Vetala
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A vetala () is a class of beings in
Hindu mythology Hindu mythology refers to the collection of myths associated with Hinduism, derived from various Hindu texts and traditions. These myths are found in sacred texts such as the Vedas, the Itihasas (the ''Mahabharata'' and the ''Ramayan ...
. They are usually defined as a knowledgeable (
fortune telling Fortune telling is the spiritual practice of prediction, predicting information about a person's life.J. Gordon Melton, Melton, J. Gordon. (2008). ''The Encyclopedia of Religious Phenomena''. Visible Ink Press. pp. 115–116. The scope of for ...
) paranormal entity said to be dwelling at
charnel ground A charnel ground (Sanskrit: श्मशान; IAST: śmaśāna; Tibetan pronunciation: durtrö; ) is an above-ground site for the putrefaction of bodies, generally human, where formerly living tissue is left to decompose uncovered. Although it ...
s. Reanimated corpses are used as vehicles by these spirits for movement. A vetala may possess and leave a dead body at will.


Description

In Hindu folklore, the vetala is an evil spirit who haunts cemeteries and takes
demonic possession Spirit Possession is an altered state of consciousness and associated behaviors which are purportedly caused by the control of a human body and its functions by Supernatural#Spirit, spirits, ghosts, demons, angels, or Deity, gods. The concept ...
of corpses. They make their displeasure known by troubling humans. They can drive people mad, kill children, and cause miscarriages, but also guard villages. They are hostile spirits of the dead trapped in the 'twilight zone' between life and
afterlife The afterlife or life after death is a purported existence in which the essential part of an individual's Stream of consciousness (psychology), stream of consciousness or Personal identity, identity continues to exist after the death of their ...
. These creatures can be repelled by the chanting of
mantras A mantra ( ; Pali: ''mantra'') or mantram (Devanagari: मन्त्रम्) is a sacred utterance, a numinous sound, a syllable, word or phonemes, or group of words (most often in an Indo-Iranian language like Sanskrit or Avestan) belie ...
. One can free them from their ghostly existence by performing their funerary rites. Being unaffected by the laws of space and time, they have an uncanny knowledge about the past, present, and future and a deep insight into human nature. Therefore many sorcerers seek to capture them and turn them into slaves. There is also a strong Vetala cult in the
Konkan The Konkan is a stretch of land by the western coast of India, bound by the river Daman Ganga at Damaon in the north, to Anjediva Island next to Karwar town in the south; with the Arabian Sea to the west and the Deccan plateau to the eas ...
region, under the names of Betal, Vetal, Vetoba. Since Betal is said to be the husband of the goddess Shantadurga, there will be a temple dedicated in honour of Betal either within the temple complex of Shantadurga or somewhere in the sylvan surroundings. There is a Betal temple in Amona, Goa. Betal is a form of
Bhairava Bhairava (, ), or Kāla Bhairava, is a Shaivite and Vajrayāna deity worshipped by Hindus and Buddhists. In Shaivism, he is a powerful manifestation, or avatar, of Shiva.Kramrisch, Stella (1994). ''The Presence of Śiva''. Princeton, NJ: P ...
and is the head of all spirits and ghouls and vampires and all kinds of pisachas.


Literature

The Vetala Panchavimshati is a collection of twenty-five stories, featuring a vetala as one of the two central characters. It is a part of the
Kathasaritsagara The ''Kathāsaritsāgara'' ("Ocean of the Streams of Stories") (Devanagari: कथासरित्सागर) is a famous 11th-century collection of Indian legends and folk tales as retold in Sanskrit by the Shaivite Somadeva from Kashmir. ' ...
, a work that was compiled no later than the 11th century. It features a frame story of a sorcerer who asks King
Vikramaditya Vikramaditya (Sanskrit: विक्रमादित्य IAST: ') was a legendary king as mentioned in ancient Indian literature, featuring in traditional stories including those in ''Baital Pachisi, Vetala Panchavimshati'' and ''Singhasan ...
to capture a corpse hanging on a tree that stands in the middle of a cremation ground. The corpse is possessed by a vetala, who proposes to tell the king a story along the journey. After the vetala finishes the story, he would ask the king a question, which he would have to answer. After Vikramaditya answers the question, the vetala would return to the tree, the corpse hanging upon it once more. This event occurs twenty-four times, after which the king is unable to answer the question posed by the vetala. Impressed with the king, the vetala informs him of the evil designs of the sorcerer, and grants him a gift that would allow him to acquire the powers of witchcraft and defeat the sorcerer.


In popular culture

'' Vikram Vetal'', a 1986 Indian fantasy film directed by
Shantilal Soni Shantilal Soni, also known as S. L. Soni (28 November 1930 – 2004), was a noted film director, producer and writer from Mumbai, Bombay. He was a Gujarati people, Gujarati by birth. He has directed more than 22 films, starting his career in 1960 ...
was based on the ''Baital Pachisi'' about King Vikramaditya and the Vetala. ''
Vikram Aur Betaal ''Vikram Aur Betaal'' () is an Indian television series that aired on DD National in 1985 and was re-telecast in 1988 after the hit Series Ramayan (1987 TV series), Ramayan. The series contained stories from Hindu, Indian mythology. The conce ...
'' was a television programme based on the ''Baital Pachisi'' produced by Ramanand Sagar and directed by his son Prem Sagar that aired on
DD National DD National (formerly DD1) is an Indian state-owned entertainment television channel, founded by the Government of India, owned by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (India), Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. It is the flagshi ...
channel. It was remade as ''Kahaniya Vikram aur Betaal Ki'' in 2009 and aired on
Colors TV Colors TV is an Indian general entertainment pay television channel owned by JioStar, a joint venture between Viacom18 and Disney India. Its programming consists of Soap opera, family dramas, Comedy, comedies, fantasy shows, youth-oriented Rea ...
. ''
Vikram Betaal Ki Rahasya Gatha ''Vikram Betaal Ki Rahasya Gatha'' () (which is also known as Vikram-Betaal) is an Indian television epic series created by Peninsula Pictures, based on self-created fictional stories solely created for this show. The series has aired on &TV a ...
'' (2018), an Indian mythological serial based on ''Baital Pachisi'' aired on &TV. Indian animator Rajiv Chilaka directed ''Vikram Betal'', a television film for
Cartoon Network Cartoon Network (CN) is an American cable television television channel, channel and the flagship property of the Cartoon Network, Inc., a sub-division of the Warner Bros. Discovery Networks division of Warner Bros. Discovery. It launched on ...
in 2004 which was produced by his Green Gold Animations. '' Vicky & Vetaal'' (2006–2007) and '' Vicky Aur Vetaal'' (2015–2016), which aired on
Disney Channel India Disney Channel is an Indian pay television channel owned by Disney Star, JioStar, a joint venture between Viacom18 and Disney India. The channel is the Indian equivalent to the Disney Channel, original American network, and was launched on 16 De ...
, also featured Vetala as the main character.


References


Sources

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Dictionary of Hindu Lore and Legend The ''Dictionary of Hindu Lore and Legend'' (2002) is a book written by Anna L. Dallapiccola, and contains information on over one thousand concepts, characters, and places of Hindu mythology and Hinduism, one of the major religions of the India ...
() by Anna Dallapiccola {{Baital Pachisi Corporeal undead Demons in Hinduism Indian legendary creatures Revenants Vampires Zombies Panchatantra