Superstitions
Superstitions
Just the other day I was a slinky SUV with a friend and his equally slinky girl friend. Suddenly, he brought the SUV to an abrupt halt. The unexpected manoeuvre caused me to dash my head on the dashboard. It was hardly a dashing sight. “Hey what’s up I asked him, "nasty road bump?” I gingerly felt the fast forming nasty bump on my head. “Black cat” he whispered and pointed ahead. I followed his pointing, quivering finger looking for the commanding presence of a Black Cat Commando. All I saw was a mangy black cat jauntily crossing the road. My friend had not only stopped the car, he put it into reverse, cut the ignition, restarted. Only then did he move forward. Superstitious? My intelligent, educated friend? If I had told him I was astonished, I would have been promptly admonished. So I maintained a discreet silence.
That little incident set the cat amongst the pigeons and set me thinking. Some superstitions are universal like the much touted black cat crossing the road. Why can’t we just accept the fact that the cat like the chicken crosses the road to get to the other side! Why do we have to impute dark, black motives into such a simple activity? Superstitions started because of some common sense reason attached to them or as a matter of convenience. But as time passed, for better or for worse, they became part and parcel of daily humdrum lives. In fact, each Region or State in our vast Country has its own superstitions which are unique, perplexing or downright stupid, depending on how you perceive them. Some of these mores even have religious sanctions. All the more surprising, when Religion actually ought to be imposing sanctions on them! I am fortunate to be workeking for a large Organization, which has employees from all over the country. I have been baffled, puzzled, nonplussed and driven up the wall, trying to unravel some of the superstitions that seem to have my giddy headed colleagues tantalizingly enmeshed in a spin.
The whole Eastern Region, they say is a land where many Potter or dabble in black magic. Some of the superstitions followed there would really stretch your credulity beyond reasonable limits. Hogwarts or Hogwash?
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Superstitions |
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1. Hair and finger nails are not to be cut on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays |
Surprisingly, shaving your chin is permitted. Just goes to show that exceptions can shave the rules. |
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2. Needles are not sold after sunset |
I can understand not wanting to stitch after sunset, in the good old days prior to electrification. The danger of piercing one’s self was always present, notwithstanding the fact that body piercing is the in thing now. However not selling the stuff now…..must be very needling for many. |
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3. Floors are not swept after sunset. |
I’ve been told, in the pre electrification days, if one swept after sunset, there was the possibility that one would also sweep valuables along with the dirt, especially by a disgruntled Bahu. So they preferred sweeping the dirt under the carpet and keeping it there. |
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4. Pickles, bananas, eggs even recipes are not permitted to be carried on journeys. |
I do understand, broken eggs and mashed bananas may cause a mishmash but recipes written on paper? Seems like I underestimated the power of the written word all along. |
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5. If someone sneezes when opening or shutting the front door, one has to immediately shut the door and rest for some time on a chair, before attempting to reopen the door. |
Now you know that a simple “God Bless You” is apparently not efficacious enough. One has to do some cardio exercises like sit ups, as well. |
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6. When appearing for an exam, never have eggs for breakfast. |
Eggsactly. Makes sense, if you consider what happened to Humpty Dumpty. The thought of his disaster, will definitely egg you on to do better in those exams. |
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7. If a man arrives at a prospective bride’s place when she is sweeping the house, it is considered a good sign. |
Hmm. The reasons are quite obvious eh? Who wouldn’t want a “domesticated wife!” A fast vanishing species in today’s world. |
How can we ignore our friends from the South?
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Superstitions |
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1. If a Brahmin crosses your path in the morning, it's a bad omen. |
You mean they are children of a Lesser God? Hmmm….. |
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2. One should never ask a person where he/ she is going when leaving the house. If you do, then one's work will never get done. |
Has this one been devised for Government employees in particular? |
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3. If a crow caws outside your window, a visitor is expected. |
No issue with this one, provided the visitor brings presents and I do not mean the type of presents that crows drop while flying. Thank god, cows don’t fly! |
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4. If a spider falls on you, you will get new clothes. |
The next time I see Sundar draped in a spanking new crisp designer dhoti, I’ll know he got entangled with poor Bruce’s web design. |
Westward Ho!
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Superstitions |
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1. If your left palm itches, you will come into wealth. |
Well the itch for wealth is there all right. How come no one palms off even a part of their wealth to poor me? |
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2. Good luck if a black dog crosses your path. |
Between trying to figure out the feline from the canine, I’m going asinine. |
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3. A father should not see the face of his new born for 6 months. |
A friend of mine and his wife were blessed with a son after 4 daughters. I happened to meet him after 2 months of this happy occasion. ‘Hi Bob,” said I, “Who does the child look like, Dad or Mom?” “You know what Ed, we are so so overjoyed, haven’t got down to looking at his face as yet!!!” |
Northwards Bound
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Superstitions |
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1. Good luck if you go out for new work or exam after eating curd. |
Now these culinary do's and don’ts are getting a bit baffling. My blood is beginning to curdle! |
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2. A birthmark in the shape of a wheel is very lucky. |
Could this be a case of reinventing the wheel? |
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3. Punjabi men do not cut their hair because hair is a gift from God. |
I wonder if Barbers complain of beliefs cutting into their profits? |
There are so many other superstitions which I found are highly sensitive and even offensive. Many relate to personal hygiene of women. Now I wish to Stayfree of such controversies lest I trigger off a Whispering campaign against me. So please let me be content in my Comfit zone.
♫ I have essayed to highlight some of the superstitions followed by various communities, without meaning any disrespect or intent to malign any community for its beliefs. To Each His Own. Would be glad to receive some more nuggets to add to this repertoire.
© Fernandes E E., all rights reserved.
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