1. Don't step out during an eclipse - Preventing loss of eyesight
Observing the Sun during a solar eclipse can cause retinal burns or "eclipse blindness". Based on a series of observations, our ancestors probably reached the conclusion that it was not advisable to set out during an eclipse. The superstition about Rahu's head blocking the Sun is a story woven around this practice.
2. Do not sleep with your head facing the North - Preventing cardiovascular diseases
Our ancestors probably knew about the relation between Earth's magnetic field and the human body's field (biomagnetism).
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' not why.
3. Don't go near a Peepal tree in the night - Avoid inhaling carbon dioxide
Jan van Helmont
found out the recipe of plant-food in mid-17th century. Before that the
world was clueless about the relation between sunlight, carbon dioxide
that magically produces glucose for plants. Our ancestors probably knew
about photosynthesis and the effects of inhaling carbon dioxide in the
night. Hence people were discouraged from venturing near a
peepal tree at night and stories of ghosts were woven around these trees.
4. Bath after attending a funeral ceremony - Preventing infection
Our ancestors did not have vaccination against hepatitis, smallpox and
other deadly and contagious diseases. Hence they came up with a set of
rituals to be followed after the funeral rites are performed so as to
prevent infection from the dead body. Slowly stories about the
departed's soul got linked to this practice.
5. The mourning family of a dead person should not cook food until shraddha - Giving them time to cope and rest
There is a ritual in the Hindu religion that prevents the lighting of the hearth in the house of the deceased until the shraddha. Superstition
says this is to prevent the burning of the soul of the deceased.
However, the practice may have been started to provide rest to the
family of the deceased for mourning, to help them cope with the death of
a loved one.
6. Don't cut nails after sunset - In the absence of light, one might get hurt
Nail clippers were
sharp blades which required precision and light to be used in the
absence of which one could get hurt. Hence the tradition of using one
during the day.
7. Don't wash your hair on a certain day - Saving water
The practice of not washing the hair on certain days like Tuesday or
Thursday are attributed by some to the water management practices.
8. Sweeping the floor during the evening brings bad luck - ( Something important might get swept away in the dark )
Conduct and discipline are the cornerstones of Indian society. The belief that sweeping the house after sunset brings bad luck
is a superstitious belief that we have all encountered now and then.
Our ancestors probably preferred to clean their house during the day
because of the sunlight and to avoid sweeping away something important.
This practice like others slowly managed to weave a story around it.
9. Swallow Tulsi leaves, never chew - Preventing degradation of the enamel
It is widely believed that
Tulsi is Goddess Lakshmi's avatar and hence one should not chew the leaves but directly swallow them. A Quora user,
Chander Govindarjan has described that the actual science behind this is that though the
Tulsi leaf is healthy, it contains a little amount of
Arsenic. Thus chewing it directly causes the teeth to become yellow or
results in the degradation of enamel.
10. Crush the head of a snake after killing it - It is capable of attacking with a severed head
Superstition says that one should crush the head of a snake after killing it otherwise its kin might find an image in its eyes and seek revenge. In fact the reason is that a snake can bite or kill a person even with a detached head. And in order to completely neutralize it, it is necessary to crush its head. Also, being a cold-blooded organism, even if some of its vital organs stop working it will stay alive for hours and die a slow and painful death. So it is recommended to crush its head to give it a quick and painless death.
11. If you break a mirror - you have seven years of bad luck
Long before mirrors were invented, people used to see their reflections
in pools of water. Since they had no scientific knowledge at the time,
they believed this reflection to be their soul or their other self;
hence, they believed that any interference with the other self would
injure it. Hence when mirrors were invented, and they were broken, it was thought that the other self was harmed.
And where did this seven year thing come in? Well, the Roman belief was
that life renewed itself every seven years. And, since a mirror meant
“broken” health, it was believed that the person who broke it would need
seven years to recover
12. One must not walk under a ladder
This one probably has a logic. Since obviously if a person walks under a ladder, the person on it (carpenter, painter) may accidently drop his stuff on you. Also, the ladder itself could fall on you; hence its best to avoid walking under ladders.
13. Trimming Hair On Tuesdays
This scientific explanation behind this old Indian belief is in
olden days most of the Indians were farmers. After a week of hard work,
Monday was their resting day. Naturally majority of them cleaned their
houses and trimmed their hair on that day. So the Barber wouldn’t have
much work on Tuesdays and would close his shop. This practice is being
continued till date.
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