Wearing toe rings, throwing coins in a river, not sleeping with your head in the north! There are a number of beliefs that we follow in our everyday life. But, do we really know about the reasons behind these cultural practices? OR do we simply do them because our society asks us to do so? Well, when you are in a dilemma about such rituals and practices, it is best to know about them and convince yourself rationally and scientifically. So, here are 10 such rituals and practices with their Scientific reasons that will really make you think hard about them.
- Namaskar!
Indian Cultural reason: A gesture of respect or greeting by joining the two palms together.
Scientific reason: Joining both the hands would press the points of the finger tips which would rejuvenate the pressure points of eyes, ears and mind. This would help us remember that person for long and since we do not make any physical contact, no question of germs entering our bodies.
- Wearing toe rings
Indian Cultural reason: A married woman is supposed to wear the toe ring to show her married status to the society.
Scientific reason: A silver toe ring is usually worn on the second toe because a nerve from there connects the uterus and passes to the heart. It strengthens the uterus as well as regulates the menstrual cycle. Silver being a good conductor of energy absorbs all the energy from earth to pass it on to the entire body.
- Coins offered into the river
Indian Cultural reason: It is believed that throwing copper coins into a river would bring good luck to one’s life.
Scientific reason: As intake of copper is necessary for our body and rivers were the only source of drinking water, our ancestors practiced this custom to ensure our healthy life. This has become a bit irrelevant nowadays, as the coins are made of stainless steel today and not copper.
- Applying Bindi/ Tilak on the forehead
Indian Cultural reason: Putting Bindi is usually related to the Hindu status of a lady. Even courtship is one of the reasons.
Scientific reason: The Adnya-chakra or the major nerve point holds the major amount of energy which controls the various levels of concentration as well as stores the energy. Even the blood supply to the face muscles is facilitated by this energy.
- Ringing temple bells
Indian Cultural reason: Ringing bell before entering the temple is usually done to keep the evil spirits away and please the god.
Scientific reason: The sound of bell clears and empties our mind to concentrate on the devotional purpose. The ringing would bring unity between the left and right brain and would last minimum for 7 seconds in echo mode. This mode would activate all the healing centers of our body.
- Starting food with spice and ending with a dessert
Indian Cultural reason: It’s just an ancestral practice which was never questioned!
Scientific reason: The science behind this practice is very logical. Taking up spicy food first would boost up the digestion process while sweets at the end would pull down the digestion process as it is rich in carbohydrates.
- Applying Mehendi or Henna on hands and feet
Indian Cultural reason: “Mehendi kitni gehri hai, pati ka pyaar sachha hai” this is what is said when a brides’ mehendi color is darkest. It is believed to be one of the decorations of a bride.
Scientific reason: Mehendi cools down the body and prevents the nerves from becoming tense. During the wedding days, the bride undergoes lots of pressure and so mehendi acts as a kind of savior to her.
- Sitting on the floor while eating
Indian Cultural reason: It is a tradition. Well said that a family which eats together stays together. Sitting on floor while eating, also means respecting the ‘Food God’ or ‘The Ann Devta’.
Scientific reason: We usually are taught to sit crossing our legs while eating. This is just not a manner but the Sukhasan position brings calmness and increases digestion.
- Applying Sindoor
Indian Cultural reason: It is a ritual which a married woman undergoes everyday. This would show the society her marital status.
Scientific reason: Sindoor is made of turmeric-lime and mercury so, it has a physiological significance. Mercury keeps the blood pressure under control and increases the sexual drive. It is applied upto the pituitary gland where all our emotions and feelings are centered.
- Not keeping your head towards North while sleeping
Indian Cultural reason: The north direction invites ghosts and death. This is what people say.
Scientific reason: The magnetic field of our body becomes asymmetrical to that of the earth’s magnetic field which invites diseases related to blood pressure. Our heart would need to work hard to cope up to such asymmetry. Even the iron in our body would congregate around the brain which would cause headaches, cognitive decline, Parkinson’s etc.
11. Touching Feet of Elders
Indian Cultural Reason: Touching someone’s feet, specially elder’s is an gesture of respect, which gets us good blessings.
Scientific Reason: When we bend down to touch someone’s feet, our negative energy washes away and positive energy emerges in.
12. Fasting On Several Occasions
Indian Cultural Reason: Fasting on the occasion of some regional festivities will give us more energy and blessings from the god.
Scientific Reason: Fasting works as equal as a treatments. It helps the body to get rid of dangerous toxic and saves the it from any upcoming long diseases.
13. Keeping just a pony tail rest a bald head!
Indian Cultural Reason: It is said in Ayurved that keeping a ‘Shikha’ at the middle of the head behind to directly connect with the nervous system.
Scientific Reason: As the other part of your head is always bald, the function of hair is increased at the middle, that is the pony which protects the nervous system, providing more concentration power, memory and energy to the brain.
14. Worshiping Peepul (Ficus religiosa) Tree
Indian Cultural Reason: Shri Krishn in The Geeta has said that he lives in Peepul, as it is the tree which provides life to livings.
Scientific Reason: Ficus Religiosa is the only tree which releases oxygen throughout day and night, which balances gases present in the environment.
15. Offering Water to sun
Indian Cultural Reason: Offering water to sun every early mornings will fill the person with positive energy and keep them away from diseases.
Scientific Reason: Sun rays filtered through the water offered to it gives you energy. It is said to keep your eyes open while doing so to remove any eyes related issues.
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