Indians have myths on certain issues and we will prove that they were right. We till date cannot see the scientific reasons behind the rituals they followed back in time. But we better see that it was for our own betterment. We have been questioning the age-old practices. The logic behind the myths and rituals include:
India Myth of not stepping out during eclipse
We have been told since childhood to not step out during a solar eclipse as it 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. `
· Indian ladies should not work in the kitchen while they are on their ovulation period
This would have been to give rest to the ladies. Probably women did not work during the early days because of discomfort and slowly this became a ritual and degraded to the form of a superstition.
· Bathing after attending a funeral ceremony
This would have been so as to prevent infection from the dead body. Slowly stories about the departed’s soul got linked to this practice.
· The mourning family of a dead person should not cook food until Shraddha
This ritual would have been performed so as to give the family time to cope and rest.
· Don’t cut nails after sunset
Nothing but the fact that you could hurt yourself in the absence of light is the reason behind such a myth.
· Not washing hair on Tuesdays and Thursdays
Our ancestors thought of the next generation way back and this was almost a great technique to save water.
· Sweeping the floor during the evening brings bad luck
This myth would have emerged out of the fact that Something important might get swept away in the dark.
· Eat curd and sugar before heading out
Curd has a cooling effect on the stomach and in a country with a tropical climate and when it is added to curd this indispensable combination has a cooling effect and so its consumption slowly linked itself to good luck.
· A portion of the umbilical cord is preserved as a part of an elaborate ritual so as to harvest stem cells
Description of jatakarma (burying the umbilical cord in the fork of a sapling tree or storing it in a copper capsule) is given in an age-old text called Largely propagated as a superstitious practice to ground the child, these are probably descriptions of umbilical blood banking and our ancestors probably knew that human umbilical cord blood has stem cells. However, all the ritualistic details are no longer available. It was only in the year 1978, that a discovery regarding stem cells was made in the modern world.
· Using lemon and green chilies to avert “Buri Nazar”
This is one of the most visible ‘superstitions’. Probably it was used to encourage the consumption of Lemon and Chili’s because Both are rich in different vitamins and thus our ancestors probably tried to propagate their usage through a superstitious belief.
So we all in all see that all the rituals performed and superstitions stated might have had a reason.
