Magic in South Asia

Mantra, yantra and tantra, the lemon and chillies hung against the evil eye, astrology, and temple healers and exorcists. 219 entries on EveryJaadu so far.

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

🇮🇩 Indonesia and 3 moreDragon's blood A bright red resin from several plant species used in magic, medicine, and art since antiquitySubstance · Healing · Protection Living

🇮🇳 IndiaBhuta KolaBhūta Kōla A Tulu folk dance and ritual where spirits are channelled into human performersTradition · Protection · Speaking with spirits and the dead Living

🇧🇷 Brazil and 5 moreAmethyst A violet quartz variety used in jewelry and historically believed to ward off intoxicationSubstance · Protection · Luck and prosperity Living

🇮🇳 India and 1 moreNazar battuनज़र बट्टू / نظر بٹو A charm or deliberate flaw used in South Asia to ward off the evil eye.Charm · Protection Living

🇮🇳 India and 2 moreBhootभूत A restless spirit of the dead in South Asian belief and folkloreBeing · Cursing and harm · Protection Living

🇮🇳 IndiaKadangot Makkam A North Malabar goddess who became a deity after being killed by her brothers.Being · Protection · Love and attraction Living

🇮🇳 India and 5 moreLock of hair A piece of human hair kept for symbolic, sentimental, or superstitious reasons.Substance · Protection · Luck and prosperity Living 🇮🇳 IndiaAsanbibiআসানবিবি A Bengali folk goddess worshipped with six sisters in southern Bengal.Being · Protection Living

🇮🇳 IndiaDrishti bommai A fearsome doll hung at homes and vehicles to ward off the evil eye in South India.Charm · Protection Living

🇮🇳 IndiaPulimaranja Thondachan A theyyam deity of North Malabar, born from a shapeshifter who became a leopard.Figure · Protection · 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.

Bhoot: Anilbhardwajnoida, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Kadangot Makkam: Shagil Kannur, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Nazar battu: Wiki-uk, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Dragon's blood: Andy Dingley, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Amethyst: JJ Harrison ( https://jjharrison.com.au/ ), CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Lock of hair: Unknown author, CC0, source
Bhuta Kola: Unknown author, Public domain, source
Drishti bommai: Chrissy starsi, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Pulimaranja Thondachan: Uajith, CC BY-SA 4.0, source

Magic in South Asia

Places of magic

Rites of the region

Countries

Photo credits on this page

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