In this book Manju’s Magic Wishes, Manju uses a famous “chant” from Indian culture – Jantar Mantar Jeeboomba.
It’s a mix of so many things. Jantar Mantar is the word used for magic and sorcery in the north.
Jeeboomba was something I learnt from an old Tamil film when I was first introduced to the genie (or the jinn).
India is a melting pot of cultures – with Islamic rulers and British occupation and its own regional cultures and this chant is one of those mixed-up ones.
Different cultures use different chants for invoking magic. And this is the one I learnt when I was six. And in this book, I’m so happy to have brought it back to kids growing up today.