Amazing Scientific Reasons Behind Hindu Practices

Call it superstition, call it practice, call it another way to create fear in people's mind, certain Hindu practices are followed meticulously till date since time immemorial. Most of us tend to question the necessity of these practices and wonder how it is relevant in the modern world.

Most of us tend to dismiss some of these traditions as superstitions which exist as part of the old world order. But are all Hindu traditions superstitions? You will be surprised to know the answer. Hinduism has often been questioned, criticised and believed to promote superstitions and blind faith. But this is far from the truth.

AMAZING SCIENTIFIC REASON BEHIND WEARING ORNAMENTS

Most of the rituals, practices or traditions of Hindus have a scientific purpose. It may strike as nonsensical but when when you dig deeper and find out the actual reason for such practices, you will be amazed. Earlier, we had told you about scietific reasons behind Hindu rituals, wearing ornaments and also the science behind the Hindu temples. So, in this article we will discuss the amazing scientific reasons behind some bizarre Hindu practices which often do not make sense to us. Take a look at the scientific reasons behind Hindu practices.

The Eclipse Fear

In most Hindu homes, people are not allowed to step outside the house during an eclipse and also not allowed to see it with the naked eye. Pregnant women especially have to stay indoors so that their child is not born with any deformities. It is also believed that one must not consume food or even cook food during the period of the eclipse. In some regions a leaf of the Tulsi plant is placed on every eatable to prevent it from being destroyed.

The Logic Behind The Eclipse Fear

The only logic that one can see here is that watching the eclipse with naked eyes can actually affect the exposure that your retina will have to the intense visible light of the sun. It can even result in retinal burns due to the damage done to the light-sensitive cells and rod. Also, when there is an eclipse, the microbes become more active and can spoil the food. The leaf of Tulsi in the food protects the food from being spoilt because of its medicinal properties.

Never Sleep With Your Head Towards The North

The only logic you ever came across was that north is the demon's side and you should avoid sleeping with your head towards that direction. However, the logic behind this belief is that the human body acts as a magnet with the head as its North Pole. If the head points towards the north while sleeping, the north poles of the body and earth will repel each other, affecting the blood circulation.

Don't Go Near A Peepal Tree At Night

The reason often given is that ghosts go lurking around the peepal tree at night. It is the time when trees give out carbon dioxide which is not good for humans. Therefore, it is advised not to go near a peepal tree at night.

Lemon Chilli Charm

The lemon chilli charm is supposed to protect you from the evil eye. The lemon and green chilly superstition probably came from a culture that encouraged their use because of their healing qualities. Both are rich in different vitamins and thus our ancestors probably tried to propagate their usage through symbols during ceremonies which gradually turned into a popular practice.

Bathing After A Funeral Ceremony

Contrary to the popular belief of spirits possessing you, it is actually related to germs possessing your body. Once a person is dead, the body starts to decompose. The people who attend the funeral are exposed to the dead body and hence the bacteria that are present in the decomposition of a dead body. That is the reason why they are asked to bathe immediately after the funeral, before touching anything or anyone.

Eating Curd And Sugar Before Starting A Journey

Before stepping out of the house, there is a practice of feeding the person with curd and sugar. It is considered lucky. Curd contains calcium and proteins and a bit of natural sugar is present in small quantities. Because it is easy on the stomach and the digestive system, it's a great option to consume it before stepping out. It also has the cooling effect and is perfect to eat before any stressful activity.

Crushing The Head Of A Snake After Killing It

The snake's eyes do not capture the image of the person killing it. It is just that even after a snake has been killed, its fangs contain the venom which is dangerous even after it dies. Crushing a snake's head destroys the venom. A snake's detached head can immediately act by reflex and potentially bite.

Opening Umbrellas Outside The House

You are not supposed to open an umbrella inside the house. It is due to the simple reason that umbrellas in those days had sharp metal spokes and spring triggers which can hurt people or break fragile things. Later, it developed into a superstition where people considered it a bad luck to open umbrellas inside the house.

Never Chew A Tulsi Leaf, Swallow It

It is considered disrespectful to chew Tulsi leaf. It is advised to swallow the leaf instead. This is because Tulsi contains high amount of mercury and when it comes in contact with the teeth, it causes damage. Therefore, it should be swallowed directly.