Something to protect

 

More than a penny!

You've been an absolute bundle of nerves when someone has gifted you money inside an envelope without sticking ₹1 at the top. This is by far the weirdest superstition ever. You brood over it as if it's one of your kidneys that you're donating, while in reality, it's only your appendix that you need to get rid of.

Curb the curd!

A spoonful of curd along with sugar before going for some important work doesn't hurt right? We're torn between the science behind it which says that it cools down your body and is full of probiotics which will help you stay energetic throughout the day, and the myth that says it brings good luck. But hold your breath before stepping into the mud because curd is not going to take the blame for that.

But, horoscope first!

There goes this famous rhyme which is a straw in the wind: "one for sorrow, two for joy, three for a girl, four for a boy, five for silver, six for gold, seven for a secret never to be told". It's the Indian myna I am talking about. For heaven's sake they're sociable creatures, and a reminder for us to articulate our perspectives to the world. Singularity doesn't take away that power, or you all want to be a matchmaker even here?

Plutocrat in the house!

Two plausible explanations for not sweeping the house when it's dark are; first, if something precious would have fallen on the floor, it's difficult to find it and the other is that, the Goddess of Lakshmi who is believed to be the Goddess of wealth would visit your house after sunset. Either way, you're avaricious. Money can't buy happiness, but it can buy superstitions it seems.

Witchy witch!

You've pavloved yourself to turn your back on the nail cutter once the sun sets. The lack of electricity in older times being the root of this superstition, you're still made to believe that it would bring a witch if you trim your hair or nails after the sun sets. But you never questioned having sex after sunset in this world of make-believe. Why? Because one should remember that sex was believed to be a service at his majesty's pleasure.

Shoo, shoo!

To speak intelligibly, dotting your newborn baby with kohl is nothing short of feeding them toxic, as kohl is basically lead sulfide. The irony of this superstition is that in an attempt to save your baby from evil eye, you yourself are pushing your baby to danger. Unless you want to lower the IQ of your baby, apart from your royal genes that you've donated, keep your baby away from kohl.

Itchy palm, needs balm!

Ever wondered that your itchy palm might be a sign of some allergy as the foodie inside you lured you to consume peanuts or soy milk last night? You might haven't because defying superstition in our country is not a piece of cake. Following that same line, you have rejoiced the fact that you'll earn some fortune just because your palm is itching. But think about it, if itching palms would have been a reliable source of money then the people with eczema would have been billionaires by now.

Unlucky 13!

A phrase which has spreaded faster than a pandemic. Your heart beats faster on the 13th floor and your hands tremble to take 3 apples from your neighbour because of a superstition you heard on the grapevine. Before jumping on the bandwagon, you should flip the coin and see the other side too. A cognitive approach by being careful would save you from falling from the 13th floor of the building on Friday the 13th at 13:13, rather than scapegoating the number 13.

Flip-flop!

Keeping your slippers upside-down in an Indian household acts like a fuel to the fire. Your guess is as good as mine as to why this superstitious belief arose that it would lead to altercations. But as they would say that curiosity killed the cat, it is better for one to look before they leap and not start a whole new argument on the validity of this superstition.

Oculus lapse!

Twitching eyes might not always be you winking at your favourite person. The duel between the left eye and the right eye is centuries old. The dichotomy of the justified jumping of the left eye versus the ominous jumping of the right eye is more intricate than the anatomy of your eyes. There are credible explanations for the same superstition but before all these, get your eyes checked god dammit, you won't be able to read it if you go blind.

Racism, is it?

Well, Black cats have got more bad reputation than your dominant boss who doesn't give you a raise. I tried getting my head around this belief and it took me back to the old folklore and myths about Black cats that are believed to have the potential to turn into witches, shapeshifters and what not! One should look out for the victims of racism on the roads because #AllLivesMatter.

Is this a dagger which I see before me?

It's sort of ridiculous to see even the elites believing in the superstition of keeping a knife under their pillow while sleeping to drive away bad dreams. Heard that the knife has turned to nuclear bombs these days. The scientific reason of using a knife has been explained by the scientists which involves a magnetic field and all. But what if our existential crisis in the middle of the night make us stab that knife right through our heart, nightmarish much?

Goblin myth!

Jumping over your siblings and getting cursed by your mother might be a never-ending fun for you in the childhood. But the reason why they frown is because of the superstitious belief related to their growth. It is believed that if you jump over babies, they won't grow. Isn't growth hormone deficiency a thing in our country yet? Science might find a correlation between jumping and height 50 or 100 years down the lane to bring about a revolution of some sort.

Beware, a lizard!

Be aware of the befall of your maternal uncle every time a lizard try to fall on the back of your head! It might bring bad luck to him. Even though I can't confirm the credibility of this claim, I can assure you that if a lizard falls on your skin then it will be like an albatross around your neck. The reason behind this is that the lizards get scared and start producing poisonous substances which are toxic for your skin. Even if not for your maternal uncle, watch out for yourself.

Click-clack!

The superstitious legacy continues with the belief that one shouldn't click a picture of a sleeping person. Cameras aren't killers. But the root of this belief might be that the people sleeping with eyes closed and practically immovable seem like dead bodies or, they might be a butt of ridicule as when a person sleeps their posture get out of their hands- cozy arms, messy hairs, dripping mouth. The unaesthetic photos might drive someone up the wall. No one wants to be caught off-guard, right?

PS-: Very special thanks to my friend Priyam for her indefinite support and curation in this.