Note 33 — Chapter VI · THE EVIL EYE AND THE SCARING OF GHOSTS.

Iron nails and horseshoes are driven into the threshold or on to the door of a house on the full moon day or the last day of the Hindu calendar month at evening time, to prevent the entrance of evil spirits. Dirty localities being considered to be haunts of evil spirits, people living in such localities burn incense in their houses every day. While exorcising evil spirits the sorcerers throw charmed Udid grains and Rále panic seeds on the body of the diseased, or place these things below his bed. Rings made of metals of five kinds,—iron, copper, brass, silver and gold—are charmed on an eclipse day, and worn by people. Red lead and cowries are tied to the necks or feet of animals as protection against evil spirits. The spirits that haunt buried treasures are pacified by the blood of fowls and goats when digging up such treasures.33