The ancient Greeks and Romans avoided basil, stating that it ‘exists only to drive men insane’ and ‘a she goat that browses in everything avoids basil alone’.
In India, however, basil is scared to the Hindu god Vishnu and his avatar Krishna. Devotees of Lord Vishnu wear necklaces made from basil stems and grow holy basil on the verandas and courtyards of their homes.
Basil is often buried with Hindus when they die.
In Italy, suitors sometimes wear a leaf of basil in their hair to show their marital intentions. To the Italians, basil symbolizes love and to the Greeks, hate, although the Greek word for king, basileus, may be the reason for basil’s having known as the king of herbs.
Basil folklore
