top of page

Hex Appeal: How Gen-Z Is Reviving Witchcraft, One Spell At A Time

Ava Arjun

Scores of Gen-Z women have taken to witchcraft on TikTok, Instagram and Reddit. And contrary to popular belief, it’s not all double-double, toil, and trouble. 


Witches. What comes to your mind when you think of the word? If you thought of Buri Jadugarni from Chhota Bheem and her heinous plan to conquer Dholakpur, then you and I are on the same page. Except today, witches have gone beyond the small screen —  they have taken to TikTok, Instagram, and Reddit to share their craft, and believe me, it is not all double-double toil and trouble!


Of late, the term “witchcraft” has taken a softer meaning as opposed to the historical implications of it being devil worship and a crime against Christianity.


Perhaps the compelling nature of the practice lies in how blatant of a counter it is to patriarchy — for one, it goes against the grain of male-dominated religious conventions to include and honour the divine feminine



But let’s first circle back to its history: in the west, witchcraft rose as a branch of spirituality that turned up its nose to organised religion. However, in 1692, practitioners of Christianity in Salem, a town in Massachusetts, felt threatened by these women and their worship of, well...not Jesus!


As a result, scores of women were persecuted for their dastardly, evil crimes of healing ailments and keeping to themselves. 


In recent times, women across the globe have revived the practice of witchcraft as an act of self-love and feminism.


It makes sense, given how the conventional practice of any religion has historically marginalised the agency of women, limiting the things they can do and the beings they can worship. Witchcraft, on the other hand, celebrates empathy and intuition, and is a beautiful way to express femininity.


It’s visible in how millennials and Gen-Z witches have taken to Tiktok and Reddit to induct aspiring “baby witches,” share rituals or spells, and build safe online communities.



Still, it hasn’t made inroads into the Indian internet yet. What is ironic about it is that ritualistic practices in pagan worship are very similar to rituals present in Hindu texts like the Vedas and the Upanishads. Deity worship, use of incense, and sacred objects are all tools of worship practiced in many other Indian religions as well as in paganism.



Perhaps this is why the meaning of witchcraft is hard to distinguish in the subcontinent — its basics are ingrained in the fabric of religion in India itself.


Today, the fundamentals of the practice of witchcraft are empathy, self-love and sisterhood, things this world sorely needs.


What I find fascinating is how feminism and women's empowerment take so many different forms, including the stuff of magic. And yet, even today, aspects of the practice are still considered controversial by sceptics whose beliefs range from Jesus Christ to science.


It might not be persecution by fire, but it is persecution nonetheless.


After all, if so many women have chosen to identify themselves with this practice, it definitely warrants our attention and curiosity. 

16 views0 comments

Recent Posts

See All

Comentarios





Copyright @2022. All rights reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Privacy PolicyRefund Policy and Terms and Conditions.
Folk Frequency is the trade name of Gayatri Sapru Culture & Strategy Consulting Pvt.Ltd
MSME Udyog NIC 73200 - Market research and public opinion polling
GSTIN 27AAHCG9123C1ZR
Folk Frequency - Logo 3.0 - transparent bg-01.png
Screenshot 2025-01-29 at 11.08.03 AM.png
bottom of page