Superstitions on babies and birth

Superstitions on babies and birth

• A baby born from a red water sac is believed to have great powers and double sight.
• A baby born when the moon is rising will be a girl.
• A baby born with a large mouth will be a good singer.
• A baby born with big ears will be generous.
• A baby born with open hands and out-stretched fingers will be prosperous.
• A baby born with teeth could be a vampire.
• A baby that is born feet first will have healing abilities.
• A child born feet first or breech will be lamed in an accident.
• Babies born at midnight can see ghosts.
• Babies born at night will stay awake at night.
• Babies born on Sunday cannot be harmed by evil spirits.
• Birth is made easier if all the locks in the house are open and you keep an axe under the bed.
• Firstborn children are protected from witchcraft.
• Thursday has one lucky hour, just before sunrise, for birth.
• To hold a newborn baby while menstruating would cause the baby strain.

It is good luck to:

• Brush your baby with a rabbit’s foot.
• Carry a baby upstairs when first taking it out into the world.
• Give a new baby a gift of bread or salt.
• Have a baby born with a caul.
• Have a baby first clasp something using it’s right hand.
• Have a baby sneeze.
• Kiss a newborn baby.
• Put a string of coral beads around your baby’s neck.
• Rub a baby’s head with money.
• Spit on a newborn baby.

It is bad luck to:

• Carry a baby downstairs when first taking it into the world.
• Carry a child on the left side.
• Cut a baby’s nails before it is twelve months old.
• Dress a baby by putting clothes over its head instead of its feet.
• Dress a baby in black.
• Give away all a baby’s clothes when you have finished with them.
• Let a cat in the room of a newborn baby.
• Let babies see themselves in a mirror before they are six months old.
• Step over a crawling infant.
• Wash a baby’s hands before it is twelve months old.
• Watch a baby as it sleeps.
• Wean a baby in early spring.
• Weigh a newborn baby.

Death related superstitions

Death related superstitions

Birds

• A bird in the house is a sign of a death.
  
  
• If a robin flies into a room through a window, death will shortly follow. 
  
  
• If an owl looks into your window during the day, death will occur in your family.
  
  
• Death will come soon for anyone who kills a red bird or a blus bird.
  
  
• If you see a raven flying towards your house, the woman you love is doomed to die unless you can stop it from landing on the house.
  
  
  

Candles

• Light candles on the night after November 1. One for each deceased relative should be placed in the window in the room where death occurred.
  
  
  

Cemeteries

• You must hold your breath while going past a cemetery or you will breathe in the spirit of someone who has recently died. 
  
  
• Once you have left a cemetery, and forgotten something, do not go back to get it, for you will bring death back with you.
  
  
  

Clocks

• If a clock which has not been working suddenly chimes, there will be a death in the family. 
  
  
• You will have bad luck if you do not stop the clock in the room where someone dies.
  
  
  

Corpses

• If a woman is buried in black, she will return to haunt the family. 
  
  
• If a dead person's eyes are left open, he'll find someone to take with him. 
  
  
• Mirrors in a house with a corpse should be covered or the person who sees himself will die next.
  
  
  

Cows

• If a cow moos after midnight-death is coming.
  
  

Dogs

• Dogs howling in the dark night howl for death before daylight. 
  
  
• If a dog howls at night and it's facing towards you, you will soon die.
  
  
  

Dreams

• If you dream of death it's a sign of a birth, if you dream of birth, it's a sign of death.

• If you touch a loved one who has died, you won't have dreams about them.
  
  

Dying

• A person who dies on Good Friday will go right to heaven. 
  
  
• A person who dies at midnight on Christmas Eve will go straight to heaven because the gates of heaven are open at that time. 
  
  
• All windows should be opened at the moment of death so that the soul can leave. 
  
  
• The soul of a dying person can't escape the body and go to heaven if any locks are locked in the house. 
  
  
• If a broom rests against a bed, the person who sleeps there will die soon.
  
  
  

Eyes

• If the left eye twitches there will soon be a death in the family. 
  
  
• If a dead person's eyes are left open, he'll find someone to take with him.
  
  
  

Flowers

• Having only red and white flowers together in a vase means a death will soon follow.
  
  
• If you prick your finger on the thorn of a red rose, and the puncture looks black, you will die.
  
  
• Bringing hawthorn blossoms into a house will be followed by the death of the mother of the house.
  
  

Funerals

·        Funerals on Friday portend another death in the family during the year. 

·        It's bad luck to count the cars in a funeral cortege. 

·        It's bad luck to meet a funeral procession head on. 

·        Thunder following a funeral means that the dead person's soul has reached heaven. 

·        Nothing new should be worn to a funeral, especially new shoes. 

·        Pointing at a funeral procession will cause you to die within the month.

·        Pregnant women should not attend funerals. 

·        If rain falls during a funeral procession, someone related to the deceased will die soon.

·        Seeing a white chicken on your way to a funeral brings bad luck.

·        If you see a hearse you must touch a button or you'll be the next one in it.

Graves

• If the person buried lived a good life, flowers will grow on the grave. If the person was evil, weeds will grow. 
  
  
• Rain falling into an open grave means bad luck for the family.
  
  
• If you take three steps backward when leaving a loved one's grave, you will die within three months.

Hats

• A hat on the bed means death in the family.
  
  
  

Mirrors

• If a mirror in the house falls and breaks by itself, someone in the house will die soon. 
  
  
• Mirrors in a house with a corpse should be covered, or the person who sees herself will die next.
  
  
• If you say the name ‘Mary’ worth 100 times into a mirror in a darkened room, and she appears in the mirror, you will soon die.

The moon

·        Look up at the moon, and if there is something red passing by it, someone close to you will die soon.

Moths

• A white moth inside the house or trying to enter the house means death. 

Photographs

• If 3 people are photographed together, the one in the middle will die first.
  If you take pictures of someone in their casket you will bring death to your family very soon.
  
  
  

Shoes

• Leaving shoes on a table for a long time will bring sickness or death to your family.
  
  
• Never put your shoes on the table or you will die by hanging.
  
  
• Hanging a horse shoe over a door with the open side downward will spill out all the luck and a death in the family will soon occur.
  
  
  

Thirteen

• If 13 people sit down at a table to eat, one of them will die before the year is over. 
  
  

Umbrellas

• Dropping an umbrella on the floor means that there will be a murder in the house.
  
  
  

Water

• Water in the grave means the deceased will be a restless spirit.

Good and bad omen

Sakunam / Shakunam / Sagunam (omen)

Before undertaking a journey, it is common in some parts if India to look through the path which is likely to be followed. In that process, certain things are seen and satisfied as good omens and others bad.  This is called shakunam paarththal or Sakunam nokkal.

Good Omens (nalla sakunam/nalla shakunangal):

• Overhearing a pleasant conversation, hearing of musical instruments.

• Seeing a good blaze of fire, an umbrella, fans, mirrors, a harp, diamonds, gold, weapons, fruit , flowers, bangles, Curd, raw rice, honey, cow’s ghee, lead, sulphur, metal filter, ringing sound of a bell, lamp, lotus, uncooked fish, meat, sweets, group of dancing girls or young women, elephant,  horse, bullock, corpse, two Brahmins (Brahmans), Sudra holding a stick, a cow with rope,  and many more.

• Hearing the braying of an ass from the east, south, north or north-east.

• Passing of a crow, parrot, stork, heron, or a jackal from left to right.

• Passing of a kite, hawk, owl, iguana, deer, musk-rat, dog, or mongoose from right to left.

• Crying of a lizard from right or from overhead.

• Dreaming a corpse, blaze of fire, flowers, or fruit.

Bad omens (Ketta sakunam / Ketta shagunangal):

• Seeing  a widow, new pot, whirlwind, drops of rain, bundle of firewood, single Brahmin, oil-monger, pariah, lame man, men quarrelling, men in suffering, buttermilk, oil, empty pots, grass, bones, bundle of dirty clothes, handicapped person , blind,  salt, donkey, pieces of rope, broken vessels, screaming sounds, deep yelling, sneezing, cursing, shivering, falling and many more.

• A black cat running or jumping across.

• Seeing an ass either to the west, the north-west, the south-west or the south-east with its head hanging down and braying.

• Seeing a crow, parrot, stork, heron, or a jackal pass from right to left.

• Dreaming red colour.

Gift a gift according to numerology

Present a suitable presentation

It is believed that life partner may be given gifts as suggested by numerology.

The suggestion:

Number 1:


Watch, painting, tie, jewel box, briefcase, cookware, space saver, slide projector, and tool set.

Number 2:


Tea-pot, hobby set, purse, perfume, radio, stationery, stoneware, sheets, calculator, and plants.

Number 3:


Clothing, dishes, CD, CD player, flatware, skillet, furniture, grill, and hair clipper.

Number 4:


Fruit bowl, VCR, computer, blanket, kitchen appliances, microwave, tool set, chess set, watch, mini-cam, and electronic games.

Number 5:


Travel kit, calculator, VCR, spice set, bath oil, book, skates, and skis.

Number 6:


Gloves, perfume, painting, decorative piece, bake-ware, silverware, furniture, copper, and comforter.

Number 7:


Teapot, stationery, hobby set, bracelet, robe, bedding, camera, jacket, silverware, book, painting, and reading lamp.

Number 8:


Gift certificate, step stool, toiletries, raincoat, bake-ware, scale, iron, radio, blouse, and flatware.

Number 9:


Clock, juicer, skates, crock pot, computer, rocker, towel set, humidifier, heater, and electronic gadgets.

Several Superstitions

·        A bat in the house is a sign of death.

·        A beginner will always have good luck: beginner's luck.

·        A bird that comes in your window brings bad luck.

·        A cat has nine lives.

·        A cat will try to take the breath from a baby.

·        A cricket in the house brings good luck.

·        A drowned woman floats face up, a drowned man floats face down.

·        A forked branch, held with a fork in each hand, will dip and point when it passes over water.

·        A hat on a bed will bring bad luck.

·        A lock of hair from a baby's first haircut should be kept for good luck.

·        A person cannot drown before going under three times.

·        A rabbit's foot brings good luck.

·        A sailor wearing an earring cannot drown.

·        After receiving a container of food, the container should never be returned empty.

·        An acorn at the window can keep lightning out of the house.

·        An apple a day keeps the doctor away.

·        An itchy palm means money will come your way.

·        Animals can talk at midnight on Christmas Eve.

·        At the end of a rainbow is a pot of gold.

·        Cats can physically see spirits, so they make excellent guardians against evil spirits. They also love to play with friendly or beneficial spirits.

·        Clothes worn inside out will bring good luck.

·        Cold hands, warm heart.

·        Crossing your fingers helps to avoid bad luck and helps a wish come true.

·        Crows are viewed as a bad omen, often foretelling death. If they caw, death is very near.

·        Eat an apple on Christmas Eve for good health the next year.

·        Eating fish makes you smart.

·        Evil spirits cannot harm you when you are standing in a circle.

·        For good luck, wear new clothes on Easter.

·        Friday the thirteenth is an unlucky day.

·        Garlic protects from evil spirits and vampires.

·        Goldfish in the house bring bad luck.

·        Goldfish in the pond bring good luck.

·        If a bird flies through your house, it indicates important news. If it can't get out, the news will be death.

·        If a bird flies towards you, bad fortune is imminent.

·        If a black cat crosses your path you will have bad luck.

·        If an owl looks in your window or if you see one in the daylight, bad luck and death awaits you.

·        If the bottoms of your feet itch, you will make a trip.

·        If the flame of a candle flickers and then turns blue, there's a spirit in the room.

·        If you blow out all of the candles on your birthday cake with the first breath you will get whatever you wish for.

·        If you can remove one white hair off an all black cat, without getting scratched, you have a very powerful good luck talisman.

·        If you feel a chill up your spine, someone is walking on your future grave.

·        If you shiver, someone is casting a shadow on your grave.

·        If you walk under a ladder, you will have bad luck.

·        If your left palm itches, it means you will soon receive money; if your right palm itches, it means that you will lose or have to pay money.

·        It is bad luck to chase someone with a broom.

·        It is bad luck to sing at the table.

·        It is bad luck to sleep on a table.

·        It is unlucky to rock an empty rocking chair.

·        Open an umbrella indoors and bad luck will "rain" on you.

·        Our fate is written in the stars.

·        Smell dandelions, wet the bed.

·        Step on a crack break your mother's back.

·        The superstition of knocking on wood for good luck originates from pagan beliefs in regards to trees.

·        The wedding veil protects the bride from the evil eye.

·        To break a mirror will bring you seven years bad luck.

·        To cure a sty, rub it with a gold wedding band.

·        To drop a dishcloth means bad luck is coming.

·        To drop a fork means a woman will visit.

·        To drop a knife means a man will visit.

·        To drop a spoon means a child will visit.

·        To find a four-leaf clover is to find good luck.

·        To find a horseshoe brings good luck.

·        To find a penny heads up brings good luck.

·        To give someone a purse or wallet without money in it will bring that person bad luck.

·        To have a wish come true using a wishbone, two people make a wish, then take hold of each end of the bone and pull it until it separates. The person with the longer end gets his or her wish.

·        To kill an albatross is to cause bad luck to the ship and all upon it.

·        To make a happy marriage, the bride must wear: something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue.

·        To open an umbrella in the house is to bring bad luck.

·        To refuse a kiss under mistletoe causes bad luck.

·        Toads cause warts.

·        Warm hands, cold heart.

·        Washing a car will bring rain.

·        Wearing an opal when it is not your birthstone is bad luck.

·        Wearing your birthstone will bring you good luck.

·        When a dog howls, death is near.

·        You can break a bad luck spell by turning seven times in a clockwise circle.

·        You must get out of bed on the same side you got in on or you will have bad luck.

·        You must hold your breath when you go past a cemetery or else you will breathe in the soul of someone who has recently died.

·        You must knock on wood three times after mentioning good fortune or the evil spirits will ruin things for you.

Dead man married dead girl

Bride: Vishalakshi

Bride groom: Yadav

Yadav, an unmarried  soldier in the Indian Army, died in 2003.

Vishalakshi, an unmarried daughter of late Parameshwara Poojari and Honnamma died in 1986.

Both the families had been advised by Boothas (minor deities), Kolas (divine rituals) and astrologers to arrange marriage of the dead in their families in order to resolve their problems.

The strange marriage was conducted by the residents of a Badagabellur village near Polali in the outskirts of Karnataka's Mangalore District at the groom’s house.

The spirit of a girl, who died 19 years ago, was married to the spirit of a man, who died eight years ago, at a marriage held in Polali, Mangalore, on Sunday night (01 Aug 2010) to remove obstacles for the nuptials of unmarried men and women in the families of Vishalakshi and Yadav. It is believed that dead bachelors live as evil spirits in the area and disturb the relatives.

According to Hindu tradition, auspicious ceremonies like marriages are not performed in the month of Ati or Ashada.

The groom got dowry!

Lavish feast was provided.