Babies are not called by their first names here, and shopkeepers rub the day’s first earning on their beards. DNA explores the curious myths and magic of Turkey.
In Turkey, they say, when God wants to reaffirm your belief in him, he first makes you lose your donkey and then, quite benevolently, makes you find it. To ward off an evil eye, all you have to do is put a loaf of bread on the victim’s head, cut it and distribute it among the poor.
These are some of the more popular superstitions abound in Turkey, the country that introduced the world to evil eyes or nazar-botus. A 10,000 year old civilisation, attacked and conquered by at least six different rulers, Turkey is full of beliefs and superstitions, much like India.
Shukran Arslan, a 53-year-old married Turkish woman says, “May be these beliefs came from rural areas. They must haVe benefitted someone, and from there it all spread to the rest of the country.”
The evil-eye charm, worn to ward off bad luck, is famous across the world. These ‘eyes’ are blue with a black spot on them. Arslan explains the curious colouring. The nazar-botu is blue because Turkish people predominantly have blue coloured eyes, and the black spot is to ward off the evil.
There are various other superstitions that pervade every strata of Turkish life. Small babies for example are never called by their names, it is considered unlucky for the child, and it’s also believed if a baby is kissed on the lips it grows up to be a liar.
Gul Gamze, a young college student, when asked whether she believes in such superstitions, says, “I do not consciously believe in these beliefs, but since they are followed at home, they have been ingrained in me.” Interestingly, you can hardly spot a young Turk wearing the nazar-botu, which, nowadays seems to attract only foreigners.
Some like Ali Temiz, a young professional in his early thirties, are too busy living their lives to pay any attention to superstitions. “In this fast paced world, people really don’t have time to consider these superstitions. A black cat crossing your path is considered to bring bad luck, but how long can a person wait before it’s okay to cross?,” he asks incredulously.
Some Turkish beliefs and rituals, however, have more serious and life-altering effects. When a prospective groom and his family visit the girl’s house, it is expected that the girl will serve Turkish coffee to the boy’s family. However, in a rather hilarious twist, if the girl is not particularly enamoured by the boy, she expresses her displeasure by adding salt in the coffee, sending out a loud and clear message.
Shopkeepers in Turkey take their first earnings of the day, rub it once on their beards and throw it on the ground once before they pick it up and deposit it. Arslan explains that this is done in the hope of multiplying your earnings and is thrown away to ward off evil influences. Superstitions, omens and lucky charms are an indelible part of Turkish architecture. Red, for example, is the colour of wealth and power. So, all six hundred rooms of the Dolmabahce Palace are upholstered in red.
One wonders what it is about the Turks that make them so superstitious. Well, the Turks are a beautiful people. They are tall, fair with blue eyes and sharp Aryan features. They believe that their beauty, wealth, and health are the envy of others, which perhaps explains it all.
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