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.

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 6 moreChurel A female revenant of South Asian folklore, feared for luring men awayBeing · Cursing and harm Legendary

🇮🇳 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 1 morePishachaपिशाच (piśāca) A flesh-eating demon from Indian religions, feared for possession and madness.Being · Cursing and harm Legendary

🇮🇳 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 1 morePichal periਪਿੱਛਲ ਪੈਰੀ A backward-footed female spirit of northwestern South Asia and Central AsiaBeing · Cursing and harm Legendary

🇮🇳 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

🇵🇾 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

🇮🇳 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

🇮🇳 IndiaBonnaconβόνασος A legendary bull that defends itself with burning excrementBeing · Wonder and entertainment Legendary

🇮🇳 India and 1 moreCrocotta A mythical dog-wolf of India and Ethiopia that mimics human voicesBeing · Cursing and harm 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

🇮🇳 India and 1 moreTarand A legendary reindeer-like creature said to change its hair colour like a chameleon.Being · Wonder and entertainment Legendary

🇮🇳 IndiaDawon The lion mount of the goddess Durga in Hindu traditionBeing · 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 🇮🇳 IndiaBuru A fierce swamp creature from Apatani founding narrativesBeing Legendary 🇮🇳 IndiaEcheneis A legendary fish said to hold back ships and influence legal proceedingsBeing · Cursing and harm · Love and attraction Legendary

🇮🇳 IndiaDaityaदैत्याः A race of asuras in Hindu mythology descended from Kashyapa and DitiBeing Legendary

🇮🇳 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

🇮🇳 IndiaHingchabiꯍꯤꯡꯆꯥꯕꯤ A giantess figure from Meitei folklore who feeds on raw fleshBeing · Cursing and harm Legendary 🇮🇳 IndiaPandi A legendary race of giant-eared people from ancient geographic textsBeing · Wonder and entertainment Legendary 🇮🇳 IndiaBramrachokh A demon in Kashmiri myth that mimics a light to lead travellers astrayBeing · Cursing and harm Legendary 🇮🇳 India and 5 moreWerecat A feline shapeshifter found in global folklore and occult beliefBeing · Cursing and harm · Power and authority Legendary 🇮🇳 IndiaIndus worm A giant carnivorous river creature from ancient Greek accounts of the IndusBeing · Cursing and harm Legendary 🇮🇳 IndiaChedipeचेदिप A witch-vampire spirit of the Godavari region that drains men and feeds on sorrowBeing · Cursing and harm Legendary

Photo credits on this page

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

Bonnacon: unknown (medieval) author, Public domain, source
Crocotta: Unknown author, Public domain, source
Kurupi: FrankOWeaver, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Churel: Joe Mabel, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Parashurama: Unknown author, Public domain, source
Pishacha: Unknown author, Public domain, source
Apsara: Unknown author, CC0, source
Mahishasura: Prakashsubbarao at English Wikipedia, Public domain, source
World Turtle: Unknown author, Public domain, source
Tarand: Anonymous Unknown author, Public domain, source
Anchanchu: Arizz4k, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Daitya: Unknown author, CC0, source
Airavata: Unknown, India, Rajasthan, Amber, South Asia, Public domain, source
Hingchabi: Bemni, N, CC0, source
Jasy Jatere: Patty P, Public domain, source
Dawon: Unknown author, CC BY 4.0, source
Kinnara: ผู้สร้างสรรค์ผลงาน/ส่งข้อมูลเก็บในคลังข้อมูลเสรีวิกิมีเดียคอมมอนส์ - เ, Public domain, source

Magic in South Asia

Places of magic

Rites of the region

Countries

Photo credits on this page

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