Ghost-centered folklore of Medinipur/ মেদিনীপুরের ভূত-প্রেত কেন্দ্রিক লোককথা

Abstract

The two words ghost and fear are closely related. Despite the changes in today's advanced educated civilized society, the scary, spooky atmosphere still exists in rural life. Human mind is fanciful and ghosts are manifestation of fear within subconscious human mind. Just as people have taken science to greater heights by harnessing their imaginative mind and manifesting his inventive powers. Similarly, a class of people ignored science and created various types of ghosts with their imaginary minds. One such environment resides in village societies of the undivided Medinipur districts. Even today, ghosts can be seen inside the minds of some villagers. So even today one can hear different kinds of ghost stories from rural people. The belief in ghosts as well as eerie places in the minds of the rural people can be seen. They think that ghosts live in dark bushes, forests, big trees etc. The people of this area believe that if a person dies with his unsatisfied mind, then that unsatisfied disembodied spirit does not disappear and wanders around his house and area. We know that there is no end to human needs so human mind is never satisfied. Besides, many suffer from diseases or die from injuries at a very young age. In that case also, from the unsatisfied soul, an incorporeal soul or ghost is born. This metaphysical spirit harms people when given time. Its proof can be heard from the mouth of the people of those areas. Again, people have given different names to ghosts according to their behavior and activities. Such as Brahmadaitya, Kupursha and Supursha, Mamdobhuta, Shakchunni, Petni, Hanuman Bhuta, Gomua Bhuta, Chirkin Bhuta, Satbahin etc. Therefore, various folk tales of these ghosts are heard in various rural areas of undivided Medinipur. There is a concept among people of this area about the incorporeal soul; after the death of a person, for the satisfaction of his soul, one has to go to Gaya and perform rituals like Pinddan and Shradhanam. Otherwise, this spirit harms people. And those who do not have the ability to go to Gaya and perform Shraddha, spend their whole lives in fear of ghosts. The fear of these ghosts has become so ingrained in the rural people that even if they are reasoned with, many times they do not want to understand. They cling to that belief and reformation and give it a day.