Perceptions about the evil eye belief practices among saraiki mothers in a punjabi village in Pakistan
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Date
2015
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Publisher
UNIVERSITY OF MANAGEMENT AND TECHNOLOGY
Abstract
The evil eye phenomenon is common in all cultures. In Pakistani context, this phenomenon has been rarely studied. The aim of the study was to explore the evil eye belief practices among Saraiki mothers in a village in Punjab, Pakistan. Saraiki mothers of Punjab believe in the evil eye phenomenon and have perceptions about its causes and effects. They adopt several types of protective and remedial practices to ward off the evil eye. This study investigates the perceived causes and effects of the evil eye and protective and remedial practices. Using qualitative interviews as primary research method, the researcher approached ten (educated & uneducated) mothers in the village and conducted in-depth interviews. The researcher conducted qualitative content analysis. Themes were emerged directly from the data that produced the interpretation of the finding. People religiously believe in the evil eye and its harmful effects. They relate it with a feeling of envy that intentionally or unintentionally trigger harmful wishes. Besides other folk remedies, Islamic amulets (tawiz) and incantations (dam/ ruqya) are popular religious remedies. The study concludes the religious basis of the evil eye beliefs and religious and folk remedial practices that provide a magico-religious healing framework initiated by a magico-religious perception of the belief.
Description
Supervisor: Mr. AzherHameed Qamar
Keywords
BS Thesis, Evil eye, Magico-religious, Folk healing, Religious healing, Childcare