With the auspicious festival of Diwali around the corner, the whole world dives into the ocean of lights. Along with Diwali, India celebrates a series of festivals in various regions of the country like Bhai Dooj, Lakshmi Puja, and Kali puja. During the same time in West Bengal celebrates the unique festival of Bhoot Chaturdashi that holds a very special significance in the cultural fabric of the region. People believe that on this day spirits of their forefathers roam on the earth as the layer between the living and the afterlife gets thinner. To avoid the evil and dark spirits entering the households, they light fourteen earthen lamps and place them all around the house.

What Is Bhoot Chaturdashi?

Celebrated in the Krishna Paksha (Bright Fortnight) of the Kratika Month, Bhoot Chaturdashi is a festival that holds a lot of significance in the hearts of Bengali people. On this day as the veil between the living world and the afterlife weakens, the spirits of forefathers roam around us but with it also comes the uninvited evil dark forces that people fear the most. So they perform a series of practices to avoid those dark forces to enter the house.

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Story Behind Bhoot Chaturdashi

Festivals in India are celebrated on a basic principle, ‘the winning of good over evil’, and hold the utmost importance. Well in the same way Bhoot Chaturdashi also known as Naraka Chaturdashi holds a historical tale of good vs evil. On this very day, Lord Krishna destroyed the evil existence of the demon Narakasura. Thus, a practice of observing a day in remembrance of the incident started. In Bengali folklore, there is a mention of different kinds of spirits and ghosts like Meccho bhoot – a ghost that loves to eat fishes or Nishi Daak –  ghosts that can lure someone to by calling them in a voice similar to their loved ones and leads its victim to an isolated place. A certain class of generous and kind-hearted ghosts called Brahmadaitya also find their honorable mention in the legends.

Bhoot Chaturdashi and The Halloween

Aloof to many Indians Bhoot Chaturdashi has been in practice much before Halloween gained popularity in India. They both share similar plots and practices as the core belief. In both, the festivals are the breaking down of the veil between the living and the dead.  Moreover, in both the traditions they believe that ghosts, and spirits roam the earth. 

People light bright lights are to keep away the evil spirits. They use Halloween pumpkin lamps on Halloween, whereas, they light fourteen earthed lamps in Bhoot Chaturdashi. One other thing common between the two is the healthy practice of consuming green and fresh vegetables. At the end of the day, they consume pumpkin dishes on Halloween and celebrate Bhoot Chaturdashi by consuming fourteen kinds of leafy greens. Halloween and Bhoot Chaturdashi follow very similar rituals and it reflects the belief of humans in the afterlife throughout the world.

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Beliefs and Customs 

On the day of Bhoot Chaturdashi, people clean their whole household. And light fourteen earthed lamps to avoid dark and evil spirits. They place these lamps all around the household and all the dark places are lighted with the lamps. This brings auspicious blessings to the forefathers. They consume fourteen kinds of Green vegetables called shak in Bengali. In the belief that evil will not possess them. Also, children engage with activities inside the house to stay safe and sound. 

The festival of Bhoot Chaturdashi brings joy. Yet at the same time makes people wonder about the way nature works and all those mysteries hiding within itself. With this, we wish you a very Happy Bhoot Chaturdashi.

Interested in knowing more about such Indian festivals? Read more about- https://indiachalk.com/blog/10-quirky-art-festivals-in-india/