Ghosts are an integral part of the folklore of Bengal, which presently consists of Bangladesh and the Indian states of West Bengal and Tripura. Bengali folktales and cultural identity are intertwined in such a way that ghosts depicted reflect the culture it sets in. Fairy tales, both old and new, often use the concept of ghosts.
The common Bengali word for ghosts is bhoot (), which comes from Sanskrit bhūta (भूत), meaning "past" or "something that has passed". Also, the word pret (, derived from Sanskrit prēta) is used in Bengali to mean ghost, which generally refers to the spirit of a deceased person, or entity that has passed on. Among Bengali Muslims, supernatural entities are largely recognised as jin (, derived from Arabic jinn) or jin-bhoot ().
In Bengali folktales, ghosts and similar concepts are believed to be the unsatisfied spirits of human beings who cannot find peace after death or the souls of people who died in unnatural or abnormal circumstances like murders, suicides or accidents. References to ghosts are often found in modern-day Bengali literature, cinema, radio and television media. There are also alleged haunted sites in the region.
Types of ghosts and other supernatural entities
There are many kinds of ghosts and supernatural entities that frequently come up in Bengali culture and folklore. Ghosts have been important in the socio-cultural beliefs, superstitions and popular entertainment of the Bengali people. A few of these supernatural entities are mentioned here.
Jinn / Djinn Most often believed by the Muslim community of Bengal, the Jinn are supernatural beings that are generally considered invisible and capable of affecting living beings with their actions. An important aspect of Jinn is that they are seen, as humans, to be accountable for their deeds in the eyes of God. Jinn are not necessarily good or bad, but are seen as intelligent and subtle beings. They have free will, and a Muslim may acknowledge when a jinn is influencing their life. Some may attribute circumstances in their lives to Jinn interference and in some rural areas, this may be where shamanistic rituals may be employed to ward them off (talismans, prayers, etc.). Some Jinn like to shapeshift and appear as snakes or humans, and may become malevolent if disturbed or harmed by a human. Some Jinns can haunt human residences, toilets, lakes, graveyards, morgues, hospitals and even the wilderness.
Boba Jinn Sleep paralysis is often attributed in Bengali lore to a supernatural entity called the Jinn of "Boba" () (meaning muteness) or "Boba Jinn" (). This entity tries to strangle the victim in their sleep. The victims report themselves being unable to speak or move and often see the fearsome entity sitting over their chest as it strangles them. In Bangladesh, the phenomenon is called Bobaay Dhora (being struck by Boba).
Pari / Pori
In Bangladeshi folklore, pori (also spelled parī) refers to a supernatural entity, similar to a fairy, often depicted as a beautiful, winged creature with a connection to Islamic/Persian mythology. They are known for their ethereal beauty and association with the unseen realm, sometimes interacting with humans, both positively and negatively.
Mamdo
Mamdo or Mamdo Bhoot () are ghosts of Bengali Muslims who died unnatural deaths. The word Mamdo (), came from the word "mohammadiyah" (), which means "followers of Muhammad". This name may have stemmed from the fact that Mamdo Bhoot's were thought to be the spirits of Muslims that had become spectral or ghost-like.
Petni
Petni is what a Churel is called in Bengal. This is a spirit that is typically described as 'the ghost of an unpurified living thing', and is often known to inhabit trees. The Churel is closely related to the lore of Petni and Shakchunni, other popular female supernatural entities in Bengali folk tales. In some Hindu beliefs, these spirits may become dakinis and serve the goddess Kali. In some areas of Bengal, a Petni is the ghost of a woman who died during childbirth or pregnancy. Some Petni's would come about if a woman died during her menstruation. The Petni may appear as a woman with distorted or monstrous features (blackened tongue, claw hands, large fangs, and wild hair), and her feet turned backwards (a common trait of South-Asian supernatural entities), or she may be a shapeshifter to lure humans towards her.
Aleya Aleya is the name given to a strange phenomenon of light that happens near the marshes (similar to the will-o'-the-wisp), especially reported by the fishermen of West Bengal and Bangladesh. These so-called marsh lights often look like levitating orbs of fire that glow, which confuse fishermen, lure them in the water and drown them. Like the Nishi or the western idea of a siren, their voice is irresistible. Local people believe that these are the ghosts of fisherman who died whilst fishing. The fishermen of Sundarban delta region, especially the Khasti and Manna fishermen communities, strongly believe in these and always do an Atoshi-taron ritual before they go fishing.
Nishi Dak In Bengali, nishi means 'night' or 'darkness' (নিশি), and dak means 'call' (ডাক). This refers to a spirit that calls out to humans in the middle of the night, or in the dark, but in a familiar voice. The nishi dak will prey on those who are alone, and use familiar voices to lure their victims to a secluded area before revealing themselves and killing their victims. Legend says that if one hears the voice of their loved one call out to them once or twice, it is Nishi trying to trick them into answering her call, which gives her the ability to consume the answering person's soul. If the call is heard for a third time, it is safe to answer since Nishi only calls out to a person twice. Those who hear about this the ‘Nishi Dak’ (night/darkness call) live in fear and are said to never go outside alone at night with the fear that they may be targeted.
Mechho Bhoot The Mechho Bhoot is a famous spirit in Bengali folklore. Its name comes from the word “machh,” (Bengali: মাছ), meaning fish. These spirits live near village ponds or lakes, drawn to their love for fish. They can be playful, but they can also be dangerous. Fishing is very important to agriculture and economy in Bangladesh, as it is a riverine country with a variety of fish in the waters. According to folklore, those who suffer a death in the waters while fishing turn into Mechho Bhoots.
Begho Bhoot The word Begho comes from the Bengali word meaning 'tiger'(বাঘ). A Begho Bhoot is the ghost of people who were killed or eaten by the tigers in the Sundarbans, which is also a sanctuary for the Royal Bengal Tiger in the Bengal region. These spirits and their characteristics may relate to the folklore of Dakshin Rai, a deity of the Sundarbans who ruled over beasts and demons, who sometimes appeared as a tiger.
Local folktale suggests that these apparitions frighten people who enters the jungle and lead them to tiger lairs. They are also said to make the noise of a tiger roar in order to scare villagers. Begho Bhoot is symbolic of the hardships of poor, working class people who often fall victim to their livelihoods.
Besho Bhoot The word Besho comes from the word Baash which means 'Bamboo' in Bengali. It was believed that these harmful ghosts, called the Besho Bhoot, lived within bamboo gardens, and walking past these areas after dusk was considered dangerous. Another superstition states that if a bamboo plant is leaning or laying on the ground, no one should cross over it and should instead go around it, in fear that the bamboo would rise up unexpectedly by the spirit, and the person would die impaled by it. Strange weather phenomenons, such as gusty winds, were said to occur within the bamboo gardens whilst the weather elsewhere was fine.
Shakchunni The word Shakchunni comes from the Sanskrit word Shankhachurni. It is usually described as the spirit of a married woman, wearing a special kind of traditional bangles made of shells (called ‘Shakha Pola'/'শাখা পলা’ in Bengali) around their arms, which is a sign of married Hindu women in Bengal. In Bangladeshi folklore (and sometimes India), Shakchunnis are different from Petnis, the former are said to live on top of trees and attack people who may disturb them. They are also imagined as invincible, able to be banished only through shamanistic rituals.
Most local folklores in West Bengal and India depict her as a young woman who entered matrimony with a prosperous individual. Regrettably, her marital union proved to be marked by cruelty and abuse inflicted upon her by her husband, ultimately culminating in her untimely demise. In these folklores Shakchunnis return as ghostly apparitions intending to take revenge on their erstwhile husbands.
Given her distressing experiences within her own marital life, she harbors an intense longing for a harmonious companionship. Consequently, she targets contentedly married women, subjugating and usurping their identities to perpetuate an illusion of matrimonial bliss on behalf of her victims.
In local folklores, Shakchunni is depicted as the exact opposite of traditional submissive Bengali women. They are depicted as evil, revenge-seeking, scary entities with pointy ears. Researchers of local folklores call this a subtle patriarchal message that women who deviate from a set societal expectations are as abhorrent as Shakchunni.Rayhan, A. A. B. F. Haunters or Haunted?: A Feminist Anatomization of Female Ghosts (Shakchunni, Sheekol Buri, and Prapti) from Bengali Folk Tales through the Prism of Biological Essentialism.
Pishachas Pishachas are flesh-eating demons in Indian religious lore. They dwell in the dark and often haunt cremation grounds. They are also described as having shapeshifting abilities and invisibility. They are said to be able to possess human beings.
Rakkhosh Rakkhosh is the Bengali form of the word Rakshasa, from Hindu mythology. They are demonic beings known for having a malevolent nature, ability to shapeshift, and other supernatural abilities. They are depicted as having thick fangs and sharp claws, their appearance varying depending on the story. They are prominently featured in the Hindu epics of Ramayana and Mahabharata, which establishes their creation myth of being created from Brahma's breath and then banished to Earth by the god Vishnu. Many fairytales from Bengal speak of these creatures, describing them as vicious beings who feed on humans. A common call of the rakkhosh in traditional Bengali folk-tales is this couplet: Hau, Mau, Khau,... manusher gondho pau(Bengali:হাঁউ মাঁউ খাঁউ,... মানুষের গন্ধ পাঁউ) The first three are gibberish words describing the opening of the mouth and the intention to devour, whilst the second phrase means "I smell humans". This is comparable to the "fi fie foe..." phrase associated with giants.
Daitya (Doitto) The Daitya (or Doitto) (Sanskrit: दैत्य) look human, but possess extraordinary size and strength. They are similar to the giants.
Brahmodaitya A Brahmodaitya is the ghost of a holy Brahmin, or the spirit of a priest and scholar from the highest Hindu caste. Depending on the story, these spirits may appear benevolent or malevolent. Many Bengali folktales and movies portray them as being very kind and helpful to the living.
Brahmodaitya reflects the rigid and discriminatory nature of caste hierarchies followed in the past. Socio-political experts point out the fact that most other ghosts in local folklores of Bengal are depicted as dark-skinned while Brahmodaitya is depicted as fair skinned and benevolent.
Damori