Some Common Practices in India to Ward Off Evil Eye

According to Hindu scriptures, the eyes are the most powerful organs of the human body. It is believed that mere sight can result in the transfer of evil from one person to another. More often than not, the victim is not aware of the evil eye cast on him. The root cause of the evil eye is attributed to jealousy.

There are many practices adopted in India to ward off the effects of evil eye on a person. Read on to know some of them.

Paste of rice flour and turmeric powder

Rice flour is considered to be auspicious in some parts of India like Bengal whereas turmeric powder is believed to dispel negativity and usher prosperity. Hence, it is a common practice to apply a paste of turmeric powder and rice flour all over the body to prevent the evil eye from being cast on them.

Lime therapy

Lime is another effective means of saving oneself from the effects of the evil eye. People run a lime all over their bodies from head to toe thrice in a circular motion. The lime is then cut into half and thrown or discarded outside the house.

Salt and rock salt lamps

It is a common practice to keep a bowl of salt in the eastern part of the house. The salt keeps the adverse effects of the evil eye at bay by absorbing the negative energies in the surroundings. Some people also believe in lighting rock salt lamps in specific corners of the house for the same purpose.

Mirrors facing the entrance

The mirror that we use in our daily lives can help to keep a person safe from the evil eye and its effects. The mirror should ideally be placed opposite and facing the front door. It is believed that a mirror has the ability to bounce the negative vibes and energy that try to find their way inside the house to the outside direction. The bouncing out is done with the same intensity with which they tried to find their way inside.

Talisman of five metals

This talisman is usually used for babies as they are believed to fall victim to evil eyes easily. To safeguard them from evil effects, it is a common practice to a tie a talisman made of five metals or pancha loha fitted on to a black thread around the waist of the baby. This is usually done on the 28th day. In addition to the talisman, black bangles are also put on the hands of the baby in some communities.

Smashing coconuts

This method is particularly followed when there is a plan of buying something new to keep the owner and the item being bought safe from evil effects. A husked coconut is waved around the item that is going to be bought in a circular pattern and smashed on the ground. It is believed that by doing so, the negative vibes also get crushed along with the coconut.

Lime-green chillies combination

The lime-green chillies combination is yet another commonly followed practice to keep the evil eye away. A lime is passed through a string with several green chillies above it one on top of the other. This string is then tied at the top of the main entrance in the middle. It is a common sight to find this lime-green chillies combination hanging from the front door of business houses.

Kohl or kajal

Kohl is not only a beauty enhancer but is also believed to keep an individual safe from the evil eye. Like the talisman, it is a customary practice for parents of babies to put a dot of kajal on the cheek or behind the ear and on the foot of their little ones to prevent the evil eye from casting its spell on them. This is usually done daily soon after giving the baby a bath in the morning.

Burning incense sticks

Incense sticks are found in the pooja room of any Hindu. It is believed that the smoke emitted from them protected the inmates of the house from all types of negative vibes. Similarly, burning these incense sticks at various vantage points prevents the effects of the evil eye from affecting the members in the home where the sticks are lit.

Red chillies, rock salt and mustard seeds

A handful of dried red chillies along with rock salt and mustard seeds is wrapped in a paper and circled seven times around the person from whom the evil eye should be kept off. The contents are then put into a pan with mustard oil and the pan is lit over a stove until a strong smell of the items emerge. When this happens, the oil and the remaining contents are discarded outside the house.

Neem leaves

Expecting mothers are usually asked to keep a few neem leaves with them when they go out. Once they return home, these leaves are burnt. As the leaves burn, the evil eye that was cast on them also gets burnt with them.

Aak plant

Like the Tulsi plant, the Aak plant is also considered to be equally sacred by the Hindus. It is said that keeping a pot of the Aak plant at the entrance of the house and caring for it daily keeps the house members safe from the evil eye.

All the above-mentioned methods are very simple and can be practised easily. While the topic of evil eye may be scorned upon by some people, there are also people who give it great importance and adopt various ways to keep away from its spells. Apart from the methods already listed, chanting the Gayatri mantra and Hanuman chalisa on a daily basis are also ways to save oneself from not only the evil eye but also from any evil influences around him/her.

Written by - Deepthi K