Superstition
Geckos are considered poisonous in many parts of the world including India. In Southeast Asia, geckos are believed to be carriers of good omen. In some parts of India, the sound made by geckos is considered a bad omen; while in Bangladesh, it is considered to be an endorsement of the truthfulness of something that was being said just before as the sound "tik tik tik" coincides with "thik thik thik" (Bangla:ঠিক ঠিক ঠিক) which in Bangla means "right right right"; a three times firm confirmation. The cry of gecko from the east wall as one is about to embark on a journey is considered auspicious, but a cry from any other wall is supposed to be inauspicious. Gecko falling on the right shoulder of someone is considered good omen, but if it drops on the left shoulder, it is considered a bad omen. In Punjab, it is believed that contact with the urine of gecko will cause Leprosy.
In some places in India, it is believed that watching a lizard on the eve of Dhanteras is a good omen or a sign of prosperity.
An elaborate system of predicting good and bad omens based on the sounds made by geckos, their movement and the rare instances when geckos fall down from roofs has evolved over centuries in India.
In Yemen and other Arab countries, it is believed that skin diseases result from geckos running over the face of someone who is asleep.
Read more about this topic: Common House Gecko
Famous quotes containing the word superstition:
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—Johan Huizinga (1872–1945)
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—Rutherford Birchard Hayes (1822–1893)