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 5 moreSnake charming A street performance using a gourd flute to make snakes swayIllusion · Wonder and entertainment · Luck and prosperity Fading

🇮🇳 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 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 moreFire eating A performance art of extinguishing flames in the mouthIllusion · Wonder and entertainment Performed

🇮🇳 IndiaIndian rope trick A legendary stage illusion involving a levitating rope and a disappearing boy assistantIllusion · Wonder and entertainment Legendary

🇮🇳 India and 5 moreMandalaमण्डल A sacred geometric design used in Indian religions for meditation and spiritual mapping.Tradition · Speaking with spirits and the dead · Wonder and entertainment Living

🇮🇳 India and 2 moreYantraयन्त्र A geometric diagram from Indian traditions used for worship and meditationTradition · Protection · Speaking with spirits and the dead 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

🇮🇳 IndiaIndrajalaइन्द्रजाल A Sanskrit term for illusion and conjuring, linking stage magic to Hindu philosophy.Belief · Wonder and entertainment · Cursing and harm Historical

🇮🇳 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

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

🇮🇳 India and 1 moreTarand A legendary reindeer-like creature said to change its hair colour like a chameleon.Being · Wonder and entertainment Legendary 🇮🇳 IndiaKhongjomnubi NonggarolKhongchomnupi Nongkalol A Meitei puya with two stories of transformation and ascent to the sky.Text · Wonder and entertainment Historical

🇮🇳 India and 1 moreFire (classical element) A classical substance of heat and transformation in Greek, Indian, and Western esoteric traditionsSubstance · Change and initiation · Power and authority Historical 🇮🇳 IndiaPandi A legendary race of giant-eared people from ancient geographic textsBeing · Wonder and entertainment Legendary 🇮🇳 IndiaKeśin A Vedic hymn describing long-haired ascetics who travel on the wind and share a cup with Rudra.Tradition · Power and authority · Wonder and entertainment Historical 🇮🇳 IndiaBaakবাক A shapeshifting water spirit from Assamese folklore that mimics humans and fears torn nets.Being · Cursing and harm · Wonder and entertainment Living

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
Mantra: Markrosenrosen, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Ashtamangala: Redtigerxyz, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Indrajala: Abishekrl15156, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Apsara: Unknown author, CC0, source
Fire (classical element): Correogsk, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Tarand: Anonymous Unknown author, Public domain, source
Mandala: Marion Golsteijn, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Snake charming: Paris75000, Public domain, source
Indian rope trick: Anonymous Unknown author, CC0, source
Fire eating: Arvind Jain, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
Yantra: Photo by Daniel Conrad (Chromacon), artwork by Daniel Conrad under dir, Public domain, 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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