A mermaid – JalPari

JalPari is a Hindi word formed by two Hindi words ‘jal’ means water and ‘pari’ means fairy. Jalpari is also known as Mermaid in English. A mermaid (Jalpari) is a legendary aquatic creature with the upper body of a female human and the tail of a fish. The word mermaid-Jalpari is a compound of the Old English sea, and a girl or young woman.

The Bhoot – supernatural creature

        
A bhoot is a supernatural creature, usually the ghost of a deceased person, in the popular culture, literature and some ancient texts of the Indian subcontinent. Interpretations of how bhoots come into existence vary by region and community, but they are usually considered to be perturbed and restless due to some factor that prevents them from moving on to transmigration, non-being, nirvana, or heaven or hell, depending on tradition. This could be a violent death, unsettled matters in their lives, or simply the failure of their survivors to perform proper funerals.Bhoots are able to alter and assume forms of various animals at will, but are usually seen in human form. However, their feet often reveal them to be ghosts, as they are backwards facing. As the earth is regarded as sacred or semi-sacred in many traditions of the Indian subcontinent, bhoots go to lengths to avoid contact with it, often floating above it, either imperceptibly or up to a foot above. Bhoots cast no shadows, and speak with a nasal twang. 

The Shiva Linga

The legend of Shiva Linga or Lingodbhavamurthy is deeply related to Mahashivaratri. The legend narrates the story of vain search by Brahma and Vishnu to discover the Aadi (beginning) and the Antha (end) of Lord Shiva. The legend thus proves the supremacy of Lord Mahadeva over other Hindu Gods and explains why the lingam is believed to be one of the most potent emblems in Hindu ideals. The story is stated in the three of the puranas – the Kurma Purana, the Vayu Purana and Shiva Purana

According to Puranas, once the other two of the triads of Hindu Gods, Brahma and Vishnu were fighting over each other’s prowess. Horrified at the intensity of the battle, the other gods asked Shiva to intervene. To make them realize the futility of their fight, Lord Shiva assumed the form of a flaming Linga in between Brahma and Vishnu and challenged both of them by asking them to measure the gigantic Linga (phallic symbol of Lord Shiva). Awestruck by its magnitude, Brahma and Vishnu decided to find one end each to establish supremacy over the other. Lord Brahma took the form of a swan and went upwards while Lord Vishnu assumed the form of Varaha – a boar and went into the earth towards nether land. Both searched for thousands of miles but neither could find the end.

A churel – A female ghost of South Asian folklore

                

A churel, also spelled as churail, chudail or chudel  is a female ghost of South Asian folklore, which is equivalent of Lilith and well known in North India, Bangladesh and Pakistan. The word “churel” is also used colloquially for a witch.

India is a land of myths & legends – centuries of profound history has given this land endless fables rising from every nook & corner. When it comes to ghostly icons, one is obviously drawn to the globally acclaimed vampires, werewolves & Halloween charades. However, it is quite interesting to note that Indian Ghost Stories have its own counterparts to compete with this global folklore, some of which have more horrifying track records. The Indian counterpart for the witch is called Chudail or Chudel (चुड़ैल )(pronounced as chew-dale). In many places, it is also referred to as Daayan (डायन) (pronounced as dye-en), although there are many conceptual difference of opinions between these two terms regardless of their common origin. A Chudail is an Indian Witch or Female Ghost and is believed to arise from the death of a woman during child birth. Indian witch stories have many variations across the different states of India. For e.g. the north Indian states often believe that the Chudail can change its physical form and lure young men. Once she lures them into a lonely place, she pounces on them to either kill or have physical contact with them. In both the cases, the victim is supposedly drained off his life. The Chudail is supposed to live near graveyards or deep inside the forests.