A ritual effigy. A ngar glud is used in rituals that involve glud, which are small figures, often constructed of dough, that are used as substitutes for people who are afflicted by malicious spirits. A glud can be offered to the harmful spirit in exchange for the afflicted person, allowing the person to be “bought back” (bslu ba). In this process, an effigy of the benefactor of the ritual, called a ngar glud, may be used. The role of the ngar glud is to guide the glud to the place where the evil forces are, so that the exchange can be made.

Etymology

Basic Syllabic Etymology:

Here ngar has the sense of “power.” A ngar glud is an effigy that has had precious substances added to the material out of which it is made; those substances infuse the effigy with “power” (ngar).

Further Details