Why is 'Nimbu-Mirchi' hung outside homes and offices?

In India, various customs are carried forward from one generation to the other. These customs are the heart of Indian tradition and culture. There are indigenous solutions for everything, from coughs and colds to warding off the evil eye. The evil eye warder also known as "NAZAR BATTU" is used to keep the home and businesses safe from all evil eyes or "Buri Nazar". The 'Nimbu-Mirchi 'remedy is made of seven chilies and one lemon and is considered to keep your home and business safe from all the bad spirits and evil eye.

You would see it dangling at the front door of many houses and offices, schools, buildings and even on vehicles. Some people like to change it every fortnight while others change it daily. Once removed, it is thrown on the open roads away from the establishment so that the negative and bad influences don't affect the establishment again.

It is said that the lemon and green chilly hung is to keep away Alakshmi or Jyestha, who is considered inauspicious. Alakshmi is the sister of Goddess Lakshmi. Alakshmi brings poverty and misery and that why people don't want her to enter their homes and offices.

Alakshmi likes sour, pungent and hot things. That is why people hang Nimbu-mirchi on their doors so that Alakshmi gets attracted to it and does not enter the premises, and they are saved from bad luck. It is believed that after consuming lemon and green chillies, Alakshmi loses her urge to enter the house or business establishment.