Hindu and Tantric: magic in this belief world
Mantra, yantra, tantra, puja and the folk goddess cults of India and Nepal.
Hindu practice holds a very large range of ritual: Vedic fire offerings, mantra and yantra, tantra, temple puja, astrology, and the village goddess cults of India and Nepal. Many Hindus would call this worship, not magic, while scholars note that charms, spells and rites of power run through the tradition from the Atharvaveda onward. This page covers the range and the tensions inside it. Hindu communities live in every continent, and their rites differ by language and household.
Mantra, yantra and tantra
A mantra is a sacred sound or phrase, a yantra a diagram, and tantra a family of ritual traditions that use both. Tantric practice is varied: some is household devotion, some is initiatory work under a guru, and some has been sensationalised abroad as sex magic, a picture most practitioners reject. Knowledge is passed through initiation, and many texts are closed to outsiders. Initiation into a mantra is usually given by a guru or family teacher, and the same sound may be said to work only when received in the right way.
Folk and village practice
Beyond the temple, villages have healers, exorcists and mediums who work with goddesses and spirits. Practices against the evil eye include the lemon and chillies, black dots and a rite of waving salt and chillies before a child. Jyotisha, Indian astrology, is consulted for weddings, names and business, and is taught in some universities, which scientists have criticised. Healers and goddess shrines, such as those of Sitala for smallpox and fever and of Bhagavati in Kerala, draw crowds who seek relief and protection.
Gender, caste and law
Access follows caste and gender. Priesthood is largely male and Brahmin, though women lead some rites, and low-caste and Dalit practitioners lead many village cults. Accusations of witchcraft, in India often called dayan or dain, have killed people in states such as Jharkhand and Assam, and several states have passed laws against witch-hunting. Maharashtra and Karnataka have anti-superstition laws. Hindu reformers have also attacked such practice: the Arya Samaj, founded in 1875, opposed idol worship and ritual excess, and rationalist groups in India campaign against godmen who claim miracles.
Diaspora and commerce
Overseas, communities keep household rites and temple worship, and pandits conduct weddings by video. Yoga and tantra are now global industries, and Western teachers have sold forms far from their roots, while Indian reformers and some Hindus object. Scholars point to centuries of overlap between Hindu, Buddhist, Jain and Islamic traditions of charms and healing. Hindu temples in Britain, North America and Southeast Asia now host priests trained in India, and some rites have been adapted to the calendar of working life.
Hindu and Tantric on EveryJaadu
The entries written up so far, best known first.
🇵🇭 PhilippinesPhilippine mythology
The indigenous myths and spirits of the Philippines, shaped by centuries of trade and colonial contact.Tradition · Speaking with spirits and the dead · Power and authority Living
🇮🇳 IndiaKapalikaकापालिक
A medieval Indian Shaivite ascetic order known for wearing skulls and transgressive ritualsTradition · Power and authority Historical
🇮🇳 IndiaSiddhiसिद्धि
Magical powers and spiritual attainments in Indian religionsBelief · Power and authority · Speaking with spirits and the dead Living
🇳🇬 Nigeria and 5 moreIfá
A Yoruba divination system using palm nuts to access spiritual guidanceTradition · Seeing and foretelling · Speaking with spirits and the dead Living
🇮🇳 India and 2 moreGorakhnathगोरक्षनाथ
A Hindu yogi and saint who founded the Nath monastic order in India.Figure · Power and authority · Speaking with spirits and the dead Living
🇮🇳 India and 3 moreYakshaयक्ष (Sanskrit), ยักษ์ (Thai)
Nature spirits and guardian deities in South and Southeast Asian traditionsBeing · Protection · Power and authority Living
🇮🇳 India and 1 moreGarba
A Gujarati circle dance performed around a central symbol during NavaratriIllusion · Power and authority · Luck and prosperity Living
🇳🇬 Nigeria and 5 moreOgunÒgún
A West African deity of iron, war and metalworking found in Yoruba and diaspora traditionsBeing · Protection · Cursing and harm Living
🇳🇬 Nigeria and 2 moreỌya
A Yoruba orisha of storms and the dead, worshipped in Africa and the Americas.Being · Protection · Speaking with spirits and the dead Living
🇳🇬 Nigeria and 1 moreObatalaỌbatalá
The Yoruba king of white cloth who is believed to have created humanity and presides over purity.Being · Protection · Healing Living
🇪🇬 EgyptWadjetwꜢḏyt
The green cobra goddess who protected Lower Egypt and the pharaohs.Being · Protection · Power and authority Historical
🇮🇷 Iran and 3 moreDaeva𐬛𐬀𐬉𐬎𐬎𐬀
A Zoroastrian entity that evolved from rejected gods to personifications of evil.Being · Cursing and harm · Power and authority Historical
🇮🇳 India and 1 moreNeotantraनवतन्त्र (navatantra)
A Western movement blending Tantra with modern views on sacred sexualityTradition · Love and attraction · Change and initiation Living
🇪🇬 Egypt and 4 moreScarab
An ancient Egyptian amulet and seal shaped like a dung beetleCharm · Protection · Luck and prosperity Historical
🇮🇳 India and 3 moreAstrology
A divinatory practice that links celestial positions to human affairs and earthly eventsTradition · Seeing and foretelling · Luck and prosperity Historical
🇯🇵 Japan and 2 moreJapanese numismatic charm絵銭
Coin-shaped charms from Japan used for protection, luck, and blessings.Charm · Protection · Luck and prosperity Living
🇮🇳 India and 1 moreRavanaरावण (Rāvaṇa)
A ten-headed demon king of Lanka and a devoted follower of Shiva in Hindu tradition.Figure · Cursing and harm · Power and authority Legendary
🇮🇳 India and 4 moreMakaraमकर
A legendary sea-creature in Hindu mythology and a symbol of water and thresholdsBeing · Protection · Power and authority Historical
🇮🇳 IndiaVahanaवाहन
The animal or mythical creature that carries a Hindu deityTradition · Power and authority Living
🇮🇷 Iran and 2 moreYazata𐬫𐬀𐬰𐬀𐬙𐬀
A Zoroastrian term for divine beings worthy of worship and venerationBeing · Speaking with spirits and the dead · Power and authority Historical
🇷🇸 Serbia and 5 moreWolves in folklore, religion and mythology
A global survey of how cultures view the wolf as symbol, spirit or threatBelief · Power and authority · Cursing and harm Historical
🇪🇬 Egypt and 2 moreHybrid beasts in folklore
Creatures made of animal and human parts found in myths and ancient artBeing · Power and authority Legendary
🇮🇩 IndonesiaAntabogaꦄꦤ꧀ꦠꦨꦺꦴꦒ
A serpent deity of Javanism and Sundanism who created the world turtle and rice goddessBeing · Power and authority Historical
🇮🇳 India and 1 moreWorld Turtle
A mythic giant turtle said to support the earth or contain the world in various cultures.Being · Power and authority Legendary
🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 2 moreAetherius Society
A new religious movement blending theosophy, UFO claims, and spiritual healing to aid humanity.Tradition · Protection · Healing Living
🇮🇳 IndiaSamatonꯁꯃꯗꯣꯟ ꯑꯌꯥꯡꯕ (Shamadon Ayangba)
A winged divine horse from Meitei mythology and ancestor of the Manipuri ponyBeing · Power and authority Living
🇮🇳 IndiaDawon
The lion mount of the goddess Durga in Hindu traditionBeing · Power and authority Legendary
🇮🇳 IndiaPulimaranja Thondachan
A theyyam deity of North Malabar, born from a shapeshifter who became a leopard.Figure · Protection · Power and authority Living
🇮🇳 IndiaShamanism in Ayyavazhi
A divination practice within the Hindu denomination of Ayyavazhi in South India.Rite · Seeing and foretelling · Speaking with spirits and the dead Living
🇮🇳 IndiaFakirفقير
An Islamic ascetic who seeks spiritual neediness and devotion to God.Tradition · Power and authority · Speaking with spirits and the dead Living
🇮🇷 Iran and 5 moreAxis mundi
A concept describing a central point connecting the earthly and heavenly realms.Belief · Speaking with spirits and the dead · Power and authority Historical
🇪🇬 EgyptSekhem scepter
An ancient Egyptian staff symbolizing power and authorityCharm · Power and authority Historical
🇮🇳 IndiaPranaप्राण
A Sanskrit concept of vital energy found in yoga and AyurvedaBelief · Healing · Power and authority Living
🇮🇳 India and 1 moreFire (classical element)
A classical substance of heat and transformation in Greek, Indian, and Western esoteric traditionsSubstance · Change and initiation · Power and authority Historical
🇮🇳 India and 2 moreCintāmaṇiचिन्तामणि
A wish-fulfilling jewel from Hindu and Buddhist traditionsSubstance · Healing · Power and authority Historical
🇹🇭 ThailandSihuhataแมงสี่หูห้าตา
A legendary creature from northern Thai folklore associated with wealth and divine testingBeing · Luck and prosperity · Power and authority Living
🇮🇳 IndiaEtheric body
A subtle energy layer said to sustain the physical form and connect it to higher states.Being · Power and authority Historical
🇮🇳 India and 1 moreVarahiवाराही (Vārāhī)
A Hindu mother goddess with a sow face, worshipped in Tantric rites for protection and powerBeing · Protection · Power and authority Living
🇮🇳 IndiaWater (classical element)
A classical substance linked to emotion and intuition in Greek, Indian, and Western esoteric traditions.Substance · Speaking with spirits and the dead · Power and authority Historical
🇮🇳 India and 3 moreAstral projection
An intentional out-of-body experience where consciousness travels through the astral planeTradition · Speaking with spirits and the dead · Change and initiation Living
🇮🇳 India and 2 moreAiravataऐरावत
A pristine white mythic elephant that carries the king of gods and controls the rains.Being · Power and authority · Protection Legendary
🇮🇳 India and 5 moreNavaratnaनवरत्न
A nine-gem talisman set in gold or silver, linked to Hindu astrology and planetary worshipCharm · Protection · Healing Living
🇮🇳 IndiaNagnechiya Maa
Guardian goddess of the Rathore Rajputs, worshipped in RajasthanBeing · Protection · Power and authority Living
🇮🇳 India and 1 moreMahanam Sampradayaমহানাম সম্প্রদায়
A Bengali Krishnaite monastic order focused on chanting and humanitarian serviceTradition · Speaking with spirits and the dead · Power and authority Living
🇪🇬 Egypt and 5 moreWorship of heavenly bodies
Veneration of stars, planets, and the sky as divine forces or deitiesTradition · Protection · Power and authority Historical
🇮🇳 IndiaHoroscope
A diagram of planetary positions at a specific moment, used for divination and personality analysis.Belief · Seeing and foretelling · Power and authority Living
🇮🇳 IndiaKeśin
A Vedic hymn describing long-haired ascetics who travel on the wind and share a cup with Rudra.Tradition · Power and authority · Wonder and entertainment Historical
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Garba: anurag agnihotri, CC BY 2.0, source
- Kaula: Joshua Jonathan, CC0, source
- Antaboga: fir0002 flagstaffotos [at] gmail.com Canon 20D + Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8, GFDL 1.2, source
- Mahanam Sampradaya: Neehar Haldar, CC0, source
- Astral projection: Hereward Carrington, Sylvan Muldoon., Public domain, source
- Tagalog religion: The original uploader was Rodsan18 at English Wikipedia . ( Original t, CC BY 2.5, source
- Astrology: Wilfredor, CC0, source
- Bed of nails: Herbert Ponting, Public domain, source
- Ifá: Toluaye, Public domain, source
- Gorakhnath: Anandanath, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Yaksha: Gunkarta ( talk ), CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Div: Unknown Calligrapher, Public domain, source
- Ogun: Chado07, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Ọya: Picture taken by Eurico Zimbres, CC BY-SA 2.5, source
- Obatala: Isha, CC BY 3.0, source
- Wadjet: Rama, CC BY-SA 3.0 fr, source
- Vahana: Unknown Nepali, Public domain, source
- Shamanism in Ayyavazhi: Vaikunda Raja, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Ravana: Gita Press Gorakhpur, CC0, source
- Wolves in folklore, religion and mythology: Unknown author, CC0, source
- World Turtle: Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Prana: Tamilmama, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Aetherius Society: Hjamesberglen, CC0, source
- Fire (classical element): Correogsk, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Samaton: Isabelm-h, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Cintāmaṇi: sailko, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Sihuhata: Chainwit., CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Hybrid beasts in folklore: Peter Schmelzle, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Airavata: Unknown, India, Rajasthan, Amber, South Asia, Public domain, source
- Navaratna: Pradeep717, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Axis mundi: Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Scarab: Rama, CC BY-SA 2.0 fr, source
- Worship of heavenly bodies: Jean-Pierre Dalbéra, CC BY 2.0, source
- Makara: Subbhashinee S, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Horoscope: Peter Presslein, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Dawon: Unknown author, CC BY 4.0, source
- Pulimaranja Thondachan: Uajith, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Nagnechiya Maa: Jairajsingh123, CC0, source
- Sekhem scepter: Maler der Grabkammer der Nefertari, Public domain, source