Drishti bommai

A drishti bommai (Tamil), drishti gombe (Kannada) or drishti bomma (Telugu) is a talisman represented as a doll, predominantly found in South India. Regarded to possess apotropaic properties, these dolls are prominently hung at construction sites, houses, residential buildings, and trucks,[1][2] intended to ward off evil. They are regarded to be benevolent asuras, featured as intimidating in appearance to frighten malicious forces.[3] Similar to the Gorgoneion heads of ancient Greece, the decorative wide-eyed, often red, yellow, or green[4] moustached masks and can be seen in the Indian states of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh, and the union territory of Puducherry.[5]

A stall selling drishti bommai.

References
  1. "Evil eye doll (Drishti Bommai) vendors at Tiruchirappalli district" (PDF). International Journal of Applied Research. 2 (5): 666–668. 2016. Retrieved 21 July 2022.
  2. "Rational thinking affected sales, say 'Drishti Bommai' vendors". Dtnext.in. 21 January 2019. Archived from the original on March 11, 2022.
  3. U, Chandrashekar B. Astronomy In Ancient Indian Belief Systems. Chandrashekar B U. p. 68.
  4. Singh, S. Harpal (22 November 2009). "Warding off the evil eye". The Hindu.
  5. "Drishti Gombe Making - Bengaluru, Karnataka" (PDF). Dsource.in. Retrieved 21 July 2022.


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