Myth Busting 201

 

Hello Reader! I hope you’ve liked the first part of Myth Busting I’ve written. I got a lot of responses back on this particular topic and I felt glad that there are many out there, who are as annoyed as I am about few of these superstitions we are obliged to follow. In this article, I am going to write about few other myths that I came across and also some of them that are suggested by you. Just to clarify, the sole purpose of this article is to spread the knowledge and awareness. I don’t mean to comment or offend anyone’s beliefs. Now that the Disclaimer has been given again, let’s get to the topic.

Dahi Cheeni – The Sweet Bundle of Luck

Myth – It is widely believed that eating Curd and Sugar before doing something important brings good fortune.

Reality – Eating Curd has a cooling effect on our digestive system and it helps to soothe our body and mind, also, eating sugar energizes our body by supplying glucose to the brain. It is meant to provide instant energy to the body so that the person remains active on his important day. Alas, if only getting lucky was so easy, Kohli would’ve asked his team to eat a cup of curd and sugar before every match and RCB would’ve ended up with an IPL Trophy by now. (Just Kidding)

 

Lizard on Your Back – Bad Luck gives a pat

Myth – It is believed that if a lizard falls on you, it is a sign of bad luck. It is also believed that the color, the stripes or spots, the chirping or twittering of the lizard and where it falls on your body, indicates a lot about your near future.

Reality – Lizards are poisonous in nature and they release certain chemicals from their bodies as a defense mechanism against their enemies. So if a lizard were to fall onto a person’s body the skin might be exposed to these chemicals leading to infections or diseases. Pro Tip - Watch the roof for any Lizards before you sit.

Cat Crosses you Path – Hold Your Horses and Statue!

Myth – It is believed that if a cat (especially a black cat) crosses your path, you should stop and rest for a while or return back as it is considered to be a bad omen. I agree black cat’s do look a little evil, but calling them a bad omen is a bit over the top.

Reality – In the olden days, people used to travel on carts pulled by domesticated animals. When travelling through the forest at night, they used to get past wild cats like cheetahs, tigers, leopards, etc. These cats have glowing eyes which scared the carriage animals and rendered them chaotic. Thus, the travelling party halted nearby so as to help the animals refresh themselves before pulling the cart again. They also warned fellow travelers to avoid travelling while the cats crossed the road and over time, people forgot about the forest cats and applied the same principle to domestic cats instead.

Haircut on Tuesday – Killed by Mars

Myth – Ok, this is by far the funniest myth. Apparently, according to Astrology, the God for Tuesday is Kuja (Mars) and he (the planet) has some bad effects on us. It is believed that the power of humans is stored in our hair and it stops the bad effects of planets on us. So, if a person were to get a Haircut on Tuesday, his power would be reduced and the bad effects of Kuja would be more on him.

Reality – Usually Saturday and Sunday (weekend days) are holidays for most people so they would prefer getting a haircut on those days and since it would be crowded on those days, few people go back on Monday to get their hair done. Barbers also require a day’s rest in a week so they close their shops on Tuesdays.

Eating Meat – No Papa

Myth – It is believed we shouldn’t consume meat (non-veg) on certain days because it is sinful. This myth is deeply linked to religion and it varies from person to person. Few people do not eat on Thursday or Saturday, etc.

Reality – Honestly, I follow this ritual in my life too. But my reasons are different. I do not choose specific days to avoid meat. I stop eating altogether. Coming back to the logic behind this myth, we shouldn’t eat meat regularly as our stomach needs some time for cleansing. Some meat foods are high on fat content and can raise your cholesterol level, increasing the risk of heart diseases. This is a reasonable explanation and I feel it is a better logic as to why we should not consume meat on a daily basis. (Not against religion here!)

 

I hope you found some of these relatable to the situations you’ve faced in your life or at least got to know the real design behind these superstitions. Please share your views and your experiences about any such superstitions. I would love to hear your take on them. Additionally, if there is something that I need to improve in my writing or something that I need to write about, please do share your reviews and suggestions. Thank You Reader!