Why is this big-eyed woman in a poster in Bengaluru going viral?

Dubai: Driving through Bengaluru’s roads isn’t just about navigating traffic; sometimes, unexpected sights grab your attention too. One such curiosity was noticed by a Maharashtrian woman living in the city who goes by the social media handle @unitechy.

She began spotting a peculiar poster repeatedly — an image of a saree-clad woman with wide, kohl-lined eyes — hanging from buildings under construction. Intrigued by its frequent appearances, she clicked a photograph and tried to identify the woman using Google Lens, but with no success.

Eventually, she took to social media to seek answers. “I see this woman everywhere in Karnataka, outside Bengaluru, wherever there’s construction happening. I tried Google Lens to check for discussions, but can’t find any details. Who is she?” she wrote.

She shared her post on January 5, 2026, and it quickly went viral, amassing over 3.2 million views.

Users soon began offering explanations. One wrote that the poster was a nazarbattu — a charm believed to ward off the evil eye at construction sites. Another echoed the sentiment, saying it was meant to protect buildings from negative energies. A third user remarked, “Nazar kavach, but it’s strange people are using this image. Traditionally, it’s usually a devil-like face with a red tongue. Maybe this is a meme trend.”

One X user even shared a screenshot of an AI-assisted search. According to the bot, the woman in the poster is Niharika Rao, a Karnataka-based YouTuber. Her startled expression from a viral 2023 video reportedly evolved into a meme, which locals have since adopted as a modern ‘Dristi Gombe’ — a humorous charm to ward off the evil eye.

Adding to the amusement, another user joked, “It’s a demonic sigil that comes after thieves if they steal anything.”

As the mystery unfolds, the internet remains fascinated, with more users sharing images of the poster hanging across Bengaluru’s markets and construction sites.