u/SerpensPatronus

We have superstitions in every culture which stem from legends and folklore. Choosing to believe them or not is up to us of course but it wouldn’t be wrong to say that many of the superstitions we have do have logical reasoning as they seem to be created to teach children better manners.

Some I can think of:

- Refusing someone water will result in you being born as a Taṭihrā/ Ṭiṭruhā (red-wattle lapwing or Vanellus indicus). In folklore, this bird is described with red eyes which makes water look like blood to it. Thus it is unable to drink water unless it rains and he directly drinks rain drops. Whether we believe it or not, even though the thought definitely scared us as kids, it follows the logic that one should refuse anyone food or water as they are basic needs everyone is entitled to.

- An even more well-known one and a hilarious superstition is also about food but linked to weddings. Eating directly from a food pan/ container and eating using a spatula/ ladle/ large cooking spoon will cause a rainstorm at your wedding. This definitely was a scare as not being able to enjoy the wedding procession and, of course Dham, due to the rain would be devastating haha. Logically, this instills the value of patience in children to wait for their food to be served to them instead of just messily hogging it.

- Another one I can think of is the belief that leaving your shoes or slippers being left upside down will result in you are up for a thrashing (Juṭṭé Bàrné- “shoes will rain down”) later on. This sort of belief would have helped children be organisational and not messy.

I know these are very obvious things so not treating this as some grand revelation but think it is interesting how our ancestors came up with unique ways to teach kids such necessary values which have been passed down to us. What type of superstitions do you guys have at your place?