SUPERNATURAL BEINGS AND NEPALI SUPERSTITIOUS BELIEFS

Everybody is scared of Ghosts. It is not just the Nepali people, but people all over the world are terrified of the paranormal. The word 'Bhoot' in a literal sense may mean “the soul of a dead person, his imaginary shape, a dead soul, a spirit, or a demon” (Adhikari, V.S. 2063, 764). Subedi (V.S. 2055, 169) has explained the meaning of ‘Bhoot Pret’ as, “After the whole body has fallen, the microscopic living entity from the essence of the elements emerges, this form manifests as the air or wind and takes force according to its virtues. The air-like body is the spirit.” Ordinarily, ghosts and spirits signify the dead, the lost souls of those who die in scarcity or failure. The ghost cannot be seen nor touched; its presence is only felt through certain signals. These signs include - sounds of walking, opening doors and windows, crying, laughing, screaming, talking in the dark, seeing unclear shadows and shapes, or feeling like someone is saying your name in the dark. In the Nepali community, these signs are called 'being haunted'.

The belief in supernatural entities begun from the dawn of human civilization or culture is clear from our folk stories.

Britannica Ready Reference Encyclopedia (155) defines a ghost as "the soul of the dead person". The belief in supernatural entities begun from the dawn of human civilization or culture is clear from our folk stories. Here, the spirit is looked at as a separate entity. Even after the body's death, it is believed the spirit maintains its existence which might even be visible as the blurry image of the dead person. The mention of ghosts and spirits is also abundantly found in religious texts, folk stories, superstitions, and literature. Subedi (V.S. 2055) discusses that the knowledge of the supernatural is found in Eastern Ayurveda, whilst ghosts are also mentioned in ‘Sreemad Bhagvat Mahatmya’, ‘Bhardwaj Shruti’, and the ‘Ramayana’, etc. The ‘Garud Puran’ also provides detailed information about ghosts. In the West, the 'Holy Bible,' folk stories, and even Shakespeare's dramas discuss ghosts. The ‘Book of the Dead’ from Ancient Egypt illustrates that people continue to live their usual life even after death. In this same order, the book ‘After Death’ or ‘Letters from Julia’ (1897) was apparently written by the spirit of a foreign lady Julia who died in 1881 through her medium W. T. Stead using the gift of automatic writing. Many paranormal activities have occurred and continue to occur in the world today. There aren’t just books about ghosts but also many popular movies that have been created such as 'Dracula’, 'Evil Death’, ‘Omen’, ‘Six Sense', 'Bees Saal Baad’, etc.

The Concept of Ghosts

It is generally assumed that when humans began to understand the separate nature of the body and the soul, the idea of ghosts might have been born in their minds. A bitter truth in human life is death. Where does man's spirit go after death?

Even today, when and how did humans start to believe in ghosts is a matter of great discussion and discovery. It is generally assumed that when humans began to understand the separate nature of the body and the soul, the idea of ghosts might have been born in their minds. A bitter truth in human life is death. Where does man's spirit go after death? This is a matter of big curiosity. Probably, on seeing both the living and the dead body, the idea of the spirit was evoked in humans. A deep discussion on the spirit in human society has continued since ancient civilizations. Most of the religious books of the world discuss the spirit and death. Another mysterious thing about human beings is dreams. When asleep, humans reach the land of dreams and it feels as though the spirit is a separate form outside the body. The human being feels the existence of their spirit from the dream state.

‘Animism’ is a philosophy that believes all things in nature - people, animals, plants, rocks, soil, etc. possess life within them... In the 19th century the anthropologist Sir James Fraser (1996, p .215) wrote in his book ‘The Golden Bough’, "Every creature is living because of the soul. There is a small animal or small human behind every living and walking human or animal. This subtle animal or human is the soul”.

‘Animism’ is a philosophy that believes all things in nature - people, animals, plants, rocks, soil, etc. possess life within them. This notion is also in harmony with the ‘jeevavadi’ (animist/vitalist) way of life. ‘Animism’ believes in the soul or the spirit. Spirits are supernatural, invisible, and cannot be touched with our hands. There are many types of spirits, they could be our ancestors, ghosts, evil spirits, wraiths, demons, etc. It could be that they reside in plants or trees, animals or birds, rocks or soil, or exist separately. In the 19th century, the anthropologist Sir James Fraser (1996, p .215) wrote in his book ‘The Golden Bough’, "Every creature is living because of the soul. There is a small animal or small human behind every living and walking human or animal. This subtle animal or human is the soul”. He also described ‘sleep or death’ as the “absence of the spirit”. He said, “Sleeping is momentary but death is the depreciation of the permanent spirit”.

Ghostly spirits are believed to be rare and are colloquially referred to as “wandering or lost spirits”...The Nepali people believe that such wandering or lost spirits can be guided onto the path of salvation with the help of their community’s priests, shamans, etc.

According to human belief, the realms of Gods, Demons, Humans, Animals, Hell, etc. are all imagined. In this, the Human Realm is perceived as the most significant realm. Related to the source of ghosts, it is believed that usually people who succumb to an untimely death by hanging, drowning, drinking, pestilence, falling, being bitten by a tiger, snake, scorpion, accidents or murder, etc., and are not given the dignity of a traditional ritual of passage reach the realm or abode of ghosts. It is commonly believed that ghosts see humans meanwhile humans do not see them. The Nepali people believe that such wandering or lost spirits can be guided onto the path of salvation with the help of their community’s priests, shamans, etc. According to folklore, many ghosts reside in old abandoned houses where people do not live. In this context, Sharma (V.S. 2058) in his book ‘Hamro Samaj, Ek Adhyayan’ states different haunted houses such as Kashi’s Haunted house, Darjeeling’s haunted house, and Nepal's haunted houses. Ghostly spirits are believed to be rare and are colloquially referred to as 'wandering or lost spirits'.

Types of Ghosts According to Nepali Popular Beliefs
According to Nepali popular belief, there are many types of ghosts. such as Chudail, Masan, Murkuta, Raanke Bhoot, Pisach, Jagitra, Indreni Bhoot, Nangle Bhoot, Thaangne Bhoot, Sungure Bhoot etc.

Chudail- Chudailni
According to popular belief, there is a presumption that young girls and boys who fail in love and succumb to untimely death wander as Chudail/ Chudailni. They are considered among the most dangerous and powerful ghosts. It is believed that they trap young men and women in love and kill them by slowly sucking the blood from their bodies. The male form is known as Chudail, while his female counterpart is the Chudailni. The Chudailni are believed to hypnotize young men; they target isolated men and are said to whisper sweet conversations about love. Once men are smitten, they suck on the man’s blood until he dies. Usually, the young man hypnotized by a Chudailni is said to slowly lose weight, turn pale, stop talking to anybody, become depressed, and in the end, die. To destroy a Chudailni, one must locate her spine behind her waist (it is believed that her posterior side is hollow), tie a thread there without her knowledge and follow the thread to its end, whereupon digging one finds the tibia bone with blood. One must cremate this bone properly to flee the grip of the Chudailni. Sharma (V.S. 2058) also states in his book the occurrence of such an incident with Raja Pratap Malla’s son Chakravartindra.

Rangey Bhoot (Fire Ghost)

Rangey Bhoot moves around brooks and rivers, hills, and fields with a light on their shoulder in the dark. According to folk belief, this ghost is said not to enter homes and haunt or harm the home. But they haunt out at night around rivers and streams, hills, valleys, and caves. Since they appear like a spark of light in the dark, they are known as Rangey Bhoot (Fire/Flame) Ghosts.

Indreni Bhoot (Rainbow Ghost)
There isn’t a clear story of Rainbow Ghosts in the Nepali Society. But it is believed that whenever a rainbow appears and you walk by it, this Spirit will try to catch you. The rainbow ghost is said to hunt children in particular. Children are discouraged from walking or playing near streams, rivers, and waterfalls where rainbows appear.

Sungure Bhoot (Pig Ghost)
Sungure Bhoot is another ghost Nepali people believe in. If someone encounters this ghost, it is believed that at first it appears in the form of a pig and then transforms into a human, growing bigger and bigger until it touches the sky. It is believed that the pig ghost takes the soul of the person it meets, making them fall ill.

Masan
The king of the Ghosts or Masan is considered one of the most terrifying ghosts. The word Masan is also associated with the place where the dead are cremated or buried. The term ‘masan’ is the corrupt form of the Sanskrit word ‘samsan’. According to common belief, most ghosts are said to reside in the Masanghat (cremation grounds). That is why the Tantrik practitioners and Lamas also meditate at the cremation grounds. It is believed that Jogis also deal with spirits of the cremation grounds and these spirits walk with them while they go around blowing the feri (human tibia bone used like a horn) at night. The Masan does not haunt homes or the village. It resides in the cremation grounds and haunts people who visit such places. These are powerful ghosts and their ill effects are strong. But the Masan is not just harmful but can also be beneficial to humans. In oral stories, veteran shamans, priests, and people who deal with the cremation ground spirits are said to delegate such spirits to various works such as chopping logs, plowing the field, sowing crops, etc. Oral tradition says that when working with such spirits, one must feed them until they are satiated and not look at their face. If one turns behind and looks at the face of the Masan, the person may succumb to immediate death. In Pakyong Sikkim, there is a place known as 'Masan Bari', the field is believed to be made by the Masan spirits. There are many forms of Masan such as – Veer (Brave) Masan, Jal (Water) Masan, Dahre (Fanged) Masan, Kali (Dark) Masan, etc.

Murkutta

Another ghost considered terrifying and powerful by the Nepali people is the Murkutta. This ghost has no head, instead, it has big eyes on its shoulders and a body like a tall black tree. It is called ‘Mulkata Khyaa’ in the Newari language. The neck/head is known as ‘Mul’ in Newari, meanwhile ‘Kata’ means cut or chopped off. People believe this terrifying ghost resides in solitary forests, silent deserted places, caves, hills, waterbodies, the entrance of villages, and intersections of two roads. It is said that two dangerous sharp fangs emerge from the eyes of the Murkutta.

There are many sorts of ghosts besides the ones mentioned above, such as Karaase Bhoot, Nanglo Bhoot, Thaangne Bhoot, Pisaach, Chawra, etc. All these ghosts have their origin stories, for instance, lost souls of dead children are believed to become Chawra.

The Impact of the Supernatural on the Everyday Life of Nepalis

There are many folklores, superstitions, proverbs, and commentaries on ghosts and spirits in Nepali folk life...According to local Nepali beliefs, one needs to rely on shamans, priests, witchcraft, local medicines, talismans, and antidotes instead of scientific medicine to eradicate the ill effects of ghosts.

Although there is no accurate or scientific evidence about ghosts, there is a profound impact of ghosts on communities worldwide. The Nepali community is also not untouched by its influence. There are many folklores, superstitions, proverbs, and commentaries on ghosts and spirits in Nepali folk life. It is commonly believed that ghost encounters are common at midnight and in the evening. Supposedly a human being is haunted by a ghost. In that case, they suffer various symptoms such as their physical body becoming weak, high fever, stuttering, turning pale, suddenly fainting, and their mental health deteriorating. According to local Nepali beliefs, one needs to rely on shamans, priests, witchcraft, local medicines, talismans, and antidotes instead of scientific medicine to eradicate the ill effects of ghosts.

We see the influence of the supernatural in our everyday lives and traditions...At night, one cannot walk around carrying meat as they might be affected by or chased by paranormal beings, etc... In Nepali society, we also have many proverbs, sayings, and commentaries related to ghosts such as-“For fortunate people even the ghosts are servants”, etc. Any tyrant, abuser, or wicked person is also referred to as Bhoot (Demon) by people.

We see the influence of the supernatural in our everyday lives and traditions. Family members are barred from touching a newborn baby after they enter the house as the person may have encountered ghosts, spirits, wraiths, witches, etc. One can touch the baby only after touching fire. At night, one cannot walk around carrying meat as they might be affected by or chased by paranormal beings. When returning after the cremation or burial of a corpse, one must put a thorn in the road, this is believed to ward off the ghostly energies. It is also believed that hanging a black horseshoe atop the door helps keep evil away. While walking at night one must put a tika from the dust of one’s feet. While sleeping one should keep a khukuri (Nepali traditional knife) or an iron object under the pillow to not get tormented by ghosts. In Nepali society, we also have many proverbs, sayings, and commentaries related to ghosts such as- “Being possessed by a ghost”, “To become a ghost’s meal”, “ghostly stench”, “A ghost who lives nearby is better than a God who is afar”, “Ghosts are not considered gods, similarly, there is a difference in affection between your actual relative and someone who you may call mama (maternal uncle)”, “For fortunate people even the ghosts are servants”, etc. Any tyrant, abuser, or wicked person is also referred to as Bhoot (Demon) by people.

Conclusion

The concept of ghosts and demons is found not only among Nepali societies but also among all the societies, religions, and nations in the world. Various research on such supernatural phenomena is being conducted, yet no concrete evidence of their existence has been found. Therefore, ghosts and spirits are still considered superstitious beliefs. Yet, human beings have been curious about the paranormal across the ages. Many incredible events related to the paranormal are still believed to have occurred, with scientists continuing to carry out abundant research and comprehensive investigation. Today, even though science has made great leaps and bounds, people continue to believe in ghosts and spirits. The supernatural continues to be portrayed in movies, novels, and our stories.

Today, even though science has made great leaps and bounds, people continue to believe in ghosts and spirits. The supernatural continues to be portrayed in movies, novels, and our stories.

References

1. Sharma, J., Vikram Samvat 2058, Hamro Samaj: Ek Adhyayan, Kathmandu, Sajha Prakashan.
2. Subedi, H., Vikram Samvat 2055, Nepali Lokjiwan: Lokvishwas, Kathmandu, Sajha Prakashan.
3. Hemang Raj, Adhikari and Bhattarai (Editor), Vikram Samvat 2063, The Essential Nepali Dictionary, Second Edition, Kathmandu, Vidyarthi Publications.
4. Ivan, Joe (Editor), 2002, Britannica Ready Reference Encyclopedia, Part- 4, New Delhi, Thomson Press India.
5. Fraser, J., 1996, The Golden Bough, London, Penguin Books.
6. Stead, W.,1905, After Death: Letters from Julia, Borderland.
7. htpp://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghost

Translated By: Simran Sharma