TheJackal's horn (Urdu:گیدڑ سنگھی) is a mythical boney cone-shaped excrescence which is said to occasionally grow on the skulls ofgolden jackals.[citation needed] It is associated with magical powers inSouth Asia. Despite the lack of proof for its existence it is still widely believed to be real.[1][2] This horn supposedly usually measures half an inch in length, and is concealed by fur.
In the 1800s, the natives ofSri Lanka called this growthnarric-comboo, and bothTamil andSinhalese people traditionally believe it to be a potentamulet which can grant wishes and reappear to its owner at its own accord when lost. Some Sinhalese believe that the horn can grant the holder invulnerability in anylawsuit.[3]
According to healers and witch doctors inNepal, a jackal horn can be used to win ingambling bouts, and ward off evil spirits. TheTharu people ofBardia (Nepal) believe that jackal horns are retractible, and only protrude when jackals howl in chorus. A hunter who manages to extract the horn will place it in a silver casket ofvermilion powder, which is thought to give the object sustenance. The Tharu believe that the horn can grant the owner the ability to see in the dark.[4]
In some areas, the horn is calledSeear Singhi or "Geedar Singhi" the word "Geedar" is theUrdu translation of Jackal and (theroot words being thePersian "Seaah" meaning black, and "Singh" which means horn in Hindi and Urdu) and is tied to the necks of children. The horn is sometimes traded bylow caste people, though it is thought that they are in fact pieces of deer antlers sold to the credulous.[5]
InBengal, it is believed that when placed within asafe, jackal horns can increase the amount of money within three-fold. Some criminal elements of the BengalSansi will use fake jackal horns to lull unwitting people into trusting them, and will offer to place these horns into their victim's safe in order to discover its location.[6]