Title Descriptive Writing On Indian Superstitions

Author Hemavathy Govindasamy, Kuala Langat Community College, Banting, Selangor, Malaysia

Biodata English Lecturer, received her first degree from the Sultan Idris Education University ( UPSI ), Tanjong Malim, Perak. Malaysia. At present, she is lecturing English For Communication and English For Work at Kuala Langat Community College, Banting. Malaysia She has taught in same position in Tawau, Sabah, Malaysia for 3 years.

When everyone thinks of superstitions, they define it as either a belief or action that is based on reasons and evidence. In fact, every culture has its own superstitions with many examples. However, Indians are the one being deeply engaged with abound superstitions even in this modern world. This may sound amazing but it is factual. For instance, cutting nails in the night prohibited is because fear of evil spirits. Furthermore, eating sweet curd before taking an exam will bring good luck is another Indian superstition. These have been passed down from generation to generation and they have positive and negative effects. Animals play an important role in contributing to bad omens in Indian superstitions. Specifically, if a person is going somewhere and sees a black cat is considered as unfortunate. It is also unfortunate if a black cat comes appears while a serious discussion is going on. For this purpose, Indians practice to split thrice when they see black cats, so that it will prevent something bad from happening. Besides cats, other animals, which include in this belief, are peacocks, owls and dogs. For instance, while leaving the house and hearing the shrill sound of a peacock is believed to be bad. Even, hearing a dogs howling at night also will bring bad luck, especially when someone in the family or neighbourhood is sick. Next, if an owl sits on the roof of a house, it is a sign of approaching ruin and destruction for the particular family in the house. Other bad omens in Indian superstitions are the women and human parts of the body. Seeing women especially widows or barren are believed to bring misfortune while leaving home. A widow wears white clothes, which is inauspicious for another person who sees it. That is the reason why married women are not advisable to wear any white attire. As for human parts of the body like hands itchiness and eyes twitches indicate as bad omen. For example, if a females right palm itches, it is signs of getting a bad news and for a male if left palms itches, it is believed that they are going to cry soon. In similar fashion, if the left eye of a woman and right eye of a man twitches it is not good sign for both.

Furthermore, a persons actions are bump into Indian superstitions. As an illustration, anyone in the house is going to leave home for work and at that moment someone sneezes thrice, it is not good for the person who is going to work. Even, asking the purpose of leaving such as Where are you going? to a person about to leave the house is also bad omen. Next, if a person sweeps the house at night is not good because it is believed the action will sweep off the luck. In short, there are other number of actions are avoided after the sunset which indicate bad omen such as, cutting ones hair, giving of dirty clothes to the laundry, uttering of words which denote snake or barber, lending or giving needles, salt, butter, milk and lending a match box . No one has taught that, days also brings bad omen in Indian superstitions. In fact, there are certain activities should be avoided in particular days as they lead to bad. Specifically, Mondays are not auspicious days for shaving and cutting hair. In the same way, if a person intends to shave or cut hair it is advisable not to do, on the day of the person was born. In addition, Tuesdays are believed to be not good to bring back home any dead bodies from long or short journey. While, Thursdays and Saturdays are not good for washing hair. Saturdays are also bad for purchasing metal or leather as it brings bad luck in terms of financial prosperity. Everyone knows Fridays are auspicious days for Indians but surprisingly there are also avoided activities on these days. For instance, payments are disallowed except to give small coins to beggars and do not set out for a trip on these days as they are bound to spell disasters. Now, out of the seven days in a week only the Wednesdays and Sundays do not end up in this group. Next, deaths and births are other belief in Indian superstitions. The one conveyed as bad omen in deaths and births are, family members are not allowed to go to temples or any auspicious occasions for 15 days if there are deaths and births in the families. Deaths are considered as bad because they are impure. Whereas, births are bad because they correlated with women who give births as unclean. These families will go to temples and any auspicious occasions after the 15 days, as they are clean. On the first day of deaths, cooking is also forbidden in the house of the deceased. Normally, catering food are been served at the deceaseds house.

Even more, objects act as small aspect in Indian superstitions, which leads to bad sign. To illustrate, footwears are disallowed to be put upside down which will cause fights in families. Moreover, opening umbrellas indoor will bring bad omen as the umbrellas are used as a protection against the sun and it is disrespectful for the sun. It is because Indians believe the sun as one of the goddesses. All the while, Indian superstitions been narrow down to bad but there are number of them, which are good omen. The Indians superstitions, which are considered as good omen, are seeing married women, elephants while going somewhere, peacocks on a journey, hearing lizards noise, dreaming , continuous hiccups and, seeing astrology and horoscopes. Seeing Indian married women is a good omen because they look like having flowers on their head, wear colourful attire and kumkum on their forehead. Therefore, it is believed while one is going out the house and sees married women, the purpose of going will be successful. In the same way, seeing elephants and peacocks while going somewhere also bring fortune. Lizards are unattractive and grubby creatures. However, in Indian superstitions they bring good omen. Actually not the lizards but the sounds they make is good sign when a discussion is going on. For this purpose, when discussing on auspicious matters if lizards make sound so bear in mind it will end successfully. Indian superstitions have also strong belief in the power of dreams as divine warnings. Dreaming of gods, demons, auspicious animals or any other auspicious matter in early mornings is good. Even, dreaming early in the morning is believed turn into good. Other superstitions are casual as well as funny. One of them is hiccups. Continuous hiccups are considered a sign of someone close badly remembering you. So a young person (man or woman) having a stream of hiccups always gives rise to teasing questions by friends and relatives. Astrology is as popular as ever and timing trace in the planets ruling over period, is believed to bring luck. Astrology continues to be a part in wedding process. This is particularly true when it comes to issues such as Indian marriages.To illustrate, horoscopes of brides and grooms, to be compared when arrangement of

wedding began. Some periods of the year are considered favorable for weddings and this is typically known as the 'wedding season'. If the particular families follow the astrology and horoscopes it is believed the couples will live happily for the rest of their live. For this reason, most Indians believe in the power of astrology and they make sure to consult the stars before venturing on any new matters especially weddings. In conclusion, there are long list in Indian superstitions, which associated with bad and good. These are deep-rooted beliefs in the minds of Indian people with or without any reason for many years. Normally, these are been rejected by called educated people as baseless. However, if go deeper, it is some psychological or social reasons behind those Indian superstitions as Edmund Burke said, "Superstition is the religion of feeble minds".