Magic in South Asia
Mantra, yantra and tantra, the lemon and chillies hung against the evil eye, astrology, and temple healers and exorcists. 201 entries on EveryJaadu so far.
Places of magic
Ujjain 4Varanasi 4Delhi 3Manipur 3Gaya 2Haridwar 2Khajuraho 2Knossos 2Mathura 2Moirang 2Sehwan 2Tarapith 2Thiruvananthapuram 2West Bengal 2Ahmedabad 1Allahabad 1Anand district 1Anandpur Sahib 1Angkor Thom 1Angkor Wat 1Artigas 1Arun Valley Region 1Atla village 1Batu Caves 1Bhedaghat 1Bodh Gaya 1Bukkur 1Bungamati 1Canary Islands 1Chandradwip 1
Rites of the region
Nimbu-mirchi and nazar utarnaThe kajal dot on a childConsecrating a yantraTheyyamBhuta KolaKolam at the thresholdNavagraha shanti
Countries
PurposeProtectionHealingSeeing and foretellingLuck and prosperityLove and attractionCursing and harmCleansing and purificationSpeaking with spirits and the deadChange and initiationBinding and oathsPower and authorityWonder and entertainment
WhoShamansFolk healersPriests and ritual specialistsWitches, sorcerers and cunning folkDiviners and readersMediums and the possessedCeremonial magicians and alchemistsHouseholds and ordinary peopleStage magiciansScholars and sceptics
BeliefHindu and TantricBuddhistJainMuslim and SufiJewishChristianSikhZoroastrianShinto and TaoistIndigenous and shamanicAfrican and Afro-diasporicPagan and NeopaganEsoteric and occultFolk and village customSecular and stageOther traditions
馃嚠馃嚦 India and 5 moreCowrie
A sea snail shell used as currency, divination tool, and charm across many culturesSubstance 路 Seeing and foretelling 路 Luck and prosperity Living
馃嚦馃嚨 Nepal and 1 morePrayer flagLung ta
Cloth banners printed with mantras, hung in high places to spread blessings on the windCharm 路 Protection 路 Cleansing and purification Living
馃嚨馃嚲 Paraguay and 3 moreGuarani mythology
The oral traditions of the Tupi-Guarani peoples regarding gods, spirits and creationTradition 路 Speaking with spirits and the dead 路 Power and authority Living
馃嚠馃嚦 IndiaSarnaism
A tribal faith centered on nature worship and sacred groves in eastern IndiaTradition 路 Protection 路 Speaking with spirits and the dead Living
馃嚠馃嚦 India and 5 moreAncestor worship
Rites of respect for the dead that maintain family bonds and seek spiritual guidanceTradition 路 Protection 路 Speaking with spirits and the dead Living
馃嚠馃嚦 India and 4 moreDzi bead嘟傕綗嘟侧紞 (gzi)
An agate amulet worn in the Himalayas for protection against the evil eye.Charm 路 Protection 路 Speaking with spirits and the dead Living
馃嚨馃嚜 Peru and 1 moreApu
Sacred mountain spirits in Andean tradition that protect communities and control natural resourcesBeing 路 Protection 路 Healing Living
馃嚠馃嚦 India and 3 moreSpirit
An invisible force or soul found in many cultures, linked to gods, humans, and nature.Being 路 Speaking with spirits and the dead 路 Power and authority Living
馃嚠馃嚦 IndiaSanamahism戬侁瘏戬リ瘍戬嶊 戬傟戬応瘏戬り
The polytheistic ethnic religion of the Meitei people of Manipur, IndiaTradition 路 Protection 路 Speaking with spirits and the dead Living
馃嚠馃嚦 India and 5 moreLock of hair
A piece of human hair kept for symbolic, sentimental, or superstitious reasons.Substance 路 Protection 路 Luck and prosperity Living
馃嚦馃嚨 Nepal and 1 moreKiratism
The indigenous animist and shamanic religion of the Kirati peoples in Nepal and IndiaTradition 路 Protection 路 Speaking with spirits and the dead Living
馃嚠馃嚦 IndiaTribal religions in India
Indigenous spiritual practices of India's Scheduled Tribes, often grouped under Hinduism in official records.Tradition 路 Speaking with spirits and the dead 路 Protection Living
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Sanamahism: Kayia N, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Prayer flag: Wotan, CC BY 2.5, source
- Sarnaism: 唳唳︵唳о, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Ancestor worship: Lyn Gateley, CC BY 2.0, source
- Dzi bead: Benjwong, Public domain, source
- Kiratism: TheDreamSky ( talk ), CC BY 3.0, source
- Lock of hair: Unknown author, CC0, source
- Cowrie: NOAA (Photo Collection of Dr. James P. McVey, NOAA Sea Grant Program), Public domain, source
- Apu: Cecilia Sacsa, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Spirit: Jastrow, Public domain, source