imported>Tol: Changing short description from "An icon, charm bracelet, tattoo or other object or pattern used in North India and Pakistan to ward-off the evil eye" to "Object used to ward off the evil eye" (Shortdesc helper)

2021-05-19T04:55:01Z

Changing short description from "An icon, charm bracelet, tattoo or other object or pattern used in North India and Pakistan to ward-off the evil eye" to "Object used to ward off the evil eye" (Shortdesc helper)

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{{Short description|Object used to ward off the evil eye}}
[[File:A decorated truck in India.jpg|thumb|180px|A decorated truck in India, showing a black ''[[jutti]]'' and ''nazar battu'' motifs.]]
A '''Nazar battu''' ([[Hindustani language|Hindustani]]: नज़र बट्टू or نظر بٹو) is an icon, [[charm bracelet]], [[tattoo]] or other object or pattern used in [[North India]] and [[Pakistan]] to ward-off the [[evil eye]] (or ''nazar'').<ref name="ref49yihah">{{Citation | title=Encyclopedia of India, Volume 1 | author=Stanley A. Wolpert | publisher=Charles Scribner & Sons, 2005 | isbn=9780684313498 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=66kUAQAAIAAJ | quote=''... One of the central paisleys is sometimes a different color from the rest, functioning as a nazarbattu to ward off the evil eye ...''}}</ref> In [[Iranian folklore#Beliefs|Persian and Afghan folklore]], it is called a '''cheshm nazar''' ({{lang-fa|چشم نظر}}) or '''nazar qurbāni''' ({{lang-fa|نظرقربانی|links=no}}).<ref>M. Moin: ''A Persian Dictionary, 3rd edition'', p. 4752 (in Persian).</ref> In India and Pakistan, the Hindi-Urdu slogan of Persian origin ''[[Chashme Baddoor (slogan)|Chashm-e-Baddoor]]'' ({{lang-fa|چشم بد دور|links=no}}) is used to ward off the evil eye.

==Forms==
A ''nazar battu'' is often an intentional blemish or flaw that is introduced to prevent perfection. For instance, a black mark (''kaala teeka'' in Hindi-Urdu, ''tor khaal'' in Pushto) might be made on the face or neck of a loved one.<ref name="ref11yoqar">{{Citation | title=The Dawoodi Bohras: an anthropological perspective | author=Shibani Roy | publisher=B.R. Publishing, 1984 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qwA7AAAAMAAJ | quote=''... away the evil eye a black mark was made at the side of his temples, as a 'nazar battu' ...''}}</ref> In houses, a deliberate flaw might be included in the otherwise-perfect physical appearance of the house. In expensive items such as carpets or saris, a deliberate coloring or stitching flaw is sometimes created.<ref name="ref62lapop">{{Citation | title=Saris of India, Volume 2 |author1=Rita Kapur Chishti |author2=Martand Singh |author3=Priya Ravish Mehra |author4=Tushar Kumar |author5=Nivedita Bannerji | publisher=Wiley Eastern, 1995 | isbn=9788122408300 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ldLfAAAAMAAJ | quote=''... Nazar battu Intentional flaw to ward off evil eye ...''}}</ref> [[Amulet]]s – some resembling the [[Nazar (amulet)|Turkish ''nazar boncuğu'']] and others which are threads, sometimes with a ''taveez'' attached (a small cylinder that contains a prayer verse) – are common in the region. Some ''nazar battu'' amulets are region specific, for instance silver-mounted leopard nails which are used in the [[Chamba district]] of [[Himachal Pradesh]] state.<ref name="ref62quhez">{{Citation | title=Textiles, costumes, and ornaments of the western Himalaya | author=Omchand Handa | publisher=Indus Publishing, 1998 | isbn=9788173870767 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JFPnh9B5zncC | quote=''... nail of a leopard is mounted in silver or gold and hung round the neck ... called nazar-battu in Chamba ...''}}</ref>

Although it doesn't involve a specific ''nazar battu'', it is customary in the region for mothers to lightly spit at their children (usually ritualistically to the side of the children rather than directly at them) to imply a sense of disparagement and imperfection that protects them from ''nazar''.<ref name="ref66razeq">{{Citation | title=Indian ritual and belief: the keys of power | author=John Abbott | publisher=Usha, 1984 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zkIvAAAAYAAJ | quote=''... A woman spits on a child to avert from it her own evil-eye ...''}}</ref> Children are also marked with a black spot on the cheek.<ref>George Vensus A. (2008). ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=VYaRePV92YwC Paths to The Divine: Ancient and Indian (Volume 12 of Indian philosophical studies)]''. Council for Research in Values and Philosophy, USA. {{ISBN|1565182480}}. pp. 399.</ref> Excessive admiration, even from well-meaning people, is believed attract the evil eye, so this is believed to protect children from ''nazar'' that could be caused by their own mothers' "excessive" love of them.<ref name="ref66razeq"/>

==Satirical usage in popular culture==
In North India and Pakistan, the term ''nazar battu'' can be used idiomatically in a [[satire|satiric]] sense to allude to people or objects which are undesirable but must be tolerated. For instance, when it appeared that former military ruler [[Pervez Musharraf]] would insist on being accommodated institutionally as Pakistan made the transition to democracy with [[2008 Pakistani general election|the 2008 general election]], some press commentators alluded to him as the ''nazar battu'' of Pakistan's democracy.<ref name="bbc2008slq">{{Citation | title= ’آزادی جمہور کا آتا ہے زمانہ‘ / 'The era of freedom and democracy draws close' | publisher=BBC | date=Feb 26, 2008 | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/urdu/2008/02/post_276.html | quote=''... ریٹائرڈ جنرل پرویز مشرف کو بغیر نفع نقصان کی شراکت کے قبول کرنا ہوگا۔ اب نہیں معلوم کہ وہ جمہوریت کے ’نظربٹو‘ کے طور پر قبولے جائیں گے یا / retired general [[Pervez Musharraf]] will have to be accepted without diminishing him in any way. It is unknown if he will be accepted as the nazar battu of democracy or ...''}}</ref>

==Gallery==
<gallery class="center">
File:India-shop-chili-peppers-and-limes.jpg
File:India-shop-balls-and-leaves.jpg
File:India-house-shoes-on-wall.jpg
File:India-truck-axel-with-painted-face.jpg
</gallery>

==See also==
{{commons category|Nazar Battu}}
*[[Chashme Baddoor (slogan)]]
*[[Evil eye]]
*[[Nazar (amulet)]]
*[[Superstitions of India]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Superstitions}}

[[Category:Superstitions of Pakistan]]
[[Category:Superstitions of India]]

Nazar battu - Revision history

imported>Tol: Changing short description from "An icon, charm bracelet, tattoo or other object or pattern used in North India and Pakistan to ward-off the evil eye" to "Object used to ward off the evil eye" (Shortdesc helper)