In one of the interactions with my neighbor the other day, she was ranting about the way her daughter-in-law was taking her 1 year Grandchild to functions and parties.  I was puzzled and enquired about her discomfort in this matter. After all it is her child and she is taking her to gatherings and certainly not roaming with her in hot sun.  To my dismay, my neighbor started a long lecture about how her grandchild falls ill the very next day after being taken out to such parties.  I said probably the kid might have consumed some food which might have upset her tummy. She vehemently disagreed and said it is all due to Kann drishti ( Nazar in Hindi, Evil Eye in English).  I was a bit taken back by her statement and then casually asked do you mean people like me seeing your grandchild is making her ill?  The lady nonchalantly said Yes, it happens without your knowledge and it does affect my grandchild. That is why I insist to my daughter-in-law to put in mai (kajal / kohl) in her cheeks such that the child does not look attractive.  But she never listens and also takes cute pics of the child and puts it all over social media.

I could neither negate nor accept this argument of hers having grown up in an atmosphere where such things are part of life but the literate in me was calling all this as foul, myth and a subject to disbelieve. Who else would we turn to?   So now you know this episode is about Evil eye.