For EST readers ,your name is almost synonymus with the remedies . What made you take so much interest in the remedies rather than predictions?

We go for medical tests, to know what is the root cause of our physical sufferings, and what is wrong in our system. Then, our immediate next step is to ask the doctor for the medicines to cure the symptoms and the disease. Similarly, after diagnosing that xyz dasa is unfavorable, the client's immediate next question is about the pariharas. Hence since beginning itself, I got inclined towards the remedies and pariharas to solve the clients' problems. I used to write (from 1995 till recently) regular monthly column on Instant Remedies in our esteemed magazine EST. It's been 25 years, I have been suggesting various kinds of remedies to solve people's burning problems, be it court case or family issues, career-related matter or burden of debt! In fact, this is my silver jubilee association with EST.

How do you define Totka?
In my humble opinion, Totkas are the traditional remedies to ward off evil, passed from generation to generation. We have been following Totkas unwittingly e.g. eating Curd with Sugar before going to write examinations, putting Turmeric paste on body, a day before getting married, and distributing Saffron rice to friends on Vasantha Panchami day etc.

How did you come to know about Totkas? How did you get introduced to the Totkas?
During my childhood, I used to curiously observe seven Green Chillies and one Yellow Lemon hung in Black thread at the entrance of many shops and commercial establishments. When I visited Guindy Engineering College, Chennai in 1983, there also I saw Lemons welcoming the customers at the entrance of many shops & restaurants, but in a different way .The shopkeepers had kept one Yellow Lemon dipped in a glassful of water, near the Cashcounter. Some shopkeepers immersed one Rose flower also, along with Yellow Lemon.

Later in life, when I started going to other Southern states (Bangalore, Hyderabad & Kochi etc.,) for Astro-Vastu consultations, I observed many shopkeepers burning Camphor after pulling down the shutters. Breaking Pumpkins on the roads on special days was a common sight. I had witnessed similar kind of rituals being practiced in Malaysia, Mauritius & Dubai also.

I asked my mother about all these rituals, to which she replied that all these are Totkas done to get protection against the enemies. It is widely believed that the Totkas protect us against evil eye & black magic also.

In remedial astrology, we propitiate malefic planets to get positive results. We make an attempt to convert Lemons into Lemonades. We cannot stop the rains; but don't we undertake protection(umbrella / raincoat) to get past the rains? Similarly we believe that we cannot stop or alter the movements of the planets, but we can use astrological remedies as a tool to put a protective shield on us to get protection from malefic planets. We suggest easy to perform and result-oriented remedial measures to solve burning problems. We work on the principles just like Paracetamol tablets, which are given to control fever in our body. Fever is discomfort and Paracetamol is the remedy (symptomatic).

There is a another term Tona , which is used along with Totka. Totka is a positive ritual to protect ourselves against the enemy's attack, whereas Tona is a negative ritual meant to harm the opponents / enemies. African occult practitioners use voodoo dolls to perform Tona. My mother & other gurus have always taught me NEVER to indulge in Tona, as it attracts bad karmas.

Kindly share your personal experience with the efficacy of the Totkas
I clearly remember two incidents of personal experience, with the efficacy of the Totkas. One, at the time of applying for passport, I realized that I had misplaced bunch of my school certificates, mark sheets and date of birth certificate. I didn't know what to do as I needed the passport urgently. A close friend suggested me to consult his Family-priest, who was also an expert in the art of the Totkas. Reluctantly I went to him and explained my plight. He told me to bring two seeds of Betel nut and one Betel leaf. He wrote something on the Betel leaf and read some mantra over the Betel nuts. Then he told me to go home and keep both Betel nuts on the Betel leaf at the last remembered location, where I had kept / seen the certificates. I did what I was told to do. After a few days, I opened the cupboard, where I had kept the Betel nuts and the Betel leaf (last remembered location of the Certificates). I started moving the papers and the files kept there. To my surprise, suddenly I saw a bunch of the Certificates, which I was looking for, and needed desperately! Immediately I thanked God and the priest for helping me getting back the lost Certificates.

Second time, a friend requested me to borrow my Bike for two days. I gladly gave him as he was a trusted and one of my close friends. On the third day, when he didn't turn up to my place to return my Bike, I went to his house. On asking about my Bike, he apologetically told me that he had gone to attend a marriage-party, and he suspected that someone had stolen the Bike from the venue. He also told me that he was trying through unofficial sources for the recovery of the Bike. I felt disheartened, and decided to lodge Police complaint. After lodging the Police complaint, I thought of same Family-priest of my friend, who had helped me finding lost Certificates. I went to him and asked for his help this time also. He again did the same ritual of Betel nuts and Betel leaf. This time, he told me to keep the Betel nuts and the Betel leaf at my house, where I used to park my Bike. Two days passed, and there was no clue of the lost Bike. I became worrisome. On the third or the fourth day, I got a phone call from the Police station to come to the Police station to recognize the Bike. On reaching the Police station, I saw my Bike parked in the parking lot. The Police officer on duty told me that they found the Bike about ten kilometers away from the wedding venue. He expressed the possibility that the Bike must have gone out of fuel, which had made the thieves to leave the Bike there only.

I again thanked God and the priest, for helping me getting back the Bike.

Till date, I haven't found the secret behind Betel nuts and the Betel leaf ritual.

Have you written any book on Totka?
I am in the process of compiling the Totkas. God willing, I will be able to launch my book The book of Totkas" very soon.

Can you share some easy to do Totkas for getting protection against Evil Eye?
For the shops & commercial establishments: Dip a Yellow Lemon in a half glassful of water, and keep it near Cash-counter.

For homes: At the main entrance door, hang seven Green Chillies and one Yellow Lemon pierced through Black thread, with the help of needle. Change it every Tuesday & Saturday. Instead of seven Green chillies, some people opt for three or five chillies also.

To get rid of Evil Eye: Every Wednesday night, the affected person should eat sweet Betel leaf, with eleven Rose petals. Betel leaf represents Mercury planet, and the sweet stuff in it represents Mars. The logic behind eleven petals is that nine petals for nine planets , one for Evil Eye and one for Black Magic . This ritual can be done by anybody, as it boosts up positive energy.

For individuals Take a medium size Yellow Lemon, and cut it into four pieces. Throw each cut piece in each of four Directions, to be done while standing at any cross-roads.

Do we require rare items to perform Totkas?
Traditionally our elders have been using many easily available household items, such as Green chilies, Red chillies, Black Pepper, common Salt, Betel nuts, Betel leaf, Mustard seeds , Yellow Lemon, roots, flowers, bark and leaves of various plants & trees, to ward off evil and to attract good luck

Can you share some easy to do, useful Totkas related to above-mentioned items?
It is generally believed that our enemies only cast drishti/nazar on us, but in reality, our loved ones also cast drishti/nazar unknowingly. In North India, especially in Punjab, it is widely believed that when the mother praises her child too much, the child's health may get effected due to drishti/nazar. Even we also cast drishti/nazar on ourselves unknowingly. When we see ourselves in the mirror and admire our beauty, then there is fear of drishti/nazar. Boasting of our academic/professional achievements in front of friends & relatives can also cast drishti/nazar.

Red chillies
It is very effective to remove Evil Eye cast on the children. It works almost instantly. Take four pieces of dried Red chillies and rotate anti-clockwise seven times, over the head of the child. Burn the chillies in fire. If you don't feel any smell or spicy aroma, it is a sure shot sign that the child was under Evil Eye effect, and now the child is free from drishti/nazar. This can be performed anytime.

Astrologically speaking, Drishti/nazar is caused by malefic Mars, and Red Chillies represent Mars. We burn Red Chillies to destroy the negative effects of malefic Mars

To repay loans
Businessmen take loan in order to expand their business. The home-makers take loan to buy new gadgets, mobile phones and laptops etc. If financial planning is good, and proper budgetary discipline is maintained, then there is no problem in taking and repaying the loan. Problem arises, when income suddenly falls and one feels incapable of repaying the loan. Stress of paying loan-installments doesn't let the person sleep properly. If a person has the good intentions of repaying loan, then the following Totkas will definitely help the borrower.

Never take the loan on Tuesday . Always pay installments on Tuesday

Plan to pay first loan-installments on Ravi-Hasta day i.e. when Hasta nakshatra falls on Sunday. This helps in speedy payments of the installments

Starting from first Wednesday of the bright lunar phase (Sukla Paksha), daily recite Rin-harta Ganesha stothra .

Every Thursday, donate 800gm Red Masoor pulse to any sweeper

Every Tuesday & Saturday, observe fast, and offer sweet prasad at Lord Hanuman temple.

Black Pepper to control the enemies
When opponents become enemies, and may start harming physically or mentally, then it makes a lot of sense to protect ourselves from any such possible attack/s On Amavasya and Pournami day, take a few seeds of Black Pepper in hand. Rotate three times anticlockwise over the head of all the family members, and throw towards South Direction

Betel Leaf
As per the Hindus' beliefs, Betel leaf is always included during worshipping the deities . There are many references of Betel leaves, even in the Puranas also.

To appease Lord Hanuman
By getting the blessings of Anjaneya Swami, one gets good health, intelligence, smartness and alertness. One becomes debt free and disease free. To appease Anjaneya Swami, every Tuesday, one should offer sweet Betel leaf (sweet paan) at His temple. Care should be taken that it shouldn't contain Betel nut and Tobacco.

To get rid of Tantric effects
If you suspect that someone has done some kind of tantric action on you or your commercial establishment, then doing the following ritual will prove to be beneficial, in removing negative tantric action.

On Tuesday morning around Sunrise time, collect 8 already fallen leaves of Peepal tree. Wash them in a mix of 1/3 unboiled milk & 2/3 water. Get 8 Betel leaves, and wash them also in the above mentioned mix of water & milk. Using needle and Red thread, pierce them in alternate order i.e. one leaf of Peepal, then one leaf of Betel. Hang this on the main door. Repeat this for 8 Tuesdays. You will definitely observe positive changes. Make sure to be a pure vegetarian and teetotaler on Tuesdays.

Betel Nut
Betel nut is consumed in almost every part of India. If it is worshipped and used properly, it can show miraculous results.

On Diwali night, wrap a sacred thread (Janeu) over a Betel nut. Keep it on the altar and perform the Lakshmi puja. After the puja, apply Red kumkum & Rice grains on Betel nut, and keep it in locker, where the valuables & cash are kept. By doing this simple Totka, prosperity of the home increases many folds.

Jupiter symbolizes prosperity, knowledge, higher education and reputation. Peepal tree represents Jupiter. This should be done on Amavasya night falling on Saturday. Worship Peepal tree located in a temple and light a lamp of Mustard oil under the Peepal tree. Keep a few coins, and a Betel nut near the roots of the tree. Next day around Sunrise, take bath and go to that Peepal tree, to collect the coins and the Betel nut. Wrap both the items in a Peepal leaf (already fallen on the ground). Keep this leaf, Betel nut and the coins in the Cash-box. Improvement in business will be noticed within no time.

For Domestic Peace
Draw a Swastika symbol, on a Betel leaf with pure ghee & Orange sindoor.
Tie Red thread (kalawa / mauli ka dhaga) on a Betel nut .

Keep this Betel nut on the Betel leaf and keep safely on the altar or in the puja room. This process can be repeated every Pournami. This ritual brings peace in the home.

Gain in business: Wrap a Coconut in 1.25 meter Yellow cloth, and donate it along with sweets, a Yellow flower & a pair of sacred thread (yagyopavita or janeu) in a Lord Rama temple, and pray for success and profits in business. This should be performed on every Navami day.

Unmarried girl of marriageable age
On Thursday morning, after taking bath, put a tilakam of Red kumkum, Turmeric and Rice grains on Betel nut. Tie Red thread (kalawa / mauli ka dhaga) on a Betel nut. Go to Vishnu temple; pray to get suitable groom, and leave the Betel nut there in front of God Vishnu.

Can you share a few Totkas, for peace & prosperity?
For prosperity
1. Place four spoonfuls of Red Sandalwood powder, eight petals of Rose flower and one piece of Jaggery in a Red (non-shining) cloth. Tie up everything with Red thread, and place it near the feet of Lord Hanuman). This should be done on Tuesday.

2. Collect 12 Peepal leaves (already fallen) on the first Thursday of Shukla Paksha (Waxing Moon period). Sit in South Direction and write "RAM" with Ring finger on each leaf, using paste of pure ghee & Orange Sindoor. Keep them near the feet of Lord Hanuman, and seek His blessings.

For marital harmony: While sleeping, married couple shouldn't keep mobile phones between their pillows. Use Pink colour pillow covers.

For peace in family
Instead of buying Wheat flour from the market get Wheat ground from wheat- grinding shops. Add about 10% Black chickpeas (kaala chana) with the wheat, before you give the wheat for grinding. This should be done on a Friday. Consuming this wheat flour brings peace in the family.

Any caution to be taken, while performing the Totkas?
Breaking pumpkins on the road have serious implications as motorists, elderly persons and the children tend to skid on the road and this can lead to accidents.
Used stuff like Lemons, Green chillies etc shouldn't be thrown carelessly on the road / public place. Keep them respectfully under a Peepal tree or float in a flowing river.
For safety purpose, perform the Totkas before Sunset, unless specified otherwise.
Before performing any Totka, it is advisable to consult an expert & competent person.
DO NOT perform any Totka, to achieve any nefarious desire.