(Tamil version of this article was posted sometime ago in the blog: swami)
Hindu scriptures advise people not to keep their head in the northern direction while sleeping. They say it will reduce one’s life span. But lying in the bed with head in other directions is allowed. Is there any scientific reason for it? Yes, the latest research shows that there is some science behind this.
We know that the compass needle always point towards north because of earth’s strong magnetic force. Scientists were wondering why the grazing cows and deers face one particular direction in the field or in the forest. They were able to observe this strange behaviour of animals thanks to google earth maps. The animals face North- South direction only. But If the same animals come within a range of 30 metres of high voltage electric lines they scatter and move into different directions. Why is it?
Cattle, deers and bats have magnets (magnetite) in their nose areas. The polarity of the body magnets are affected when they come under high voltage electric lines. High voltage power lines emit extremely low-frequency magnetic fields (ELFMFs).
A student of geography could have noticed the land mass is more in Northern Hemisphere than Southern Hemisphere. Most of the areas of south are filled with waters of Indian, Pacific and Atlantic oceans. Millions of years ago the earth was one single land (Pangaea) mass. Then they started moving away from the centre. This is known as Continental Drift. Buy why did most of the land mass moved towards north? Nobody could answer this question. More over the land area narrows towards south. If we look at South America, Africa, India and Malayan peninsula—all the land areas are narrowing down towards south. This is a mysterious phenomenon. We can surmise there is more attraction from north because of the crowded landmass or the land mass moved towards north because of some unknown force.
People may wonder why did Hindus say Don’t lie down head towards (only) north? Is South OK? Probably we have less magnetic pull from the south. The earth is a big magnet. It has got two poles North and South. Students of physics know that “Like poles repel each other, unlike poles attract each other”. If we consider our body as a little magnet and the head (heavier than feet) is the North Pole, naturally earth will repel us if the head is in the north. If we keep our head in other directions it can be avoided.
Hindus must have noticed disturbed sleep or forest animals facing only one direction while grazing. Then they must have found out the evil effects of North.
North is Sacred
For Hindus North is sacred. We have lot of references in Tamil and Sanskrit literature about Fast unto Death by facing North. Tamil literature Purananauru speaks about choza king Kopperun Chozan and Poet Kovur Kizar fasting facing north. We have such references in Valmiki Ramayana. Hanuman says if he couldn’t find Sita he will do Mahaprasthanam. In Mahabharata, we have Pancha Pandavas walking towards North with a dog. It was called Mahaprasthanam. The holiest of the mountains Kailash is in the north. All the sacred rivers of India originate from the Northern Himalayan mountains. The Pole Star in the north called Dhruva, the Sapta Rishi Mandala with the star Arundhati (Ursa Major or Great Bear or Dipper constellation) are all in the North.
The axis of the earth also shifts slowly like a wobble of a top. It is called axial precession. It takes 26,000 years for one rotation. Hindu scriptures mention this as well. As people started newer and newer civilizations in the Northern Hemisphere on the banks of huge rivers they started observing the earth and the sky. They passed their knowledge to us.
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