The Mysterious and Unheard Stories of Female Ghost

Every night when we go to bed, we lock our windows and doors, secure in the belief that our houses will keep the outside world out. However, what about the phantoms of the night? Are the terrifying things that lurk in the shadows actually a threat to us? When it comes to the paranormal, one of the most popular topics is ghosts. People love to hear stories about hauntings and try to decipher the mysteries behind them. Out of all the ghosts that people talk about, female ghosts are seen to be the most interesting. Some say that female ghosts are more active because they are very emotional. Edgar Allan Poe said, “Dead women are more emotionally resonant than dead men.” The female ghosts are often tied to a certain place or a person and they are trying to seek revenge or just simply send a message. The concept of Shakti and female ghosts is shockingly contrasting. Female ghosts are considered to be evil whereas the Shakti is known to end evil. 

THE HISTORY BEHIND THE FEMALE GHOSTS

There are many mysteries about the female ghosts. Some say that they are the spirits of the women who died tragically, while others believe that they are the souls of the women who have been wronged in life. Historically, women in India can be seen as being treated in a wrongful manner. Whatever the case has been, female ghosts have never ceased to amaze people. 

WHY ARE FEMALE GHOSTS PREVALENT IN MANY CULTURES? 

As noticed earlier, the female ghosts are emotional and are historically more likely to be oppressed and disadvantaged than their male counterparts. This oppression makes them vulnerable to abuse, violence, and neglect. Another reason could be the way that they have been treated unjustly and used like property. One of the well-known stories in India is about ‘Nale Ba’. The legend originates from the Maleshawaram village of Bangalore. ‘Nale Ba’ literally means ‘come again tomorrow’. The evil spirit is known to shift voices at night and call out the residents of the village in their relatives’ voices. Whoever, responds meets their death. This legend dates back to the 1990s and has been adapted as a movie too. Rajkumar Rao’s Stree’ is the adaption of the Nale Ba legend. It majorly throws light on the past of the ‘evil’ witch also known as Stree. Stree had been a courtesan and finally found a loving husband. But some jealous men of the village had killed her husband and later on, killed her too. Therefore she started haunting the village in search of true love by aiming to abduct every man in the village. 

There are so many different types of female ghosts in the Indian history. For example, Nale Ba legend’s ghost is called Nishi Daak Or a voice that calls at night. India’s “ghost-o-pedia” is colored and nuanced by the spirits that inhabit its rural areas. They make their nests in trees, take food from children’s hands, raid fish markets in quest of fresh catch, cry out to strangers in a seductive voice, and plunge themselves into the hair of ladies who pique their interest. 

Another popular female ghost is the fish-loving mechho bhoot of Bengal has made quite a name for itself. It resides in trees near water bodies in villages and calls out to fisherfolk on their way to the market and back. 

These entities guard family heirlooms and legacies as well. Furthermore, they are just as intensely attached to anything or anyone that they believe is theirs. This aspect can be seen in the movie ‘Phillauri’, where Anushka Sharma or Shashi follows her human husband around. She always leaves a trail of glitter behind her, which can be seen as a sign or affirmation of her love for her husband. 

HOW DOES A MODERN WOMAN CONNECT TO THE STORY OF A FEMALE GHOST? 

Today’s women face a lot of societal pressure and judgment for everything they do. The mysterious stories of the wronged women somewhere resonate with them and they feel some kind of a connection with the former. For instance, if we take ‘Bhool Bhulaiya’ into consideration then we can see this argument presented strongly in it. The courtesan, Manjulika’s story deeply affects Avni. She starts to act and talk like Manjulika and she feels this overwhelming urge to kill the person who wronged her. As mentioned earlier, there is an emotional attachment present here. During the ongoing terror of Manjulika, Avni is diagnosed with dissociative identity disorder. The only cure for the disorder was the end of the man who wronged Manjulika. This story basically represents the current condition of a woman in the society. The women are an object of desire and therefore they get exploited. The aftermath of this leads to a deep impact on the mental health of the victims. The intensity of which can reach madness deep-rooted grudges and feelings of vengeance and justice. 

Manjulika from Bollywood Film – Bhool Bhulaiya: The Concept of Stolen is Strongly Portrayed.

WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF FEMALE GHOSTS IN INDIAN FOLKLORE? 

Indian folklore has a lot of varieties of female ghosts each with different backstories. Let’s dive into some of the types

1. PRETNI

She is considered to be one of the major ghosts in the Indian folklore. This kind of ghost is not only talked about in Hinduism but also in Buddhism and Chinese culture. Apparently, these are the spirits of those people who died with incomplete wishes or had experienced an untimely death by accident or suicide. In order to free these spirits from the human world, it is advised to perform the ritual of pindadaan. This ritual can be seen in the movie ‘Bhootnath’. These spirits roam around the place where they died or are present in someone’s house or abandoned places like forts, jungles, and cemeteries. In Hinduism, it is advised to chant God’s name and wear a religious symbol to keep these spirits at bay.

     2. CHUDAIL

This spirit is considered to be very powerful and can be both good and bad. The women who were killed while pregnant or died during pregnancy become chudail. They have long nails, burnt faces, and huge eyes. Their feet are backward and their head can rotate in any direction. However, they can transform their looks easily and they reside in abandoned areas. It is believed that chudails don’t attack women. Therefore, men usually carry bindi Or bangles as a cautionary step.

     3. SHAKCHUNNI

She is a ghost from the Bengali folklore who is the spirit of a married woman. She wears traditional shell bangles of Bengal. These shankh Or shell bangles are a sign of married women. Shakchunnis are believed to be invincible and can be only banished by shamanistic rituals. While the beliefs and stories about female ghosts vary from culture to culture, they all share a common element of fear and terror. Female ghosts are often seen as omens of bad luck or death, and their appearance is said to be a sign that something very bad is going to happen. Throughout history, female ghosts have left a horrific and violent legacy. These eerie characters have been haunting people’s thoughts for ages, bearing witness to the brutality and insecurity that women are so frequently subjected to. Even in this day and age, when the topic of gender-based violence is receiving more attention due to global justice movements, the female ghost continues to have a strong and unsettling presence.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

• https://www.jahernandez.com/posts/nale-ba-of-bengaluru-karnataka-india
• https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/ghost-women-why-are-there-so-many-female-ghosts
• https://www.filmcompanion.in/amp/story/features/indepth-stories/girl-talk-why-are-ghosts-always-female
• https://www.besthindifacts.in/2023/01/ghosts-from-indian-folklore-and.html?m=1
• https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/blink/cover/glossary-of-indian-ghosts/article32980324.ece/amp/

IMAGE SOURCES

• https://curioustic.com/this-indian-folklore-legend-nale-ba/
• https://www.pixstory.com/story/what-is-the-favourite-food-of-all-bengali-bhoots-ghosts-you-guessed-it-right-it-is-fish/223858
• https://pin.it/59ksnux
• https://pin.it/3cTXZOl
• https://pin.it/6QZ5MUE