Do you believe in the ‘evil eye’, that a person with an ill will can cause harm by just casting a glance oozing with envy and hate. I guess, yes. We Indians are firm believers of the evil eye and we often protect ourselves, especially our young children, with a big black bindi or mark on the forehead. This black spot is supposed to diminish the beauty of the child and keep the evil eye at bay.
There are several ways to ward off the evil eyes practiced in our country – with red chillies, mustard seeds and lemons, among others, to spitting right on the person whom we want to protect! The Wedding veil protects the beautifully decked up bride, and farmers with sprawling fields put scary masks all around to shoo away the evil.
Even the fanciest car on our roads can be seen wearing the protective shield by having a lemon tied along with a bunch of green chillies nicely hanging from the front bumper or under the car rearview mirror.
People from across the world, since ancient times, have believed in the power of the evil eye, and follow several rituals to keep it off and away. The oldest belief dates back to biblical Israel. This belief is seen in Asia, Egypt and Africa, some parts of Europe, especially in the Mediterranean region, and some parts of South America. It finds mention in most religious books, including Quran and Old Testament. Evil eye is not male or female, but it’s more associated with female because women are more sensitive to body language than men. Even peacock feathers are believed to possess potential evil eye curse. My grandmother once told me a story how my fair pretty aunt was once a victim of the evil eye and was having diarrhea and vomiting and she could hardly stay awake. When she took her to a local woman healer who performed a test by putting a drop of oil in a plate of water. The oil formed a large drop in the middle of the plate, a sure sign of the evil eye.
Then the woman chanted some mantra, which only women are allowed to know and hear the drop broke up into tiny droplets and spread out. This meant that the evil eye curse was broken and my aunt recovered immediately.
When small babies cry incessantly, elder ladies of our families do an "aarti", by moving a ‘thali’ around the child in circular motions with burning camphor, five flawless red chillis, mustard seeds etc on it. It’s moved five times chanting something which means ‘‘may the evil eye be far off leave the child in peace". Then the chilli etc are put on a fire to burn, but the chillis in case of an evil eye curse will not emit the typical strong irritating smell as it would do normally! Evil eye is cured and baby goes to sleep.
There is one "Wet and dry" theory, where it’s said that this concept started in the deserts of the Middle East and the ’envy’ was essentially for water. Thus the victims are most vulnerable to loss of fluids. Babies often suffer from vomiting and diarrhea, in nursing mothers and lactating animals milk dries up, men loose potency due to drying up of seminal fluid, fruit trees also dry up. So, to counteract it actions have to be taken using fluids in some way. In Italy there is a ceremony involving olive oil and water, in Romania a ceremony involving dropping coal into water, in Mexico breaking a raw egg. In Greece and Turkey spitting or drinking spit mixed with holy water. In England, a raw egg is stroked all over the child’s body to draw off the curse and then it’s thrown against an oak tree to break and dispel the harm. It is also believed that fish is very auspicious and wards off the evil eye as it is wet in the water. In China, the Pa Kea mirror, a six sided mirror is hung on the front door or window to reverse bad energy back to the sender. In India too small mirrors sewn, braided or crocheted into clothing are hung over the front door.
To be precise, envy is universal and entire society is under its grip. Different cultures adopt various antidotes, from wearing the black thread or black beads on the waist, hands or legs to charms, amulets, necklaces and bracelets to keep away the effect of evil eye.