65 Terrifying Events And Photos That Might Haunt Your Thoughts For Days

As kids, many of us loved the thrill of scary movies and books. Ghosts hiding in closets, witches riding broomsticks, and monsters lurking under the bed were all part of the fun, until bedtime rolled around. Suddenly, pulling the blanket over your head seemed like a pretty solid safety plan! Some of us even had little rituals to keep the imaginary monsters away. As it turns out, though, the idea of protecting ourselves from evil isn't just a childhood thing. Across the world, people have their own traditions for keeping bad luck, evil spirits, and negative energy at bay.

In India, where ancient rituals and spiritual beliefs are woven into everyday life, some of these traditions are especially fascinating. From hanging lemons and chillies outside doorways to drawing auspicious symbols on walls, people have passed down all kinds of practices meant to ward off evil and invite good fortune. For many families, these customs are more than just superstition; they're a connection to their roots, shaped by generations of belief and tradition. And even today, many of them remain very much a part of everyday life.

To understand more about these practices, Bored Panda spoke with Pandit Murli Anand. He’s been a priest for over 30 years, performing rituals, chanting mantras, and offering spiritual guidance. “My father was a priest, and his father before him,” he shared. “It’s in our blood, you could say.” His temple in Uttar Pradesh still gets visits from people asking for help when they feel things are going wrong.

“People come when jobs are delayed, marriages stall, or sickness lingers,” Murli explained. “They believe it might be a curse or negative energy.” That’s when he and others like him step in with age-old rituals. “We have special chants, prayers, and objects we use depending on the problem.” From turmeric to incense, and even red threads tied around wrists, these elements all hold significance. And each region has its own special way of doing things.

“In North India, hanging lemon and chillies is very common,” he continued. “It’s placed at doorways, shops, even cars, to protect from nazar, the evil eye.” The idea is simple: the sourness of the lemon and the heat of the chillies scare off negative energies. “It’s like a warning sign, don’t mess with us,” he laughed. And whether or not it works, people swear by it. It’s tradition, after all.

“We also break coconuts before new ventures or rituals,” Murli said. The coconut symbolizes the ego, and breaking it is an offering of surrender. “It clears the way for positivity and success,” he added. It’s less about fear and more about cleansing and inviting good luck. These customs aren’t just spiritual, they’re deeply emotional and personal for many.

Some villages even have unusual traditions. “They write ‘Evil come tomorrow’ on their front gates,” Murli shared. It’s basically tricking bad spirits to delay their visit. “And when tomorrow comes, they just write it again,” he chuckled. It might sound silly to outsiders, but for the people who do it, it’s serious business. “These tricks may seem small, but they give people a sense of control.”

Murli believes these rituals help people feel safe. “Even if it’s psychological, it brings them peace,” he said. And in a world that often feels chaotic, that peace matters. “Sometimes it’s not about the spirit outside, it’s about calming the one inside you.” That’s a perspective that even the most skeptical minds might appreciate. After all, belief has power.