. Here are  15 ways to energize yourself you can do almost anywhere! We hope this will help charge your battery!


1. Eat a banana

Bananas provide minerals, nutrients and stimulants such as potassium, which provides controlled energy, preferred to the type of energy obtained all at once from simple sugars.

2. Place head between your legs

This trick will get blood flowing to your head. Sit on a chair and put your head between your legs. Send your arms towards the floor and relax your body for 20 seconds. After the time has passed, rise slowly, vertebra by vertebra. This exercise will give you energy that gradually unfolds.

3. Drink Green Tea

Yes we've said it before, but the fact still remains that green tea has an abundance of phytochemicals called tannins. These help, among other things, to calm the nervous system and thus increase the feeling of well-being.

4. Pinch your cheeks
Our grandparents probably had a good reason to pinch our cheek. This stimulates the blood flow to the face and makes you feel more alert.

5. Drink lots of water
All body systems require a large amount of water to function. In the absence of water in the body, proper functioning slows, blood flow becomes weaker and less oxygen reaches the brain. Drink a glass of water every two hours at least, when the goal is to drink 8-12 glasses of water a day.

6. Get some sun
Small doses of vitamin D can be a great incentive. Take a walk or sit a few minutes in the sun. Fresh air combined with natural light will make you feel more alert.

7. Move the body
Once you feel the fatigue taking over, get up and shake your body. Do some stretching, push-ups, a short trip or just a few jumps instead. Movement stimulates blood flow in the body and releases endorphins that make you feel alert.

8. Laugh out loud

Laughter has been shown to destress us but also acts as a natural stimulant. A good belly laugh releases endorphins that neutralize the bad effects of the hormone cortisol (stress hormone), increase blood flow and oxygen and give you a sense of well being.

9. Take a deep breath

Take a deep breath and slowly let it out through your nose, and again, fill your abdomen and exhale, emptying all the air from your lungs. Do it three times. Breathing will help your body relax and get rid of toxins, and the oxygen will stimulate you.

10. Put in a house plant
Stuffy offices have limited air movement which can increase fatigue and cause headaches and allergies. Insert household plants that can help filter out volatile chemical compounds and airborne pollutants, as well as stimulate air movement to better help you deal with the standing air, and make you feel less fatigued.

11. Smell a lemon
Certain smells citrus, ginger and mint can produce a stimulating effect and increase alertness. Light a scented candle or sniff a lemon for stimulating energy and improved mood.

12. Surround yourself in red 
Studies show that the color red is associated with a sense of victory and confidence. Try to surround yourself in shades of red to elevate your mood.

13. Sit upright

it wouldn't hurt to stand up straight in the chair. An Upright posture not only helps blood and oxygen to move more freely, but also enhances the sense of security.

14. Wake up the brain 

When the brain feels drowsy, try to wake him by solving a crossword puzzle, reading aloud, talking to a friend, a quick recitation or singing. 

15. Play with a pet

Spend time with your furry friend. It will make you feel happier and more energetic!