Day 16 of the Ultimate Blogging Challenge and the letter N for the AtoZ Blogging Challenge
My cousin visited Turkey some years ago and brought me back a "Nazar boncugu" or "Evil Eye" which sounds quite scary but actually it's a kind of charm that is meant to ward of evil looks that can cause harm to you as a result of envy or dislike.
There are many similar superstitions in various cultures. In India the evil eye is called the "buri nazar". I'm sure there are many ways to counteract this (apparently the Atharvaveda has a section on this - but I haven't read it), but the simple way was to put a little black dot usually behind the ears or just under the hairline on the side of the forehead.
But here is the Evil Eye charm or Nazar Boncugu from Turkey that now sits in my lounge. Reminds me of the "eyes" on peacock feathers.
The Nazar Boncugu is believed to deflect negative energy. Is it useful or just ornament?
Either way I'm grateful for receiving it.
Wishing you all a Blessed day.
Warm Regards
My cousin visited Turkey some years ago and brought me back a "Nazar boncugu" or "Evil Eye" which sounds quite scary but actually it's a kind of charm that is meant to ward of evil looks that can cause harm to you as a result of envy or dislike.
There are many similar superstitions in various cultures. In India the evil eye is called the "buri nazar". I'm sure there are many ways to counteract this (apparently the Atharvaveda has a section on this - but I haven't read it), but the simple way was to put a little black dot usually behind the ears or just under the hairline on the side of the forehead.
But here is the Evil Eye charm or Nazar Boncugu from Turkey that now sits in my lounge. Reminds me of the "eyes" on peacock feathers.
Nazar boncugu bead to ward of evil
The Nazar Boncugu is believed to deflect negative energy. Is it useful or just ornament?
Either way I'm grateful for receiving it.
Wishing you all a Blessed day.
Warm Regards
I have a lovely nazar too. In my last house, just after we hung up a nazar, it dropped from its nail and shattered into a 100 pieces. My friend (who had gifted it to me) said that the "evil eye" had been removed and gave me another one. I dunno whether to believe her, but I was at my happiest best in the 2 years I lived in that house.
ReplyDeleteMeera
Glad to hear Meera - I hope mine brings me luck too.
Deletewhats life without a few superstitions :D
ReplyDeleteInteresting so many people in all cultures worry the evil eye even though there is no evidence it can cause any harm
That is so true Dhiren. I think in the age of Kali yug we have lost our spiritual powers - perhaps in previous yugs the evil eye would've made more sense. Who is to know - either way!
DeleteThey do work. At home, for kids and even adults, if my mom felt that he/she received 'evil eyes', so she would take some dry red chilli and burn them over the fire, if the chilli when smoked did not give any pungent smell, that meant that the there was an evil eye and its effect has been negated!
ReplyDeleteGood to hear Shilpa. If nothing else, it gives us peace of mind that there is a remedy. Thanks for sharing your mom's.
DeleteFolk lore apart, it looks like a piece of art. Now I should hunt for folks going to turkey, or may be, make a trip of my own to get this souvenir :) Cheers, Laxmi
ReplyDeleteThanks Laxmi. I would love to visit Turkey too. I do believe that folklore was more than just stories.
DeleteSuzy, I was going to post on 'nazar' too, so I linked to your post in mine!
ReplyDeleteThanks Roshni for linking to my post - great minds think alike.
DeleteSuch beliefs make our life more charming and interesting as you've rightly said :) A lovely charm btw :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Sridevi - they sure do and thank goodness for remedies.
DeleteTh nazar Bonzugu is very popular in India as well ! I see people hang it in their homes and wear them as bracelets. Off course we have out own evil eye removing techniques - Like Shilpa said - the red chili one :P
ReplyDeleteHi Ruchira - Not sure if I want to wear it as a bracelet - I prefer the feng shui ones. Thank God for the remedies. Will have to remember the chillies.
DeleteI heard a lot abt them. Rest all sources to ward of evil are outdated now. This seems to be the latest even in India. My cousin has been to Turkey recently and she posted a big blue nazar eye - the same one - wowww ! this is funky though
ReplyDeleteHi Afshan - This is probably the most ornate way of warding off the evil eye. It's pretty if nothing else.
DeleteSo thoughful of your cousin to think of you while on a holiday in Turkey. I believe that the gift is secondary. The more important thing is that people think of us with affection.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely Cynthia - it's the thought that counts.
DeleteI've seen a lot of similar stuff in HongKong and just thought they were pretty without realizing their significance. Thanks for educating me on the name too!
ReplyDeleteHi Corinne - I'd never seen one before anywhere in the world. Good to know you can get them in India now.
DeleteI'm all for warding off evil!
ReplyDeleteMe too Talya :)
DeleteNazar Boncugu is very common in Delhi now a days. In a mall here i have seen a whole counter dedicated to it.
ReplyDeleteBut i must say that they look lovely. :)
Yes Preetilata they are pretty - I love the blue colour.
DeleteLove the designs on that keyring!
ReplyDeleteDamyanti @Daily(w)rite
Co-host, A to Z Challenge 2013
Twitter: @AprilA2Z
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Me too - I love how the yin-yang symbol is placed in and is quite different from the rest of it.
DeleteI could use an evil eye....
ReplyDeleteI think we all could Sandra. :)
DeleteYeah...It is very common here now..well, was not aware of it's name. Thanks and hope it keeps bringing you good luck.
ReplyDeleteThanks Janu - I hope it does too.
DeleteThat is really cool!
ReplyDeleteKathy
http://gigglingtruckerswife.blogspot.com
Thanks Kathy :)
DeleteMy niece has something similar. She got it in Kuala Lumpur I think :)
ReplyDeleteHi Shail - they're probably available everywhere now.
DeleteIt is useful as far as key-chains are used maybe, but I don't think anything called Nazar exists. The key-chain, however looks pretty funky!
ReplyDeleteThanks Nandana - I think there is always something behind superstition though perhaps not to the level of current beliefs.
DeleteI believe in these things, and their colors too. My husband got me a 'Blessing for the home' metal wall hanging, love it.
ReplyDeleteThanks Sulekha - may your home and life always be Blessed. Thank goodness for these things.
DeleteI love how we have Memphis in May every year because one year we honored Turkey too. As a result, I am familiar with the Evil Eye.
ReplyDeletehttp://joycelansky.blogspot.com/2013/04/atoz-ww-n-for-naughty-pictures.html
I'd never heard of Memphis in May so thanks for sharing that - I learned something new.
DeleteI love having interesting things from different cultures. We can all always use help in warding off negative energy!
ReplyDeleteHi Michelle - yes I think more of it as warding off negative energy rather than evil eyes as that makes more sense to me. I too love learning about new cultures. Thanks so much for dropping by.
DeleteLooks like something I would carry around on my key ring. :)
ReplyDeleteHi Bonnie - actually this is more of a wall hanging - quite large for a keyring.
DeleteVery interesting, my mother in law is a firm believer and for both my kids, she will always use salt and red chilly to ward of negative energy, but they call it evil eye ! thanks for sharing !
ReplyDeleteThanks Angela. I'm sure there is some background to these superstitions.
DeleteMy aunt believes in this a lot and her house is full of such things!!
ReplyDeleteHi "Me" Even if they don't really help, at least they are ornate. And if they do help then great!
DeleteI dont appreciate such things and thankfully my husband too. But I love its color and design :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Pallavi.
Delete