Daayan

What it is

The daayan is a vengeful female spirit or ghost in Indian folklore. She is usually a woman who died under traumatic circumstances, such as murder or death in childbirth. Unlike Western witches, she is a supernatural being rather than a living practitioner of magic. She is considered one of the most powerful paranormal entities in the region. Her presence is seen as a bad omen that brings harm to an entire household.

Where it comes from

The word comes from the Sanskrit dakini, a female entity from the netherworld found in medieval Hindu texts. These texts describe dakinis as fiendish spirits serving the goddess Kali. Over time, the concept evolved into the daayan figure. In some areas, like Harangul in Maharashtra, a secret society called the daayan cult emerged in the fifteenth century. Belief in these spirits remains strong in rural parts of India.

How it is done

Folklore describes her feeding on the blood or life-force of men. She may seduce lone travelers, imprison them, and drain their age until they become old or die. Some legends say she targets young families, turning young men into elders by drinking their blood. She is also said to hunt small children in certain regions. Her power is linked to her long braid, which acts as an extra limb, and her backward-facing feet.

Tools and materials

Her main tools are physical traits: unusually long braids, monstrous black nails, and feet that face backwards. The braid can be stretched, retracted, or regenerated to attack victims. She is often associated with cemeteries, abandoned battlefields, crossroads, and squalid places where she is believed to reside.

What it is for

She is believed to bring misfortune, harm, and death. Her evil eye is thought to curse a whole household. In some beliefs, she serves as a handmaiden to goddesses or worships black magic spirits. However, the term is also used socially to accuse women of causing family problems or sexual exploitation, leading to violence against them.

Who does it

No specific practitioners perform rituals for daayans; they are feared entities. However, the label is used by communities to accuse living women, often widows or those without male protection. These accusations are driven by social tensions, property disputes, or puritanical views on women's status. Scholars study these beliefs as part of anthropology and sociology.

Peoples and places

The belief is widespread across India, especially in Jharkhand and Bihar. It also appears in Pakistani culture through media. In Jharkhand, indigenous Sarna religion contexts see witchcraft accusations as a major social problem. Single women and widows are frequent targets due to unequal gender treatment. The legend varies by region, with north Indian stories focusing on luring men, while western tales involve eating children.

When it is done

There are no specific festivals tied to daayans. They are associated with crises, such as unexplained illness, death, or family misfortune. Their appearance is often linked to lonely roads at night or desolate places like graveyards. The belief persists in daily rural life, influencing how communities view women and misfortune.

How scholars and sceptics see it

Anthropologists note that daayan beliefs often mask social conflicts. Women are accused to seize property or settle personal grudges. The term is sometimes confused with churel, another vengeful ghost. While daayans are supernatural in lore, the real-world impact involves violence against living women. Researchers highlight how colonial and post-colonial societies have used these labels to control women.

Compare and confuse

Daayans are often compared to succubi or vampiresses due to their blood-drinking habits. They are distinct from churels, though terms are sometimes mixed. Churels arise specifically from pregnancy death, while daayans come from various traumatic deaths. Both are vengeful female spirits, but daayans are more closely linked to black magic and broader social accusations of witchcraft.

Questions people ask about Daayan

Good reading and sources

• Paid to poo: Combating open defecation in IndiaBBC, Article
• The ‘witches’ of JharkhandThe Hindu, Article

• Dayan (witch) on WikipediaEncyclopedia
• Wikidata recordOpen data