Call them funny or call them weird, these popular superstitions or old wives' tales are still heeded and can make the most logical person behave in the most illogical ways!
Broken mirror
Long long ago when there were no mirrors, people looked at their reflections in water. One's reflection was considered to be like one's soul and as such if the reflection appeared contorted then the soul was considered broken. Even after the advent of mirrors the practice continues. A broken mirror distorts your reflection and is thus considered inauspicious.
Black cat crossing your path
One of the most popular and oldest beliefs, this one is attributed to various sources. One version goes that black cats forebode doom; another goes that black cats are demons in disguise; and yet another goes that they were once pets of witches that turned into witches and hence they are witches in disguise.
Contrary to worldwide beliefs about the black cat, the Japanese consider a black cat lucky.
So the next time you see a black cat you decide whether you want turn back or walk ahead.
Walking under a slanting ladder
This age-old belief is believed to have originated from those days when convicts were hung from the seventh rung of ladders. The belief those days was that if one walked under such a ladder, there was every likelihood of coming into contact with the ghost of the man who was hung.
Getting up from the wrong side of the bed
It has long been considered that the side of the bed that you wake up has a lot of significance in how your day shapes up. The left side has always been considered bad and if you wake up from the left, it implies that the day is not going to be yours.
Horse shoe
In ancient Greece, a horse shoe suspended at the entrance of a house was considered a means of letting good luck in. It was important that the horse shoe was suspended with the open side up. Suspending it with the open side down would mean letting go all the good luck.
13 and Friday the 13th
The number 13 has always been and is still considered to be sinister by many. For some, going to office or carrying out any auspicious task is out of the question on the 13th day of a month. Many others consider only Friday the 13th to be inauspicious. Friday the 13th's bad reputation goes back to the days when under pressure from King Philip IV of France, Pope Clement V had ordered his men to capture and burn all the Templar knights, a brigade of powerful crusaders who the king felt were a threat to him.
New Moon
Many years back, owing to the silvery hue of the Moon people began to reason that the Moon was associated with prosperity, silver being the colour of money. Therein started the practice of making wishes on a New Moon day.
Keeping fingers crossed
This popular notion has a religious context to it. The idea was to make a wish and keep your fingers crossed to form a cross till your wish came true.
The engagement and wedding rings
The Egyptians are believed to be the first to have initiated the usage of engagement and wedding rings. They regarded this piece of jewellery as a symbol of everlasting love and removing it meant letting the love leave the heart. Also according to the ancient Egyptians, there is a vein connecting the third finger of the left hand to the heart which is why the engagement ring is worn on this
Diamonds are a girl's best friend
A woman's allure of diamonds is attributed to the bewitching sparkle which from the days of yore is believed to have been kindled by true love. Hence diamonds symbolised love and loyalty.
A dog howling
A dog's howling was considered eerie because the howls were believed to be an announcement of death. The canines with their superior sense of smell could sense deaths from a considerable distance.
Sighting an elephant or donkey
Hindus consider spotting an elephant as very lucky because elephants are believed to be representative of Lord Ganesha, the god of prosperity and a saviour during times of trouble.
A very old belief is that sighting a dead donkey is rare and if one spots a dead donkey then it is considered to bring good fortune; to leap over the carcass three times is considered additionally good.
Old Christian tradition also has it that the loud cross on donkeys' backs were a result of Jesus Christ' s entry on donkey back in Jerusalem. Therefore, the fur from the portion that has the cross is used as a remedy for toothache, whooping cough, and fits. A little fur from the portion is either worn around the neck as a charm or else eaten in between a sandwich. Riding donkeys is also considered good provided the rider faces the tail of the donkey.
A crow cawing in front of a house is considered to be a sign of arriving guests. Whether that's good or bad, depends on the guests!
Good dreams
Dreaming of good and auspicious things is good. This could be dreams of gods, auspicious animals and birds and everything pleasant. On the other hand, dreaming of things like meteorites, earthquakes, and metals is considered bad.
Shaving on Mondays
Shaving on Mondays is generally considered inauspicious.
Washing hair
Washing hair on a Thursday is not considered good and in many homes men and women put off washing hair to other days of the week.
Clean kitchen
The kitchen in Hindu homes is treated on par with the puja rooms and temples and as such care should be taken to keep it as neat and hygienic as possible lest the inmates incur the wrath of God. Wearing footwear to the kitchen is a strict no-no. This concept is believed to have come into being when kitchens were huge and families ate sitting on the kitchen floors and therefore it was very important that the floors and surroundings were clean and dust free.
Clipping nails
Many consider it wrong to clip nails after sunset for fear of incurring the wrath of evil spirits. But the idea of avoiding clipping nails post sunset is believed to have originated in the period before there was electricity because in those days clipping in absolute darkness caused accidental injuries to the fingers.
Sweeping the house
In many homes, it is considered wise to sweep the home before the sun sets lest Goddess Lakshmi, the Goddess of Wealth be swept away . This belief has its origins in the pre-electricity days when sweeping in the darkness could easily have led to precious little valuables getting swept away inadvertently.
Hiccups
Another age-old belief delves around one having hiccups. An old wives' tale is that a near or dear one is thinking of you. It may or may not be true but do not forget to sip water lest you continue having hiccups.
Pregnant woman
The idea of a pregnant woman wandering around after sunset is not appreciated. The belief is that she will be attacked by evil spirits. The same applies to her husband. It is even advisable that the two don't venture anywhere near the coast lest they incur the wrath of sea spirits. This superstition is believed to have been borne to protect the woman from injury and accident and so also her husband because when a woman is pregnant it is important her husband is around to up her morale and also help around with household chores.
Ants building a house
It is considered very good if ants build their homes near yours because it symbolises a safe financial future.
Another superstition goes that ants should not be agitated because agitating ants is like inviting bad weather. Accidentally stepping on ants is believed to cause rainfall.
Bats flying
An old belief has it that if a bat flies around a house three times then it is a warning of an impending death in the house. On the other hand if bats come out before dusk or just at the onset of dusk and fly around the house it is an indication of good weather.
Bees
An entry of a bee into one's house is an indication that the house will have a visitor. But it is important that the bee is not chased out or killed else the person who visits the house will be an unpleasant one. If a bee settles on one's hand it is considered lucky because it is an indication of great wealth to come and on the other hand if the bee settles on one's head then in all probability the person will become famous.
A bird crying
Depending from which direction you hear a bird cry you are in for either good luck or bad. A cry from the north foretells a tragedy, from the south foretells that the crops are going to turn out good, from the west foretells good luck and from the east good love.
If bird droppings land on your head or on your car, it is considered a sign of good luck to come.
White butterfly
Popular belief has it that if you spot a white butterfly at the beginning of the year then the whole year will turn out good.
Fish
There are a lot of superstitions associated with fish. When out fishing, if a fisherman throws the first fish he has caught back to the sea then the entire day will prove fruitful.
Old belief has it that fish should be eaten from the head downwards.
Dreaming of fish is an indication that someone in the family is pregnant.
Fisherfolk are of the belief that they ought not count the fish they catch for they may not catch any more fish during the course of the day.
Rooster
If a rooster enters the house or crows near the door it is considered good luck because it is an indication that there will be visitors.
Everyone knows that a rooster crows at the crack of dawn. If it crows at night then it implies that an evil spirit or spirits are passing by. Crowing at any instant other than at dawn is considered bad and is a warning of bad times to come.
An all-white rooster is considered a caretaker of the farm and is generally not killed and eaten. But it is the other way round with an all-black rooster.
owl
A hoot of an owl is considered to forebode evil and bad luck to come. In case you hear a hoot, to negate the outbreak of evil, it is advisable that you take off your clothes, turn them inside out and then wear them back. Another way to counter the bad luck is to throw salt or pepper or vinegar into fire, in this way the owl will get a sore throat and stop hooting.
Touch wood
We often say 'touch wood' not knowing what that implies. Many years back, people believed that Gods lived in the trees and always touched the trunk of a tree and made a wish and touched the trunk again once if what was wished for came true.
