Old Wives' Tales: 22 Superstitions We All Grew Up With!

When it comes to superstition, India has no competition. From well-meaning grandmothers to nosy aunts, we have been advised by them all to avoid doing things which bring bad omens - and the list is endless. We decided to list down some superstitions that most of us have grown up with.

1. Don’t cut your nails/hair after dark.

2. If a black cat crosses your path, take a different route.

3. Don’t leave your hair open under a banyan tree/ or at night, else a spirit will possess you.

4. Don’t cut your nails on the day of the week you were born. It apparently cuts down your lifespan too!

5. If you find your shoes on top of each other, you’re going to travel soon.

6. If one of your shoes is upside-down, then you’re going to fight with someone.

7. Don’t take a bath right after a meal!

8. A dog howling in the night is considered to be a bad omen. It’s supposed to mean that there are spirits around/someone nearby is on the verge of dying.

9. If there is a recent death in the house and a woman gets pregnant soon after, some people claim the soul of the deceased will now enter the newborn.

10. If somebody is leaving home, try not to sneeze, it is considered to be bad. And if you’re sneezing as you’re on your way out, get back into the house!

11. If your left hand itches you’re going to get money and if your right hand itches you’re going to lose money

12. Breaking a mirror brings you 7 years of bad luck as well as guests to the house. 13. Always take a shower after you come back from someone’s funeral. It is believed that if you don’t, negative energy and spirits will cling to you.

14. Don’t eat a meal with your legs stretched out. Your sasuraal will be far away from your maika.

15. Don’t eat non-veg on certain days of the week.

16. If an owl sits near your house, destruction and unhappiness are believed to follow.

17. If you don’t give a eunuch money, or if you shoo them away from a wedding, it is believed that they can bring misfortune down upon you.

18.  Nimbu, mirchi or a black tika applied on a child are supposed to ward off the evil eye.

19. Adding a rupee to a monetary gift brings the receiver good luck.

20. Odd numbers are considered lucky. (Except for 13!)

21. A pregnant woman is not supposed to step out of her house during an eclipse, else the child will be cursed with bad luck.

22. If you have hiccups, it is believed that someone is thinking about you.

GIFs: giphy.com, thechive.com, taringa.net, tumblr.com MUST-READ: Pregnancy Myths: 10 Old Wives’ Tales Debunked! MUST-READ: #FML: 18 Signs You Are Seriously Overreacting (Even If You Think You Aren't!)