India has a wide range of cultural
beliefs and traditions that are carried generation to generation. We also have the
quick remedies for all ailments, like how to expel fear, common cold &
cough problems and frighten evil spirits. The evil eye warder also known as ‘Nazar
Battu’ is used to keep houses, offices
and businesses safe from all the evil spirits. This Battu or the ‘Nimbu-Mirchi Totka’ as it is called, traditionally has ‘seven
mirchis’ (chilies) and ‘one nimbu’ (lemon) to protect your house from all the bad
spirits.
What does ‘Nimbu-Mirchi’ mean for
you? A cultural belief, a superstition or nothing! But for most of the people, it
is still more than a belief and simply an act to divert mis-happenings. In my
neighborhood, an auntie was also the stern believer of ‘Nimbu-Mirchi’ and its positive
effects. But one day something happened that changed her way of seeing it completely.
Every Saturday, a guy used to
come to dangle a set of ‘Nimbu-Mirchi’ on the main door of my auntie’s house. Few
days back, auntie was told by another lady that the ‘Nimbu-Mirchi’ guy is
cheating on her as he takes more money from the auntie than her. Moreover that
guy took money from auntie’s husband in her absence and later he also took
money from auntie at the end of the month. She was upset with his dishonesty
and decided to take his class. And then on next Saturday, he came. Auntie
chided him badly. But instead of accepting his mistake, he misbehaved and left
the place by saying not to come again. And he disappeared for the next 2 weeks.
In the meanwhile, auntie got to know that he didn’t even come to another lady’s
home to dangle the ‘Nimbu-Mirchi’. Now she got confused that why he stopped
coming even at their home.
Finally on third Saturday,
he came and started apologizing for his cheating and misconduct. He also agreed
to charge the same from her and not to repeat any mistake again. This sudden
change made auntie perplexed. Then she saw him injured and unable to walk properly.
When she inquired, he told her that after that day’s ruckus, when he was going
back to his work by his bicycle, he met with an accident. His bicycle
got damaged completely and he too got injured in that accident. It took him two weeks to recover. Since then he
was repenting on what he did.
A bicycle full of at least
hundred sets of ‘Nimbu-Mirchi’ couldn’t save his owner from the accident. Well,
it’s always your deeds that makes you or breaks you. Anything done with a bad
intention can never bring good luck, wealth and peace. Goodness and honesty are
the only ‘totkas’ that can invite happiness and luck. Else can only bring bad luck
sooner or later. So it is always righty said that do good and leave everything
on God. He will surely save you from all evils.