Superstitions have long played a significant role in shaping family traditions and behaviors, particularly within some Bengali households. One individual recently shared a detailed account of the folk beliefs and rituals passed down through her maternal family, highlighting how these customs often served to instill discipline and social conformity under the guise of warding off supernatural threats.
Her grandmother, referred to as Nanu bari, was described as an expert in old wives’ tales, often linking everyday events to ominous signs. For example, the call of a lizard or a crow before travel, seeing a broom or an overturned slipper in the morning, were all considered portents of misfortune. These beliefs extended to various other rituals meant to protect the family from imagined spirits and curses.
One such superstition involved the “mechho bhoot,” a mythical fish-loving ghost from Bengali folklore. If someone smelled frying fish—especially hilsa—people were expected to spit on their left hand to prevent this spirit from targeting them. Additionally, when sending fish to others, a burnt match was often hidden in the package, with the belief that the scent of the extinguished fire would repel the ghost.
Other customs included avoiding letting one’s hair down on rooftops precisely at noon or dusk, as those were thought to be the times when malevolent spirits were most active. Newly married women were often advised to carry garlic and iron objects to protect against supernatural beings that could impersonate their husbands, despite the irony that garlic’s strong smell might also repel the actual spouse.
Pregnancy was surrounded by particularly stringent cautions. Pregnant women were warned that actions such as cutting fish during a solar or lunar eclipse could cause birth defects, and threading a needle during this time was believed to affect the child’s appearance. Newborns were marked with black kohl to protect against evil spirits, while dimples were seen as signs of fairy blessings. Even walking under tamarind trees was discouraged, given the widespread belief that these trees housed spirits or dangerous animals.
The practice of “najar uthano,” or warding off the evil eye, further exemplified the family’s superstitions. This ritual involved burning red chillies wrapped in betel leaves; if smoke or smell escaped, it was taken as evidence that a curse was already in effect.
Despite acknowledging the irrationality of these beliefs, the author noted how such rituals were passed down through generations with little explanation beyond “I have seen my parents do it.” While she chose not to continue many of these customs, she admitted to retaining some superstitious habits, such as knocking on wood for luck. The persistence of such practices illustrates the complex interplay between cultural heritage, familial expectation, and personal belief.