Nazar

(“glance”) The literal meaning of the
word nazar is an unobstructed line of
sight to a person or a thing. The word
nazar is also the term most commonly
470
Nayachandra Suri
used to denote the “evil eye,” a malefic
influence that is put on people
through sight, particularly eye-to-eye
contact. The existence of the evil eye is
widely accepted among traditional
Hindus. It is warded off either by
avoiding this sort of gaze, or by performing rites of protection. For further consideration see David F.
Pocock, “The Evil Eye,” in T. N. Madan
(ed.), Religion in India, 1991.