Fern Flower
Published on March 8, 2023

Churel

  • Churail
  • Kudail
  • Kudel
  • Churelin
  • Churin
  • Chugail
  • Kugail

Regions of expansion

India 1 Bangladesh 1 Pakistan 1
India
Bangladesh
Pakistan

Description

The ghost woman is from the mythology of South Asia and is well known in India, Bangladesh and Pakistan. The word "churel" in Hindi is used to colloquially refer to a witch.

Women who die during childbirth or pregnancy due to the negligence of her relatives often turn into churels who return for revenge and suck the blood out of male relatives.

She lives and prowls in places associated with death and sewage.

The true form of the churel is described as a hideous creature with long sagging breasts and disheveled hair. Often her legs are turned in the opposite direction. Sometimes she is described wandering naked. She may have a large belly, clawed hands and long disheveled pubic hair. She has an unnaturally long and thick black tongue and thick, coarse lips; although it is sometimes said that she has no mouth at all. Sometimes churela is credited as having a pig-like or human-like face with large fangs.

Churel can be a werewolf: takes the form of a beautiful young woman with a covered head and a lantern in her hands to charm any man. She sucks out their blood, sperm and masculinity, turning them into old men.

Churel in popular culture