subject: Casting of the Evil Eye in Hindu Custom [print this page] Of the innumerable customs prevalent among the Hindu custom, the one under our notice is perhaps the most common is casting off evil eye. The eye is the most important of the centres in the human system where the soul-force is concentrated and is radiated from on all sides. In fact the eye is said to be a magnet of intense potency to direct the invisible currents in nature, electrical and magnetic, radiating from the sun the storehouse generator of all such forces. The sun is the light giver and the eye the light receiver. If this fact is fully grasped, the rationale of the custom will become intelligible.
In this connection it is interesting to notice that children are supposed to be highly susceptible to the influence of the evil eye and the reason for this is not far to seek. That the most attractive period of human life and in fact of the life of all animals is that of childhood is a fact well known to all.
It is a common sight everywhere in India to find fields with fertile crops and trees and plants in gardens laden with luxurious fruits, having in their midst fantastic and ugly looking scarecrows and figures made of straw and clay. Even houses that are being newly built have such figures or a pumpkin suspended in front.
If you look at the hindu marriage processions, balls of food mixed with lime and turmeric (in place of blood of slaughtered animals perhaps?) are waived around the bridal pair and cast in all directions east, south, north and west.
A ring "pass-not" is formed by pouring round them water or waving or carrying round them lighted camphor or a burning light. All these serve the purpose of focusing the pests on particular objects such as scarecrow or the pumpkin, to protect the crops, or help men engaged in building operation, to perform their work unhindered. These pests, when once gathered at particular places, would remain there if a safe resting place is affordable to them.
In absence of physical objects, eddies are formed by natural invisible forces playing from pole to pole, on which these find temporary resting places to be thrown out and reinstated time and again by the appearing and disappearing eddies.
To conclude with respect to the topic of casting off evil eye, every custom of the Hindu has a rational basis, which, lapse of time and gross materialism of this material age has thrown into the background, to be brought to the forefront once again when the materialistic crust is removed and washed away!
