7 chilies and a lemon

FarNorth · Apr 12th, 2007, 01:16

When I was in Rhajastan and into Uttar Pradesh many stores had a string of 7 chilies and lemon hung near the entrance. I asked about it once and they said it was for good luck and prosperity.

Can anyone tell me more about this, like where it came from or some history behind it?

Thanks

PeakXV · Apr 12th, 2007, 01:18

Sounds like some kind of culinary Rosary ....

FarNorth · Apr 13th, 2007, 01:58

well chilies with a squeeze of lemons ARE good, but I was looking for something more.....

edwardseco · Apr 13th, 2007, 02:18

Sounds like a variation on a margarita I once had. But I have seen such so I will ask my better half..

johnyoga2 · Apr 13th, 2007, 02:26

We got basically the same story from shop keepers in Rishikesh. The Evil spirits/spirits of adversity are attracted to the "offering" and enter the food. As they (the chilies and lemon) dry out, this is seen as a sign that the spirits are being drawn into them. Most of the shop keepers would laugh when they told us the story so I'm guessing it's one of those customs that just get done. But I don't know the story behind it.

roopesh_kohad · Apr 13th, 2007, 02:46

You have opened a pandora's box! 7 chillies & lemon is to ward-off evil spirits or jealous glances from your article of possession. The lemon and chillies you saw on stores were tied to front bumper of my car in Hyderabad and I have seen them on all modes of transport cycle, bus/truck etc. I believe lemon and chillies hav "caustic"/"bitter" taste and that is how you would like to treat evil spirits with. The concept behind this is, if you have a very attractive possession like a newly built house, people will oggle at it jealously and make it lose its novelty/value. So, instead you yourself demean it non-destructively by hanging lemon&chillies, showing an evil face or horse shoe nailed to front door or putting a black spot on face of a cute baby.

regards,
Roopesh

PeakXV · Apr 13th, 2007, 03:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by roopesh_kohad

The concept behind this is, if you have a very attractive possession like a newly built house, people will oggle at it jealously and make it lose its novelty/value. So, instead you yourself demean it non-destructively by hanging lemon&chillies, showing an evil face or horse shoe nailed to front door or putting a black spot on face of a cute baby.

regards,
Roopesh

That's fascinating - although it's a bit perplexing. In North America you may well get some jealousy happening if you have a nicely kept home and garden - but there would be far more of a voodoo thing (and thus negative chin wagging) happening if you defaced it or let it fall into any state of disrepair.

edwardseco · Apr 13th, 2007, 04:48

Different culture, Nazar is not strictly western envy. Consider the dynamics in a zero sum game with little stability in property rights and you catch the rationality..

machadinha · Apr 13th, 2007, 05:41

See also Wikipedia on the Evil Eye.

Quote:

In India the evil eye, called "drishti" (literally view) or "nazar", is removed through "Aarthi". The actual removal involves different means as per the subject involved. In case of removing human evil eye, a traditional Hindu ritual of holy flame (on a plate) is rotated around the person's face so as to absorb the evil effects. Sometimes people will also be asked to spit into a handful of chillies kept in that plate, which are then thrown into fire. For vehicles too, this process is followed with limes or lemons being used instead of chillies. These lemons are crushed by the vehicle and another new lemon is hung with chillies in a bead to ward off any future evil eyes.

The horseshoe link mentioned above is interesting:

Quote:

Another theory concerning the placing of horseshoes above doorways is to ward off Faeries (the Celtic kind); the theory being that Faeries are repelled by iron and as horseshoes were an easily available source of iron, they could be nailed above a door to prevent any unwanted, otherworldly guests. One can see how the custom, as people began to forget the stories concerning the Fair Folk, eventually morphed into a simple good luck charm. It is also possible that the Romans, when arriving in Celtic countries, came across horseshoes nailed above doors and simply borrowed the concept of horseshoes as good luck charms, failing to understand the background of the Celtic custom, and made their use more widespread.

& What was there about a puppet being strung up during construction?

kalyani68 · Apr 13th, 2007, 08:47

When we had a car puja done for our new van, we placed a lemon under each tire and then drove over them. I can see lemons as being a purifying substance. Hmmmmm.... But no chiles were used, alas....

PeakXV · Apr 13th, 2007, 08:51

Wow drishti, naughty djinns .... anything else the happy-go-lucky traveller should be looking to avoid while in India.

mk26in · Apr 13th, 2007, 10:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by roopesh_kohad

I believe lemon and chillies hav "caustic"/"bitter" taste and that is how you would like to treat evil spirits with.
Roopesh

Very logical explanation Roopesh. But one more explanation i came across from a shop keeper was to keep their business "Hara Bhara" (grow and prosper). Chillies being "Hara" (Green) and lemon "Bhara" (full).

Mk

sald · Apr 13th, 2007, 11:15

The evil eye concept is a very common custom across the country. And as johnyoga2 says, people still use the lemon chillies despite knowing that it may be just a belief.

The basic concept is that when someone jelously eyes your possession, misfortune comes your way by way of the other person desiring your possession as his own. So the chillies-lemon basically ward off the evil eye. These are very popular with motorists - including autos, taxis, trucks etc. Thats why you'll see these being sold at traffic signals across urban India.

The concept is so pervasive across India that even temples and other monuments have some kind of an evil eye warding off twist. Temmples have some kind of embellishment (an unfinished carving, a imperfect pillar etc.). A person marvelling the structure suddenly sees the imperfection and the 'nazar' does not get to the rest of the beautiful structure.

icetea · Apr 13th, 2007, 14:22

Here many people use frightening masks placed on houses for the same purpose. They also use lemons, chillies, neem leaves. Sometimes long strings of lemons are hanging at doors or in a tree in front of a building. And if I am not mistaken, I have also seen puppets/"scarecrows" at new construction sites.

The strangest was to see a little boy on a train with a lemon hung over his...ahem..pride (he was naked). No chilli though!!

. That was on my first trip to India and I was fairly shocked, for some reason!

Quote:

Originally Posted by sald

The concept is so pervasive across India that even temples and other monuments have some kind of an evil eye warding off twist. Temmples have some kind of embellishment (an unfinished carving, a imperfect pillar etc.). A person marvelling the structure suddenly sees the imperfection and the 'nazar' does not get to the rest of the beautiful structure.

As far as I know, traditionally even the sacred sculptures of various gods and goddesses are chipped in some hidden place, although this practice seems to have a different story behind it (avoiding perfection, which would bring the statue to life).

guidedeba · Apr 13th, 2007, 16:00

Though the popular belief is that they ward of the 'nazar' But as I all the Indian (Hindu) rituals &customs has some kind of scientific reasons behind it; here too you can find the reason for using them as the fresh smell of Lemon & Chiily (they should be pierced through some coton thread which sucks the juice out from inside the fruit and makes the surrounding a little bit fresh with the smell. (yes!! though you might had enjoyed the strong taste of Chily, but they smell reall y fresh when they are fresh). And you can check it by yourself and you will find that the Acidic quality ward off the pests/insects from near it.

Apr 12th, 2007, 01:16	#1
FarNorth Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Alaska Posts: 20	7 chilies and a lemon When I was in Rhajastan and into Uttar Pradesh many stores had a string of 7 chilies and lemon hung near the entrance. I asked about it once and they said it was for good luck and prosperity. Can anyone tell me more about this, like where it came from or some history behind it? Thanks

Apr 12th, 2007, 01:18	#2
PeakXV Naan.tering Nabob Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Abode of Glooscap Posts: 4,194	Sounds like some kind of culinary Rosary .... __________________ We shall not cease from exploration and at the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started ...and know the place for the first time. T.S. Eliot Don't go to India ~ Pre-trip Warnings & Misconceptions?

Apr 13th, 2007, 16:00	#15
guidedeba Account Closed Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Kolkata (Calcutta) Posts: 173	Room Freshner - cum - Pesticide Though the popular belief is that they ward of the 'nazar' But as I all the Indian (Hindu) rituals &customs has some kind of scientific reasons behind it; here too you can find the reason for using them as the fresh smell of Lemon & Chiily (they should be pierced through some coton thread which sucks the juice out from inside the fruit and makes the surrounding a little bit fresh with the smell. (yes!! though you might had enjoyed the strong taste of Chily, but they smell reall y fresh when they are fresh). And you can check it by yourself and you will find that the Acidic quality ward off the pests/insects from near it.

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Apr 13th, 2007, 01:58	#3
FarNorth Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Alaska Posts: 20	well chilies with a squeeze of lemons ARE good, but I was looking for something more.....

Apr 13th, 2007, 02:18	#4
edwardseco Maha Guru Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Land that shakes and bakes. Posts: 3,924	Sounds like a variation on a margarita I once had. But I have seen such so I will ask my better half..

Apr 13th, 2007, 02:26	#5
johnyoga2 Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Indiana Posts: 62	We got basically the same story from shop keepers in Rishikesh. The Evil spirits/spirits of adversity are attracted to the "offering" and enter the food. As they (the chilies and lemon) dry out, this is seen as a sign that the spirits are being drawn into them. Most of the shop keepers would laugh when they told us the story so I'm guessing it's one of those customs that just get done. But I don't know the story behind it.

Apr 13th, 2007, 02:46	#6
roopesh_kohad Senior Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Pune, Maharashtra Posts: 164	You have opened a pandora's box! 7 chillies & lemon is to ward-off evil spirits or jealous glances from your article of possession. The lemon and chillies you saw on stores were tied to front bumper of my car in Hyderabad and I have seen them on all modes of transport cycle, bus/truck etc. I believe lemon and chillies hav "caustic"/"bitter" taste and that is how you would like to treat evil spirits with. The concept behind this is, if you have a very attractive possession like a newly built house, people will oggle at it jealously and make it lose its novelty/value. So, instead you yourself demean it non-destructively by hanging lemon&chillies, showing an evil face or horse shoe nailed to front door or putting a black spot on face of a cute baby. regards, Roopesh

Apr 13th, 2007, 04:48	#8
edwardseco Maha Guru Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Land that shakes and bakes. Posts: 3,924	Different culture, Nazar is not strictly western envy. Consider the dynamics in a zero sum game with little stability in property rights and you catch the rationality..

Apr 13th, 2007, 08:47	#10
kalyani68 Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Midwest USA Posts: 210	When we had a car puja done for our new van, we placed a lemon under each tire and then drove over them. I can see lemons as being a purifying substance. Hmmmmm.... But no chiles were used, alas....

Apr 13th, 2007, 08:51	#11
PeakXV Naan.tering Nabob Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Abode of Glooscap Posts: 4,194	Wow drishti, naughty djinns .... anything else the happy-go-lucky traveller should be looking to avoid while in India.

Apr 13th, 2007, 11:15	#13
sald Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: India Posts: 123	The evil eye concept is a very common custom across the country. And as johnyoga2 says, people still use the lemon chillies despite knowing that it may be just a belief. The basic concept is that when someone jelously eyes your possession, misfortune comes your way by way of the other person desiring your possession as his own. So the chillies-lemon basically ward off the evil eye. These are very popular with motorists - including autos, taxis, trucks etc. Thats why you'll see these being sold at traffic signals across urban India. The concept is so pervasive across India that even temples and other monuments have some kind of an evil eye warding off twist. Temmples have some kind of embellishment (an unfinished carving, a imperfect pillar etc.). A person marvelling the structure suddenly sees the imperfection and the 'nazar' does not get to the rest of the beautiful structure.

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