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.
Places of magic
North Malabar 4Ujjain 4Varanasi 4Delhi 3Kannur 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 1Bhaguda 1Bhedaghat 1Bhimrana 1Bodh Gaya 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
🇳🇵 NepalTaleju𑐟𑐮𑐾𑐖𑐸 (Newar) / तलेजु (Devanagari)
A royal goddess of the Kathmandu Valley, worshipped as Durga and Tara.Being · Protection · Power and authority Living
🇮🇳 India and 1 moreSantoshi Mataसंतोषी माता
A Hindu goddess of contentment worshipped through a Friday ritual fast.Being · Protection · 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
🇮🇳 India and 5 moreGaneshaगणेश (Gaṇeśa)
An elephant-headed Hindu deity worshipped as the remover of obstacles and patron of wisdom.Being · Protection · Luck and prosperity Living
🇮🇳 India and 5 moreKartikeyaKārttikeya
Hindu god of war and victory, son of Shiva and ParvatiBeing · Power and authority · Protection Living
🇮🇳 India and 1 morePishachaपिशाच (piśāca)
A flesh-eating demon from Indian religions, feared for possession and madness.Being · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇮🇳 IndiaBhadrakaliभद्रकाली
A fierce Hindu goddess worshipped in Kerala and Nashik for protection and spiritual knowledgeBeing · Protection · Speaking with spirits and the dead Living
🇮🇳 India and 5 moreBhairavaभैरव
A fierce manifestation of Shiva and a Buddhist protector deity worshipped across South and East Asia.Being · Protection · Cursing and harm Living
🇮🇳 IndiaTaraतारा (Sanskrit), তারা (Bengali)
A fierce Hindu goddess of protection and wisdom, central to the Mahavidya tradition.Being · Protection · Power and authority Living
🇮🇳 India and 3 moreYakshiniयक्षिणी
Some guard, some haunt: female nature spirits of Hindu, Buddhist and Jain loreBeing · Protection · Luck and prosperity Living
🇮🇳 India and 5 moreHanumanहनुमान्
A divine vanara deity of devotion and strength in HinduismBeing · Protection · Power and authority 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
🇮🇳 IndiaMangalaमंगल (Maṅgala)
A Hindu deity of Mars, war, and the planet's red lightBeing · Power and authority · Protection Living
🇮🇳 India and 5 morePretaप्रेत
A suffering spirit of insatiable hunger found in Asian religious traditionsBeing · Speaking with spirits and the dead Living
🇵🇪 Peru and 1 moreApu
Sacred mountain spirits in Andean tradition that protect communities and control natural resourcesBeing · Protection · Healing Living
🇮🇳 IndiaAlakshmiदेवी अलक्ष्मी
A Hindu goddess of misfortune and the shadow opposite to LakshmiBeing · Cursing and harm Living
🇮🇳 India and 1 moreLakshmiलक्ष्मी
A Hindu goddess of wealth, prosperity, and beauty, worshipped as the consort of Vishnu.Being · Luck and prosperity · Power and authority 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
🇵🇪 Peru and 1 morePishtacoñañaq; kharisiri
An Andean bogeyman said to steal human fat for oil and medicineBeing · Cursing and harm · Power and authority 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 2 moreBrahmarakshasaब्रह्मराक्षसः
A cursed Brahmin spirit in Hindu lore, feared for harm and venerated in temples.Being · Cursing and harm · Protection 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
🇮🇳 India and 6 moreChurel
A female revenant of South Asian folklore, feared for luring men awayBeing · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇮🇳 India and 4 moreShivaशिव
A principal Hindu deity of destruction and yoga, worshipped across South and Southeast AsiaBeing · Power and authority · Change and initiation Living
🇮🇳 IndiaKaliकाली
A fierce Hindu goddess of time and destruction, worshipped as a protective mother.Being · Protection · Cursing and harm Living
🇮🇳 IndiaParashuramaपरशुराम (Paraśurāma)
The warrior sage of Hinduism who wields a divine axe to restore cosmic balance.Being · Power and authority · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇮🇳 India and 3 moreSpirit
An invisible force or soul found in many cultures, linked to gods, humans, and nature.Being · Speaking with spirits and the dead · Power and authority Living
🇮🇳 India and 2 moreApsaraअप्सरस् (Sanskrit), អប្សរា (Khmer)
Celestial water spirits and dancers from Hindu and Buddhist traditions across South and Southeast AsiaBeing · Wonder and entertainment Legendary
🇮🇳 India and 2 moreBhootभूत
A restless spirit of the dead in South Asian belief and folkloreBeing · Cursing and harm · Protection Living
🇮🇳 India and 1 morePichal periਪਿੱਛਲ ਪੈਰੀ
A backward-footed female spirit of northwestern South Asia and Central AsiaBeing · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇮🇳 IndiaVelichappaduവെളിച്ചപ്പാട്
A Hindu temple oracle in Kerala who channels deities through trance and danceBeing · Seeing and foretelling · Speaking with spirits and the dead Living
🇱🇰 Sri LankaMara
A Buddhist figure representing the forces that block spiritual awakening and keep beings trapped in rebirth.Being · Cursing and harm · Binding and oaths Living
🇮🇳 India and 4 moreMakaraमकर
A legendary sea-creature in Hindu mythology and a symbol of water and thresholdsBeing · Protection · Power and authority Historical
🇮🇳 IndiaMahishasuraमहिषासुर
A bovine asura slain by the goddess Durga in Hindu myth and legendBeing · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇮🇳 India and 5 moreKinnaraकिन्नर (Sanskrit)
A half-human, half-bird creature from Hindu and Buddhist myth, known for music and devotion.Being · Love and attraction · Wonder and entertainment Legendary
🇧🇹 BhutanDrukའབྲུག
A mythical thunder dragon from Tibetan and Bhutanese traditionBeing · Power and authority Legendary
🇮🇳 IndiaKirtimukhaकीर्तिमुख
A swallowing face motif in Hindu and Buddhist temple architecture across South and Southeast AsiaBeing · Protection · Cleansing and purification Historical
🇵🇾 Paraguay and 2 moreKurupiCurupí
A Guaraní forest spirit known for his elongated phallus and role as a protector or abductor.Being · Protection · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇮🇳 IndiaBonnaconβόνασος
A legendary bull that defends itself with burning excrementBeing · Wonder and entertainment Legendary
🇮🇳 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
🇮🇳 India and 1 moreCrocotta
A mythical dog-wolf of India and Ethiopia that mimics human voicesBeing · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇮🇳 IndiaKhunu Leimaꯈꯨꯅꯨꯔꯩꯃ (Khunu Leima)
A Meitei goddess who rules over pigeons and doves in the religion of Manipur.Being Historical
🇮🇳 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
🇮🇳 India and 1 moreTarand
A legendary reindeer-like creature said to change its hair colour like a chameleon.Being · Wonder and entertainment Legendary
🇧🇴 Bolivia and 1 moreAnchanchu
A shapeshifting vampire of the Andes that drains blood and demands offerings from miners.Being · Cursing and harm · Power and authority Legendary
🇵🇾 ParaguayJasy Jatere
A Guaraní spirit of the moon who guards yerba mate and enforces the siestaBeing · Protection · Luck and prosperity Legendary
🇮🇩 IndonesiaAbada
A two-horned mythical beast from Central African and Southeast Asian loreBeing · Healing · Luck and prosperity Legendary
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
- Tara: Chore Bagan Art Studio, Public domain, source
- Bonnacon: unknown (medieval) author, Public domain, source
- Crocotta: Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Kurupi: FrankOWeaver, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Yaksha: Gunkarta ( talk ), CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Brahmarakshasa: Chaitnyags, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Dakini: Didier Descouens, Public domain, source
- Churel: Joe Mabel, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Shiva: Indianhilbilly, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Kali: Raja Ravi Varma, Public domain, source
- Parashurama: Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Santoshi Mata: Nishu0246, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Surya: Ravi Varma Press, Public domain, source
- Ganesha: anonymous, Public domain, source
- Kartikeya: Dassmahen, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Pishacha: Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Bhadrakali: unknown Basholi artist, Public domain, source
- Bhairava: Saankav, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Taleju: Unknown author, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Apsara: Unknown author, CC0, source
- Mahishasura: Prakashsubbarao at English Wikipedia, Public domain, source
- Kirtimukha: Sailko, CC BY 3.0, source
- World Turtle: Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Khunu Leima: Author: DALL-E; prompted by Haoreima, Public domain, source
- Samaton: Isabelm-h, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Tarand: Anonymous Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Anchanchu: Arizz4k, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Mara: Under the Bo, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Lakshmi: Raja Ravi Varma, Public domain, source
- Apu: Cecilia Sacsa, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Spirit: Jastrow, Public domain, source
- Preta: Temple, Richard Carnac, Sir, Public domain, source
- Mangala: E. A. Rodrigues, Public domain, source
- Yogini: Soumendra Barik, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Makara: Subbhashinee S, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Jasy Jatere: Patty P, Public domain, source
- Dawon: Unknown author, CC BY 4.0, source
- Hanuman: Niranjan Arminius, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Kinnara: ผู้สร้างสรรค์ผลงาน/ส่งข้อมูลเก็บในคลังข้อมูลเสรีวิกิมีเดียคอมมอนส์ - เ, Public domain, source
- Yakshini: Brihaspati, CC BY-SA 4.0, source