Ruchira lists Indian superstitions, vast and varied, that eclipse Western ones, permeating daily life with beliefs from sneezing omens to crow warnings, exclusively for Different Truths.

When it’s the question of superstitions, I strongly feel that Indian society certainly takes the cake. Folks will agree that the most famous superstitions of Westerners are a black cat crossing your path and the unlucky No. 13. That’s all about it, I guess. However, I remember a few more that I stumbled upon while I was studying literature:

Out flew the web and floated wide;
 The mirror cracked from side to side;
'The curse is come upon me,' cried
The Lady of Shalott.

(Lord Tennyson Lady of Shalott) 

In Shakespeare’s Macbeth (Act 4, Scene 1, as Macbeth approaches, the second witch says:

“…By the pricking of my thumbs,
Something wicked this way comes”.

or

“Ring around the moon
Rain or snow is coming soon...”  

These are archaic now, so to say.

Nonetheless, a British superstition embodied in a nursery rhyme is still in circulation. Magpies are believed to be fortune tellers of Nature. Haven’t we all heard the lines attributing a different consequence to the number of magpies spotted:

“One for sorrow, two for joy,
Three for a letter, four for a boy,
Five for silver, six for gold,
Seven for secrets never to be told.”  

The desi version incorporates mynah (aka shalik) instead of Magpies.

Now, in average Indian households, superstitions hold sway from daybreak to dusk. If you are at the door about to depart and someone sneezes, you are supposed to freeze on the spot. The poor offender will, of course, be chided.  Imagine the same situation with someone calling you from behind… sparks are bound to fly.

If the space in and around the exit or main door is dusty and unswept or if you spot any empty water container lying around…rest assured your day will be ruined.

Another common belief says if a murder of crows creates a cacophony (with their raucous voices) in your home premises some news or guest/s will arrive shortly. I tend to pooh-pooh away such ideas since nothing of the sort ever happened in my case, even though on many occasions, I have heard crows cawing away to glory all day long.

This reminds me of a short story by Banaphool (pen name of Dr Balai C Mukherjee) the legendary Bengali writer: The protagonist, a cantankerous housewife, is shown chasing crows away from her backyard since she doesn’t want any guests; in the process, she slips and ‘‘has a great fall.” The news spreads like wildfire, and all her grown-up children arrive to inquire about her health.

Most of us are told that if you leave footwear in disarray while entering or leaving a house it’s bound to usher in disharmony and chaos.  What I find more irksome is “No shampooing” your hair on certain days. Ditto for laundry. This ‘rule’ also has under its purview shaving/-haircuts/clipping nails and eating “Fish flesh & fowl.” Certain families even skip cooking and eating the ubiquitous Kadhi Chawal on stipulated days to dispel the shadow of misfortune 

A word of caution: If you choose to abide by these beliefs, you might end up shabby and unkempt at parties, gatherings or even regular workdays at the office. 

There is a slew of unkind, brutal ones, too:  Meeting a transgender on your way to work is ominous. A widowed mother must avoid all the wedding rites and rituals of her children lest her misfortune casts its shadow on the newlyweds. Likewise, a sterile (childless) woman is generally asked to stay away from weddings as well as baby showers, as if her inability to bear a child was a criminal offence.

As for myself, well I am human and hence susceptible to a few superstitions, if not all. For example, I keep my fingers crossed when I anticipate trouble and believe me, it works! I have been saved by the skin of my teeth many times. I recall how my dear Sasuma (mother-in-law) would fume whenever she saw me crossing my fingers. She feared it was some mumbo jumbo and would harm her beloved Raja beta. Ahem, her fears always came to naught.

Here is a recent one. Two years ago, I had a mega ‘fall’, broke my left hip, and underwent surgery, which cost me a bomb! I wore a sari on that occasion. Now, I have decided not to wear that sari again!

Picture design by Anumita Roy

Ruchira Adhikari Ghosh

Born in Guwahati and raised across Delhi and Punjab, Ruchira Adhikari Ghosh is an alumna of Sacred Heart Convent, Ludhiana. She holds a master’s degree in English literature from Punjab University, Chandigarh, and a postgraduate diploma in Journalism. With nearly 25 years of experience in print, web, and television media, she has carved a niche as a feature writer. Her writing focuses on women’s issues, food, travel, and literature, reflecting both versatility and depth.