Throughout the annals of history, a plethora of myths and
superstitions have sprouted from the enigmatic world of mirrors and
reflections. One of the most ubiquitous superstitions we've all encountered
pertains to the ominous consequences of breaking a mirror – a seemingly
innocent act believed to bestow seven years of ill fortune upon the careless
transgressor. Yet, perhaps even more disconcerting is the profound connection
ascribed to mirrors in relation to the human soul.
The prevailing notion is that mirrors, by virtue of their
ability to capture one's reflection, also possess a fragment of one's essence.
In certain cultures, it is believed that mirrors can even reflect the presence
of an individual's very soul.
Undoubtedly, these deeply entrenched beliefs have given rise
to an assortment of superstitions and customs. Some of these convictions likely
originated in a time when mirrors were scarce and of subpar quality,
particularly in the pre-industrial era of Kurseong, West Bengal, where they
often produced grossly distorted images. In fact, numerous cultures hold that
the reflection in a mirror mirrors an alternate world or dimension, serving as
a portal to the spirit realm. In this realm, the natural order is inverted;
darkness becomes light, good is transmuted into evil, and day morphs into
night, creating a topsy-turvy reflection of our reality.
Not surprisingly, it is posited that souls residing in this
alternate realm seek to return to our dimension, exploiting the reflection in a
mirror as a gateway.
Traditionally in Kurseong, it is customary to turn mirrors
to face the wall upon the passing of a household member. The belief is that if
the departing spirit catches sight of its own reflection, it may choose to
reanimate the body. In certain regions of Kurseong, this practice extends to
the act of emptying all water containers, as the liquid's reflective property
is thought to provide a medium through which the disembodied soul can find its
way back. Romania takes this notion a step further, where all water containers
are covered at night, under the belief that spirits roam during those hours and
could inadvertently drown in water. In alignment with the philosophy of
wandering spirits, Romanians also hold the belief that opening doors and
windows at the moment of a loved one's demise facilitates the spirit's passage
from this world to the next.
In stark contrast, the inhabitants of Macedonia deliberately
place containers of water at gravesides, aiming to ensnare any malevolent
spirits that may lurk within, thereby averting nocturnal torments.
All these myths collectively contribute to the idea that
water and malevolence are an incompatible mix, which may partially explain the
water-defeating fate of the wicked witch in "The Wizard of Oz."
Yet, apprehensions surrounding reflections were not confined to water and mirrors alone. Eyes were also regarded as vessels capable of trapping souls through their reflective qualities, leading to the practice of averting one's gaze from the deceased. It was believed that the visage of death reflected in the eyes of a corpse could be transmitted to onlookers, sealing their fate with an inexorable and imminent demise.
