Different types of Ghosts in India.

India has long been a place where the mystic and paranormal realm has never been far away from the daily grind of life. In many rituals and beliefs, the existence of the supernatural has been a given. One common belief among many Indians is the existence of ghosts and evil spirits.

These beliefs get more stronger as you move away from the cities into the towns a)nd villages.

Different parts of the country have their own beliefs in the existence of these supernatural entities. Most of them are said to be malevolent, ever waiting to prey on the innocent who happen to come in their path. Most of these evil spirits are given names. Some of them are said to be helpful spirits and some are even worshipped in places like Mangalore (Karnataka state).

I will attempt to briefly describe a few of these ghosts and this time I will need the help of my readers to add more to this list.

1. Mohini: The most well known female ghost among all. These are the ghosts of women and girls who had a failure in love and committed suicide or those women who died before fulfilling some of their physical needs. It is said that this makes them return as vengeful spirits. Most of them are given domain over a certain area which they haunt. They are said to entice males who fall for their charm and and led away to their world never to be seen again. Some say that these males pay with their life and others say that they are held prisoner for eternity.

In any case, this type of ghost is most dangerous and has been the subject of many Indian films.

2. Shaakini: A lesser known female ghost. It is the ghost of married women who died early in marriage either because of an accident or illness. Some of these are due to dowry harassment and are said to haunt their killers(most often than not, the in-laws). These are considered to be not so dangerous.

3. Daakini: Another female ghost often mixed up and confused with the Shaakini. This ghost is that of a woman who has died an untimely death which may be for any reason. You can assume that this is a generalized category for the ghost. The specific category would be a Mohini or a Shaakini. A Mohini can be both a Daakini and Mohini :) but that's digging a lot into this.

4. Kutti Chetan(Kutti saithan): Most of us have seen the dubbed version of the famous Malayalam film about the little mischievous ghost. People say that this ghost is that of a child. It is not so dangerous unless a tantrik(warlock or magician) has assumed control over it and converts into a malevolent evil spirit.

Some other ghosts from different parts of India.

6. Brahmodoityas(Bengal) are the ghosts of Brahmans, and might bless you or curse you.

7. Skondhokatas(Bengal) are the headless ghosts of people who died in train accidents.

8. Nishi(Bengal) are the ghosts who call people by name in the dead of night and lead them away, never to be seen again.(Now that's freaking scary!!!....and isn't this the Bengal version of the Mohini?)

9. Kolli devva(Karnakata) The ghosts who run through the forests and woods holding torches. Rational reason could be sighting of will -o-wisps.

10. Kallurty, Panjurli, Koti Chennayya(Mangalore, Karnataka) These three will need a post of their own. These ghosts are famous people who died for various reasons and are worshipped today as part of elaborate rituals. Some of these stories are down right scary. But more on these later.

So this was a brief introduction to the different ghosts of India. Feel feel to add/correct entries in this list.

Comments are much appreciated.

Read my real life Ghost experience here:

http://supernaturalmonitor.blogspot.com/2011/10/ghosts-experiences-1.html

Different types of Ghosts in India part -2 here:

http://supernaturalmonitor.blogspot.com/2011/08/different-types-of-ghosts-in-india-part.html

For ghosts of Bangalore:
http://supernaturalmonitor.blogspot.com/2013/03/haunted-placesghosts-of-bangalore.html

Jackson compound haunted by Ghosts

Cant get enough of the Jacksons and ghosts can we?

This article appeared recently.
http://www.torontosun.com/entertainment/celebrities/2010/08/21/15096096-wenn.html

Jermaine Jackson has spoken out about his family's darkest secret - the clan's famous compound in Encino, California is haunted by ghosts.

The singer has revealed the estate was built on an Indian burial ground and he has encountered many spooks there over the years.

His spooky tale is featured on TV show Celebrity Ghost Stories on Saturday night.

Jackson reveals ghosts have been spotted roaming the grounds of the estate and he once awoke to find two in his bedroom, when he was a child.

He recalls, "I opened my eyes and there were two older people."

And he insists the spooks weren't fun spirits: "They were angry, evil. You could feel the presence."

Jackson recalls sharing the details of his ghostly encounter with his mother, Katherine, who told him the ghosts were "demons".

He recalls, "She said, 'It's something that's gonna be in me for the rest of my life.'"

Most of the stuff in this story seems cliched especially the part about the Indian burial ground.

Could this be real and not a figment of his imagination?

Read further and decide for yourselves!!!

http://www.contactmusic.com/news.nsf/story/jackson-cant-sleep-with-the-lights-off_1161292

JERMAINE JACKSON can't sleep with the lights out after a spooky encounter with ghosts at the family's Encino, California compound left him terrified of the dark.

The Do What You Do singer told all about the Jackson family's haunted history during a recent taping of U.S. TV show Celebrity Ghost Stories, revealing the estate that became his home in 1968 was built on Indian burial grounds and attracted all manner of spirits.

And Jackson was left spooked late one night when two evil ghosts visited him in the bedroom he shared with brother Marlon.

He claims the elderly ghosts picked on him at a time he was exhausted and stressed following a long day in the studio with the Jackson 5.

He says, "I felt very frightened... I think they picked a time when you're weak. I was very very tired and very sleepy and that was the moment for them, so I gave them the opportunity to come and visit me.

"From that point on I never slept with the lights out. To this day I sleep with the lights on."

Bhangarh fort in the news!!!

EDIT:(23 JULY 2011): Friends I have recently added another post about Bhangarh here.
http://supernaturalmonitor.blogspot.com/2011/07/bhangarh-fort-2-indias-most-haunted.html

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Rajasthans-ghost-town-Bhangarh-now-a-popular-tourist-spot/articleshow/6386066.cms

This is the text from the article. Scroll down to get my views on Bhangarh!!!

Who doesn't love a good ghost story? We have all listened to them spellbound — during the ubiquitous load-shedding or on train journeys after which any trip down the dark corridor to the toilet became impossibility. But paradoxically, the more terrified we are, the better the story. But what happens when terror meets travel? We're talking about a visit to a ghost town that is one of India's spookiest places. At the edge of the Sariska forest in Rajasthan lies the town of Bhangarh whose haunted status is attracting scores of tourists these days. Definitely day, mind you, since the town is out of bounds after dark. A signboard displayed prominently by the ASI warns visitors: "Entering the borders of Bhangarh after sunset is strictly prohibited". Such is the town's reputation that even the Archeological Survey of India doesn't have an office here though government rules state that every historical site must have an office of the ASI. The nearest one is a kilometre away — enough distance between officials and the spooks. The haunted ruins of Bhangarh are now expected to be a big tourist draw during the Commonwealth Games. The Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation (RTDC) has included Bhangarh in a tour package especially designed for the games. "We chose this ‘ghost city' to boost tourism to the area," says Manjit Singh, chairman and MD, RTDC. But he smiles and adds, "We, of course, don't promise any paranormal activity." So how did the ghosts get here? The story goes that this sixteenth century town, 80 km from Alwar in eastern Rajasthan, was home to a tantrik (a magician well-versed in the occult) named Singhia. The tantrik fell desperately in love with the kingdom's beautiful princess, Rani Ratnawati. Knowing that he would never be allowed to go near her, Singhia decided to use his dark powers to seduce her. He spotted the princess's maid buying oil and cast a spell on the oil. If the spell worked, on touching the oil, the princes would surrender herself to him. Locals say that the princess, who was proficient in the occult herself, soon sensed his evil plan and foiled it. She threw the flagon of oil away, whereupon it fell on a stone. As soon as the oil touched the stone, it started rolling towards the tantrik and crushed him. But before dying, Singhia cursed the palace with the death of all who dwelt in it, without the possibility of rebirth. According to K L Saini, who was the director of the Sariska Tiger Reserve for 18 years, this entire belt used to be a thick forest. Even the Ramayana is said to talk of the Pandavas staying here while in exile. Yogiraj Hiranath, a sage during the reign of Maharaja Jai Singh of Jaipur, corroborates the fact that Bhangarh did have a princess called Rani Ratnawati who was adept in the art of wizardry. According to the locals, the town, protected by two inner fortifications and separated from the plains by ramparts, came to life only at night. There were bustling bazaars where beautifully adorned women ran shops. Besides the royals, common citizens could also eat, drink and make merry here. Everyone was expected to dress in finery with the king's treasury picking up the tab. In Yogiraj's account, wearing old clothes was a punishable crime as was eve-teasing. That might be more legend than fact, but Bhangarh is still a charming ruin to visit. Even today, a walk to the palace through the remains of what once used to be a bustling town is a fragrant affair with the aroma of kevda wafting in from a nearby grove. Bhangarh was also a well-laid out town and could serve as an excellent model for present-day town planners. Each shop along the route still has a vacant space for an idol. But what is strange is that there are no roofs on the houses, shops and even the palace. Locals say that whenever a house is built in the vicinity, its roof collapses! And in the village closest to Bhangarh, people have made roofs over their heads — but only those made of straw! Large banyan trees and several temples dot the landscape. The beautifully carved temples of Gopinath, Shiva (Someshwar), Mangla Devi and Keshava Rai have survived the passage of time and are a must-see for visitors. There is also the dancer's haveli, the ruins of homes and scattered boulders with carvings. On a nearby hilltop stands a chhatri that is believed to have been inhabited by the tantrik. Despite the passage of time, the Rani Ratnawati myth continues to fascinate everyone. Many claim to have witnessed paranormal activities in the area; some have "heard" sounds of music and the tinkling of anklets. Saini maintains that many tourists who take photographs inside the ruins find weird colour spots in the pictures. Is all this imagined or a ploy to draw in tourists? Whatever the truth, a visit to Bhangarh isn't for the faint-hearted. GETTING THERE BY ROAD | Bhangarh is a 47-km drive from the Sariska Tiger Reserve in Alwar, Rajasthan. From Delhi, visitors need to first get to Alwar, which is about 150 km away, and then drive 34 km to Sariska. There are no luxury buses on the route, so the best option is a taxi BY RAIL | Shatabdi runs from Delhi to Alwar every morning. From there, visitors can take a taxi upto Sariska

So here one of the national newspapers of India actually runs an article on the Bhangarh fort which is considered to be one of the most haunted places in India. So here's the low down on this place.

This place is so haunted that it is actually one of the most well documented and "real" haunted places in the world so much that thee ASI(Archaeological Society of India) has a real sign near the fort warning people to stay away from the fort before sunrise and after sunset!!! Now how chilling is that!!!

This is the real sign in Hindi that asks/orders people to stay away!
There are a lot of stories emanating from this place...People hearing strange sounds and noises and getting orbs/unexplained images in the pictures taken here.

Here is a nice report with pics, about the fort...Read for yourself and decide whether this is a hoax or reality....More on this later.

http://78mmadventures.com/forums/index.php?autocom=blog&blogid=11

EDIT:(23 JULY 2011): Friends I have recently added another post about Bhangarh here.

http://supernaturalmonitor.blogspot.com/2011/07/bhangarh-fort-2-indias-most-haunted.html