SUPERSTITIONS IN KALASH SOCIETY

SUPERSTITIONS IN KALASH SOCIETY[1] 

Like many parts of the world the people of Chitral and Kalash believed in superstitions and they still guide their actions in light of the good and bad superstitions which their forefathers followed for centuries. Because of the spread of education, knowledge, means of communications and the mass awakening, beliefs in superstitions have lessened to some extent. In many of the modern countries, number thirteen is considered as an unlucky number while others consider it lucky. Crossing of road by a black cut is considered a bad omen and the people often change the route. Itching of palm of right hand is indicative of the man getting un-expected money on the other hand itching of left hand palm cause loss of money. Shahzada Hussain-ul-Mulk has made very interesting research on the Kalash and Chitral superstitions and their antidotes the Kalash people practice in their day to day life.

SUPERSTITIONS FOR JOURNEYS 

• Seeing a good face before the start of journey makes the journey comfortable and happy return.

• If you see a fox while going on a journey, you will have happy and successful journey. 

• A dog on a cat should not be allowed to cross the road before the start of the journey. 

• Before embarking on a journey, the right foot should be stepped out and not the left one which could bring bad luck. 

• The room from which one starts a journey outside should not be swept on the same day, nor will the carpet and furniture removed in case of failure the man have a long and troublesome journey. 

• The journey should not make towards the south on Friday. 

• Tuesday and Saturdays are not propitious for journey. Journey on these days will have some mishaps. • The star Mercury is a very unlucky star. Journeys should be avoided in the period under influence of this star. 

• When the traveler steps outside on his journey a bowl filled with water and containing green twigs should be set outside the house to ensure successful journey and happy return. 

• When a traveler steps outside his door some dust should be collected from under his feet. This will ensure save return. 

• Ashes should not be thrown out of a house immediately after someone has set out on a journey. This could cause misfortune. 

• The ladies should boot comb their hair till the traveler reaches his destination. 

• Doors should not be immediately closed after a fro-yeller as close door is an unlucky angry. 

• Fire should not be extinguished just after the departure of the someone. Extinguishing of fire meant ruination. 

SUPERSTITIONS IN MARRIAGES 

• The bride should prepare "TSUTSP" a kind malted pudding just before leaving her father's house. 

• The mother of the bride should not leave the room to say good-bye if she leaves, the daughter will not be happy in her husband's house.

• After saying good-bye to her mother the bride should not look back otherwise she will frequently come back from the husband's house with grievances. 

• Among the couple the first person who takes a bite of the meal of the marriage will have the upper hand throughout their married life. 

• If the bride sprinkles the water after washing her hands and feet in the four corners of the house, she will have a happy life. 

• The bride must carry some millet and sugar with her to her husband's house so that they may have more lovely children. 

• If the bride or bridegroom had the haunt of eating from the cooking pots it will rain on their marriage day. 

• The bride should not be left aloof least fairies take her with them. The groom should also not be allowed to go out of house for seven days.

SUPERSTITIONS ABOUT SHIKAR

• Any hunter who killed a young game animal will not be able to kill other game for many years.

• If after shooting an animal its tongue hangs out of its mouth this is a sign that the hunter will kill more animals in the near future. 

• It is better to bring home the shot animal in the darkness of night to avoid evil eye of others. 

• A rabbit seen by a hunter while setting for Shikar will have a bad luck on that day. 

• Saturday is thought to be a good day for hunting. 

• If one sees in a dream a funeral a snowfall or if one shakes mulberries from a tree this augurs a good hunting on the following day.

SUPERSTITIONS ABOUT CHILDREN

• If a child seeps the ground a guest will come. 

• If a boy hits the ground with a stick or bangs his foot the floor several times, his mother will die. 

• If a child down and looks between his or her legs a visitors is expected. 

• If children do not visit the sick man, he may not survive. 

• Anyone who has lost many children should allow a bunch of hair to grow on one part of the head his serving children or child. 

• If a baby does not sleep it is because he is expecting someone to come their house. 

• If a baby yawns fingers should be placed over its mouth lest a fairy should enter it. 

• If a baby looks at his or her hands she or he may get ill. 

• Should anyone die in the neighborhood some black marks should be made behind the ears of children. • A weapon made of iron should be placed under the pillow of a newly born child lest a child is harmed by supernatural spirit. 

• As soon as a child is born a fairy who causes "Kodakarn" fits of convulsions sits over the smoke hold of the room in which the child lies. If relatives do not keep awake in that room both night and day this fairy will harm the infant. 

• When a child hiccups it is a good sign of recovery of the child if he happens to be ill. 

• If a child's first words refer to his father or brother it is said that the next child to his parents will be a son and if he refers to his mother or sister the next child will be a daughter.

SUPERSTITIONS ABOUT THE BODY

• If the right eyelid twitches this is a sign that a relative of the father will come to the house or the man will have some good news and in case of left eyelid, relative of mother will come, or the man will have some bad news. 

• If the left hand itches one will give something to others and if it is right palm one will receive something from others.

• If one lip is sore this is an indication that one’s beloved will come and if one feels some irritation of the lips and nose this is sign that someone will die. 

• Itching of soles of the feet indicate that one will be going on a journey. 

• Irritation of the jaw indicates that a male child will be born 

• If the right ear is warm someone is pursuing him and if the left ear is warm somebody is speaking against him 

• If comb falls out of one hand a visitor is expected and if the hairs of women get knotted some man is feeling the absences of those women. 

• If a woman combs her hair on Sunday her brother will fall sick and die and on Wednesday her husband will die. If she combs in the evening her mother will die. 

• If one look in minor at night one’s life will become shorter. 

• If one snores it is thought to be a good health. 

• If one has an extra finger he is considered lucky. 

• If the first toe of a man is longer, the man will have upper hand over his wife. Similarly if the second toe is longer than the others then the wife will have upper hand her husband. 

• If the toes are equal the man is lucky. 

• If the eyes of the woman are white and blue she is not reliable.

SUPERSTITIONS ABOUT ILLNESS

• If a patient yawns or sneezes it is a sign of recovery. 

• If an animal is sacrificed after leading it thrice round the bed of a sick person then the sick person will recover. 

• If while a person is dying one of his eyes remains open this means he was waiting arrival of his dear one. 

• If a dead body is left unburied in open ground it will rain for a long time. 

• The house should not be swept for at least three days after the death. 

• At a place where the dead body is washed a piece of iron should be buried so that nobody will die in succession. 

• If the funeral party has left the house a nail should be hammered in the lower panel of the door to prevent another funeral.

• In the evening the souls of dead ancestors come to the house so the doors should not be closed at that time. 

• Poor must distributed food just before the burial of a man. 

SUPERSTITIONS ABOUT ANIMALS 

• If a dog has a round mark over each eye no ghost will enter the house of his master. 

• If a dog makes a weeping noise, some trouble is expected to the owner’s family. 

• A white spot on the forehead of a horse is not a good sign. 

• When three legs of horse are white at the ankles this is a bad sign. 

• The crying of cat presages the death of a sick person. 

• If a cock crows late in the night it should be slaughtered. 

  SUPERSTITIONS ABOUT RAINS

• If the name of seven bald persons is written on a piece paper and the paper hung outside in the rains the rain will stop. 

• The name of seven believers should be written on a piece of paper and placed in a fire so that it is burnt slowly, it will stop raining. 

• If certain flowers are plucked on high contains it will rain. 

• Frogs tied and hung in the green twigs and thrown water is bound to evoke rains. MISCELLANEOUS SUPERSTITIONS 

• If anyone who urinates on a road smoke will come towards him whenever a fire is made. 

• If a fire makes noise while burning there will be a quarrel in the house.

1 A.Sayeed Khan Qamar, 1997, Kalash, the vanishing culture pp:71-81, 

2 Halfdan Siiger, Historical Kalasha Picture Book [white and black photos]