Superstitions of India

Introduction
Another word for superstitions is "blind belief." Many superstitions could be based on accidental luck or misfortune. Unstemmed it ran in a straight course, through Paganism, Judaism, and Christianism alike, catching up in its current all the garbage of human dead letter interpretations

Outline
Origins Superstition & Religion Indian Society and Superstition Indian Superstitions Global Superstitions Sports Superstitions Superstition & Tradition Indian Mentality and Progress Conclusions

Origins
The true origin of superstition is to be found in early man's effort to explain Nature and his own existence
Reason the superstitions which persist show a psychological habit of some importance The first and main reason of the existence of superstitions is ignorance

Origins

Origins
Allied with ignorance is Fear, sometimes both natural and justifiable What are the secondary origins? (1) The old causes have never ceased to be operative, though the manner of expression has changed; and
(2) The new causes were the advent of world religions, of social transformations, and of political separation.

Superstition & Religion

No religion propagates superstition Religious believers have often seen other religions as superstition. Likewise, atheists and agnostics may regard any religious belief as superstition. Some superstitions originated as religious practices that continued to be observed by people who no longer adhere to the religion that gave birth to the practice. Often the practices lost their original meaning in this process.

Superstition & Religion

Superstition is not religion anymore than darkness is light. Superstition is to religion what astrology is to astronomy: the mad daughter of a wise mother" - Francois Marie Arouet Voltaire (16941778) French writer and philosopher

Indian Society & Superstitions

India is always thought to be one of the most superstitious country in the world. Though Indian society is fast progressing there are many people who are superstitious and have strong faith in local beliefs. Some of them are funny , some of them have found their way into Indian religious texts and scriptures.

Indian Society & Superstitions

The main objective behind superstitions have been to protect the society from evil spirits. With time the belief in the scientific reasoning behind superstitions has eroded and thats why most of these beliefs appear unsubstantiated and false.

Indian Superstitions
Anything from the call of a bird to the falling of utensils is considered an omen in India. Seeing an elephant when one is leaving for a journey is considered lucky. This is because an elephant represents Lord Ganesha , the Indian God who is the harbinger of goodluck and removes obstacles. Cutting of nails, hair and shaving after sunset leads to one being born as an exort in his next birth.

Indian Superstitions
Crying of dogs at night signifies the presence of YAMRAJ and symbolizes death. A very old belief is that if you kill a cat , you have to offer one in gold to a priest. Monday is not an auspicious day for shaving and Thursday is a bad day for washing ones hair.

Indian Superstitions
It is supposed to be bad if somebody sneezes behind or calls back a man who is leaving his home for a journey. It is again ominous if he sees an empty vessel or a broom right in front of the house. The sight of a dead body or a cow feeding her calf or a full pitcher is considered as auspicious while one is on a journey. A 'pipal' tree is supposed to be the haunt of ghosts.

Indian Superstitions
The fear of ghosts is so great that some people worship them in their homes without giving them any shape and form. In South India, the sight of a black cat, crossing the way in front of one is considered to be very inauspicious. In Punjab, the sight of a Brahmin right in the morning is supposed to bring one misfortune for the whole day. The sight of a cobbler, oilmen or washer man bring ill-luck to one in U.P.

Global Superstitions
The old Aztec custom to sustain the Universe. Every three weeks, they dragged victims to the top of a pyramid/temple, sliced open their chests and held up the stillbeating heart to the gods. Spilling salt has also been thought to bring bad luck, even to some today. The colour red was a colour of good luck to the Chinese, as the colour red symbolises fire which is used to scare away evil spirits.

Global Superstitions
If you catch a falling leaf on the first day of autumn you will not catch a cold all winter. To dream of a lizard is a sign that you have a secret enemy. It's bad luck to leave a project unfinished. The intended receipient will get bad luck due to the unfinished item.

Global Superstitions
If a friend gives you a knife, you should give him a coin, or your friendship will soon be broken. If your nose itches you will soon be kissed by a fool. If the palm of your right hand itches it means you will soon be getting money. If the palm of your left hand itches it means you will soon be paying out money.

Global Superstitions
Fear of Friday the 13th is rooted in ancient, separate bad-luck associations with the number 13 and the day Friday. The two unlucky entities combine to make one super unlucky day. If your right eye twitches there will soon be a birth in the family. If the left eye twitches there will soon be a death in the family.

Sports Superstitions
Baseball: Spitting into your hand before picking up the bat is said to bring good luck. Basketball: Wipe the soles of your sneakers for good luck. Football: It's bad luck for a professional football player to take a new number when he is traded to another team. Tennis: It's bad luck to hold more than two balls at a time when serving. Avoid wearing the colour yellow.

Sports Superstitions
Cricket: The cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar wears his left pad first. Mahela Jayawardhena kisses his bat while batting. Standing during the whole course of the match.

Sports Superstitions
Eating the same food throughout the match, as whenever the food was eaten, our team did something good. (e.g. eating a one and half KILOs worth of Channas) Not watching the match or India will lose. The famous Football World Cup, 2010 octopus from Germany, which subsequently died (though we have our suspicions on cause of death)

Tradition and Superstition

Tradition and superstition are actually 2 very different things. Tradition is something that you do repeatedly and periodically as time goes by. Superstition is a belief on something that is without proof. They are beliefs that are steeped in lore or tradition, and it is usually difficult to pinpoint the exact origin. Many traditions are universal. Traditions are no fiction.

Tradition and Superstition

One of the ways to distinguish between good and bad or true and false traditions is to use our reason and discrimination. We have to follow the intuitive feeling from within which says, "This must be true." Traditions and social customs are the cement of the society. The tradition of paying respect to one's elders, teachers, parents, etc., prepares the child to revere and recognize the guruparampara chain.

EVOLUTION OF INDIAN SOCIETY

PAST SOCIETY: Sati Disallowance of widow remarriage Human sacrifice (commonly known as Bali) Child Marriage

EVOLUTION OF INDIAN SOCIETY

Education: Broad Outlook Girls Education Knowledge to decide what is right, accept it and reject what is wrong

EVOLUTION OF INDIAN SOCIETY

Major change Due to Girls Education: You teach a girl, You teach a family. Shift in Mentality: Past scenario : Gold No purchase during shradh Present Scenario : Gold Brought during shradh also if price is low

Conclusions
Pros
Science has been able to prove many of its theories, but has not disproved superstition. One of the few areas of modern scientific research into superstition is the study of (OCD). These superstitions may help them control anxiety.

Cons
Superstition has given us delusions, dreams and fantacism. Science is the only civilizer Science will put honesty above hypocrisy

(Complied and presented by Rahul, Esha, Ishwari, Parshwa, Pooja, Dhairya, Nidhi, Gunjan, Sunayana and Kajal)

Thank you

(Sources: Google.com and 366 readings from religions of the world)