🇮🇳 Magic in India

127 entries from India, best known first, across 80 places of magic.

Tantra is an esoteric yogic tradition from the Indian subcontinent, initially within Shaivism and Shaktism, later in Buddhism and Vaishnavism. It views the body as divine and uses mantras and rituals to achieve spiritual goals like liberation or supernatural power.

Tantra means loom or weave in Sanskrit
It began in India around the 1st millennium CE
Mantras are central to tantric practice
Sexual practices are rare and restricted
Vajrayana Buddhism uses tantric ideas

Overview

Tantra developed in India around the middle of the first millennium CE. It began in Shaivism and Shaktism before spreading to Buddhism and Vaishnavism. The word means loom or weave, suggesting a system that interlaces different teachings. Practitioners see the human body as a reflection of the cosmos. They aim for union with the divine through complex cosmologies. This path is also called the Path of Mantra. It shares influences with Jainism, Taoism, and Shinto. Western views often wrongly link it to sex, but scholars say sexual practices are rare and restricted.

Practices and beliefs

Practitioners use mantras, rituals, and yoga to transform the self. Goals include siddhi, supernatural accomplishment, and kundalini ascent. Texts describe systems for worship and meditation. Deities, both male and female, are central to ritual worship. Magic, sorcery, and divination appear in these texts. The subtle body is mapped to cosmic elements. Geometric patterns called mandalas guide meditation. Initiation by a teacher is required for many advanced techniques.

Rites and charms

Rites focus on sādhanā, which includes initiation and daily practice. Puja, or ritual worship, honors deities and icons. Meditation helps awaken inner energy. Physical purification techniques cleanse the body and mind. Specific gestures and sounds assign meaning to sacred spaces. The house is swept and salt is thrown at the door in some folk contexts, though Tantra focuses more on internal transformation. These rites are said to protect against negative forces and aid spiritual progress.

Who practises

Tantrikas are adepts who follow specific tantric lineages. They undergo diksha, or initiation, to receive knowledge. Teachers guide students through complex practices. Scholars note that living traditions are often secretive. Ethnography of these groups remains scarce due to this secrecy. Practitioners view their path as a way to realize non-duality. They mix tantric elements with other religious aspects freely.

Regions and communities

Tantra spread across South and East Asia. In Tibet, it influenced Vajrayana Buddhism. Japan has Shingon Buddhism, which uses tantric ideas. China developed Esoteric Buddhism based on Indian tantras. Nepal has Newar Buddhist traditions with tantric roots. Southern Esoteric Buddhism parallels tantric ideas without direct reference. These regional variations show how the tradition adapted to local cultures while keeping core concepts.

The calendar

The text does not specify particular festivals or seasonal events for tantric rites. Practices are often tied to personal sadhana rather than public calendars. Life events may involve tantric rituals for protection or blessing. However, no detailed calendar of ceremonies is provided in the source material.

Law and the state

No information is given about legal status or persecution. The text mentions colonial-era definitions but not modern laws. Western scholarship historically labeled tantra as occult or secret. This was a construction by 19th-century Indologists. There is no mention of state treatment or witch-hunts in the provided article.

Today

Modern views often misrepresent tantra as erotic. Scholars work to correct this by studying texts and living traditions. Anthropological study is difficult due to the secretive nature of practitioners. Some researchers try to demystify the myth of secrecy. The tradition continues to influence Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain practices globally.

Where this page comes from

The facts in this overview come from the Wikipedia article "Tantra", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence. EveryJaadu rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.

Market Oracle Sacred site Trial site or memorial School or museum Town known for a tradition Centre of practice

Places of magic in India

Gaya 2 Haridwar 2 Khajuraho 2 Mathura 2 Ujjain 2 Varanasi 2 West Bengal 2 Ahmedabad 1 Anand district 1 Anandpur Sahib 1 Bhedaghat 1 Bodh Gaya 1 Charkhi Dadri 1 Chidambaram 1 Delhi 1 Deo Sun Temple 1 Dharanikota 1 Gangotri 1 Gorakhpur 1 Griddhraj Parvat 1 Gujarat 1 Guwahati 1 Hastinapur 1 Hirapur 1 Jodhpur 1 Kalighat 1 Kamakhya 1 Kesariyaji Tirth 1 Kolkata 1 Kottarathil Bhagavati temple 1 Kulpakji Tirth 1 Kulu 1 Kumbakonam 1 Kurukshetra 1 Mahendra Mountains 1 Malabar Coast 1 Malliyor Temple 1 Mataoli 1 Mumbai 1 Nalanda 1 Nashik 1 Oddiyana 1 Omkareshvara Shiva temple 1 Palani Hills 1 Palitana Temples 1 Parkham 1 Patna 1 Prayagraj 1 Rameshwaram 1 Ranakpur Jain temple 1 Ranipur Jharial 1 Rewalsar Lake 1 Solapur 1 Tara Tarini 1 Thanjavur district 1 Thiruparankundram 1 Thiruvananthapuram 1 Tiruvannamalai 1 Trichy 1 Vadukku Poigainallur 1 Vidisha 1 Vikramashila 1 Vimala 1 Vrindavan 1 Western Ghats 1 Adyar Ahobilam Amona Barasat Bhagalpur Byadgi Dakshineswar Kali Temple Dattatrya Mandir Erode Guntur Gurgaon Idukki Jetavana Monastery Kalighat Temple Kamakhya Temple

KindTradition Rite Charm Oracle Substance Being Figure Text Illusion Belief

PurposeProtection Healing Seeing and foretelling Luck and prosperity Love and attraction Cursing and harm Cleansing and purification Speaking with spirits and the dead Change and initiation Binding and oaths Power and authority Wonder and entertainment

WhoShamans Folk healers Priests and ritual specialists Witches, sorcerers and cunning folk Diviners and readers Mediums and the possessed Ceremonial magicians and alchemists Households and ordinary people Stage magicians Scholars and sceptics

BeliefHindu and Tantric Buddhist Jain Muslim and Sufi Jewish Christian Sikh Zoroastrian Shinto and Taoist Indigenous and shamanic African and Afro-diasporic Pagan and Neopagan Esoteric and occult Folk and village custom Secular and stage Other traditions

OccasionWeddings and betrothal Festivals Birth and childhood Death and remembrance Harvest, farming and weather New year Initiation and coming of age Illness and misfortune Journeys and voyages Everyday use

StandingLiving Revived Fading Historical Legendary Performed

OrderBest known A to Z Newest Living first

🇮🇳 India and 5 moreAstrology A divinatory practice that reads human fate through the positions of celestial bodies.Belief · Seeing and foretelling · Luck and prosperity Living

🇮🇳 IndiaChakraचक्र Meditation points in the subtle body used in Hindu and Buddhist yogaTradition · Speaking with spirits and the dead · Change and initiation Living

🇮🇳 IndiaHindu astrologyज्योतिष (Jyotiṣa) A traditional Hindu system of astrology and timekeeping rooted in the VedasTradition · Seeing and foretelling · Luck and prosperity Living

🇮🇱 Israel and 1 moreShimon bar Yochaiשמעון בר יוחאי A second-century sage of the Land of Israel and a central figure in Kabbalistic tradition.Figure · Power and authority Historical 🇮🇳 IndiaMuhurtamuhūrta A Hindu unit of time used to select auspicious moments for rituals and daily practiceBelief · Power and authority · Speaking with spirits and the dead Living

🇮🇳 India and 2 morePlanets in astrology Seven celestial bodies used to map human character and destinyBelief · Power and authority · Luck and prosperity Living

🇮🇳 India and 2 moreSuryaसूर्य The sun as a Hindu deity and the source of light and knowledgeBeing · Power and authority · Healing Historical

🇮🇳 IndiaAtharvavedaअथर्ववेद The fourth Veda of Hinduism, containing spells, healing rites, and domestic rituals.Text · Protection · Healing Historical

🇮🇳 India and 2 moreKalachakraདུས་ཀྱི་འཁོར་ལོ། A Tibetan Buddhist tantric deity and system of yogic time cyclesTradition · Change and initiation · Speaking with spirits and the dead Living

🇮🇳 IndiaLeft-Hand and Right-Hand Paths Two distinct orientations in occult magic, dividing taboo-breaking from orthodoxy.Tradition · Change and initiation · Power and authority Living

🇮🇷 Iran and 4 morePersian mythologyاسطوره‌شناسی ایرانی Ancient Iranian myths of cosmic struggle between light and darknessBelief · Power and authority Historical

🇮🇳 India and 1 moreNakshatraनक्षत्रम् (Nakṣatram) A system of lunar mansions used in Hindu and Buddhist astrology to map the sky.Tradition · Seeing and foretelling · Luck and prosperity Living

🇪🇬 Egypt and 5 moreTalisman An object believed to channel specific forces for protection, healing, or influence.Charm · Protection · Healing Historical

🇨🇳 China and 1 moreLodestone A naturally magnetized mineral used for early navigation and divinationSubstance · Healing Historical

🇷🇴 Romania and 5 moreVampire folklore Global legends of blood-drinking spirits and undead revenantsBelief · Cursing and harm · Protection Historical

🇮🇳 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 3 moreDakiniḍākinī A goddess figure in Hinduism and Buddhism, ranging from flesh-eating demoness to enlightened energy.Being · Cursing and harm · Power and authority Historical

🇹🇷 Turkey and 2 moreApollonius of TyanaἈπολλώνιος ὁ Τυανεύς A first-century philosopher and miracle worker whose life became a legend of divine power.Figure · Wonder and entertainment Historical

🇮🇷 Iran and 5 moreMagi Priests of Zoroastrianism and the figures who inspired the word for magicTradition · Seeing and foretelling · Power and authority Living

🇳🇵 Nepal and 1 moreMatsyendranathMacchindranāth, Mīnanātha A yogi and rain deity revered across Hindu and Buddhist traditions in South Asia.Figure · Speaking with spirits and the dead · Power and authority 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 2 morePadmasambhavaཔདྨ་འབྱུང་གནས། A tantric master credited with establishing Buddhism in Tibet and founding the Nyingma school.Figure · Protection · Power and authority Living

🇮🇳 IndiaNaropa An Indian Buddhist master whose teachings shaped Tibetan Vajrayana practiceFigure · Change and initiation Historical

🇮🇳 India and 1 moreTilopa A tenth-century Buddhist tantric master who transmitted Mahamudra and the Six Yogas of Naropa.Figure · Change and initiation · Power and authority Historical

🇮🇳 India and 1 moreAshtamangalaअष्टमङ्गल A set of eight sacred symbols used in Indian religions to mark auspicious occasions and teach spiritual truths.Tradition · Power and authority · Wonder and entertainment Living 🇮🇳 India and 1 moreDaayanदायन A vengeful female spirit from Indian folklore, often blamed for misfortune and witchcraft accusations.Being · Cursing and harm · Luck and prosperity Living

🇮🇳 India and 1 moreYoginiयोगिनी A female master of yoga and tantra, or a fierce goddess aspect in Indian temples.Tradition · Power and authority · Protection Historical

🇮🇳 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

🇮🇳 IndiaKundaliniकुण्डलिनी A dormant energy in Hinduism believed to rise through the spine for spiritual liberationBelief Living

🇮🇳 India and 1 moreMantraमन्त्रम् A sacred sound or phrase repeated to focus the mind and invoke spiritual powerText · Speaking with spirits and the dead · Power and authority Living

🇮🇳 India and 1 moreAmritaअमृत (Sanskrit) A Sanskrit concept of immortality and the nectar that grants it across Indian religionsBelief · Healing · Power and authority Living

🇮🇳 India and 4 moreTantraतन्त्र An esoteric yogic tradition from India focusing on ritual, mantra, and body-based spiritual practices.Tradition · Power and authority · Change and initiation Living

🇮🇪 Ireland and 4 moreTrial by combat A medieval legal practice where two disputants fought to settle a caseRite · Cursing and harm Historical

🇮🇳 India and 5 moreSpirit possession A global belief that spirits or demons can take control of a person's body and mindBelief · Cursing and harm · Power and authority Living

Photo credits on this page

The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.

Kalachakra: Nabin K. Sapkota, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Kaula: Joshua Jonathan, CC0, source
Mantra: Markrosenrosen, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Trial by combat: Jörg Breu der Jüngere (died 1547), Paulus Hector Mair (died 1579), Public domain, source
Chakra: Unknown author, Public domain, source
Ashtamangala: Redtigerxyz, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Magi: Colijn de Coter, CC0, source
Astrology: Wilfredor, CC0, source
Tantra: William Clark, Public domain, source
Hindu astrology: Unknown author, CC BY 4.0, source
Matsyendranath: Unknown author, Public domain, source
Amrita: http://picasaweb.google.com/injamaven, CC BY 3.0, source
Spirit possession: Unknown author, CC BY 4.0, source
Yogini: Soumendra Barik, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Gorakhnath: Anandanath, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Naropa: Unknown author, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Apollonius of Tyana: Zde, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Yaksha: Gunkarta ( talk ), CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Dakini: Didier Descouens, Public domain, source
Shimon bar Yochai: איתי פרץ, Attribution, source
Vampire folklore: Dick Thomas Johnson, CC BY 2.0, source
Baphomet: Eliphas Levi, Public domain, source
Talisman: Sasha India, CC BY 2.0, source
Nakshatra: Kishorekumar 62, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Persian mythology: Raphael, Public domain, source
Atharvaveda: William Dwight Whitney / Charles Rockwell Lanman, Public domain, source
Surya: Ravi Varma Press, Public domain, source
Kundalini: Pierjasi at Dutch Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Padmasambhava: John Hill, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Planets in astrology: Jan van Loon, Public domain, source
Lodestone: Ryan Somma, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
Tilopa: Unknown author, Public domain, source