What Is a Nazar Battu - its Meaning, Folklore & Fun Ways to Display One

2-minute read

Bulging eyes. Curled moustache. Tongue sticking out at the whole world. You've seen him on the back of trucks, over shop shutters and on half-built houses. Meet the nazar battu, India's original bodyguard against buri nazar.

So what is he, exactly?

Nazar means "gaze." Buri nazar is the evil eye: the old belief that too much envy, or even too much praise, can bring bad luck to anything good.

The fix? Put something so fierce in plain sight that every envious glance lands on him instead of your new house, car or shop. Simple. Genius. Very desi.

Down south he goes by drishti bommai (Tamil), drishti bomma (Telugu) and drishti gombe (Kannada). It's the same scary face doing the same important job.

From truck back to tabletop

We loved him so much we made him a collectible. Our Nazarbattu Figurine has the horns, the skull necklace, the leopard-print dhoti and that cheeky red tongue. He's hand-painted in India, solid and sturdy, and just 12 cm tall.

Where should he stand guard?

• Car dashboard: trucks have done it for decades, and now it's your turn
• Work desk: for that colleague who keeps peeking at your screen
• Home entrance: the classic spot to greet guests and scare off the evil eye
• Shop counter: keeping an eye on business, the old-school way

The gift that says "nazar na lage"

Friend just bought a new car? Moving into a new home? Opening a new office? Skip the dry-fruit box. Nazarbattu is the funniest way to wish someone good luck, and he makes a great Diwali gift too.

₹1,000 · Free shipping across India · Ships in 2 days

Bring Nazarbattu home →

Just for fun: this collectible celebrates Indian folk art; we don't promote superstition. Each piece is hand-painted and may vary slightly from photos.