In order to avert the evil eye they hang round a child's neck a nut
called _bajar-battu_, the shell of which they say will crack and
open if any one casts the evil eye on the child. If it is placed in
milk the two parts will come together again. They also think that
the nut attracts the evil eye and absorbs its effect, and the child
is therefore not injured. If they think that some one has cast the
evil eye on a child, they say a charm, '_Ishwar, Gauri, Parvati ke an
nazar dur ho jao_,' or 'Depart, Evil Eye, in the name of Mahadeo and
Parvati,' and as they say this they blow on the child three times;
or they take some salt, chillies and mustard in their hand and wave
it round the child's head and say, '_Telin ki lagi ho, Tamolin ki
lagi ho, Mararin ki ho, Gorania (Gondin) ki ho, oke, oke, parparake
phut jawe_,' 'If it be a Telin, Tambolin, Mararin or Gondin who has
cast the evil eye, may her eyes crack and fall out.' And at the same
time they throw the mustard, chillies and salt on the fire so that
the eyes of her who cast the evil eye may crack and fall out as these
things crackle in the fire.
If tiger's claws are used for an amulet, the points must be turned
outwards. If any one intends to wish luck to a child, he says, '_Tori
balayan leun_,' and waves his hands round the child's head several
times to signify that he takes upon himself all the misfortunes which
are to happen to the child. Then he presses the knuckles of his hands
against the sides of his own head till they crack, which is a lucky
omen, averting calamity. If the knuckles do not crack at the first
attempt, it is repeated two or three times. When a man sneezes he will
say 'Chatrapati,' which is considered to be a name of Devi, but is
only used on this occasion. But some say nothing. After yawning they
snap their fingers, the object of which, they say, is to drive away
sleep, as otherwise the desire will become infectious and attack others
present. But if a child yawns they sometimes hold one of their hands
in front of his mouth, and it is probable that the original meaning
of the custom was to prevent evil spirits from entering through the
widely opened mouth, or the yawner's own soul or spirit from escaping;
and the habit of holding the hand before the mouth from politeness
when yawning inadvertently may be a reminiscence of this.