It is that time of the year when the 14th night of the waning moon arrives and the warm light of choddo pradeep (14 lamps) flickers in households, keeping at bay what our grandmothers described as evil spirits.
As the chilling breeze outside makes a wheezing sound and Bhoot Chaturdashi — Bengal’s own Halloween — arrives, reading spooky tales from Bengali literature could just be the right thing to do.
Bengali literature has long been home to some of the most haunting tales ever told. This Bhoot Chaturdashi, we look back at five bone-chilling stories that might keep you up all night.
Monihara
Written by Rabindranath Tagore in 1898, Monihara tells the eerie tale of Manimalika, a woman consumed by her obsession with jewellery. Living with her husband Phanibhushan in a sprawling mansion, she refuses to part with her ornaments even as the family faces financial ruin. Fearing he might sell them, Manimalika flees one night by boat and is never seen again. Haunted by loss, Phanibhushan grieves. One stormy night, the sound of approaching footsteps breaks the silence — and a ghostly figure appears to claim the last piece of jewellery, leaving Phanibhushan trembling in terror.
Bhushundir Maathe
The timeless classic of Rajshekhar Basu, who is popularly known as Parashuram, Bhushundir Maathe revolves around the themes of the afterlife, where ghosts and spirits live a life similar to their earthly one. The short story, published in 1924, follows a man named Shibu, who, after dying, becomes a ghost and is unhappy in the afterlife until he seeks a new marriage. This leads to a comedic conflict when his new bride turns out to be his previous wife, and they are then joined by other ghosts who claim Shibu as their past husband.
Anath Babur Bhoye
Written by Satyajit Ray, Anath Babur Bhoy follows the narrator’s encounter with an eccentric middle-aged man named Anath Babu, a self-proclaimed paranormal expert. Having devoted his life to studying spirits through a scientific lens, he longs for just one glimpse of a ghost — but has never succeeded. For one final attempt, he travels to Raghunathpur to visit the infamous Haldar Bari. Ignoring everyone’s warnings, he spends the night there, hoping for a supernatural encounter. What unfolds, however, is beyond even his darkest imagination.
Bahurupi
From Saradindu Bandyopadhyay’s popular Boroda series, Bahurupi unfolds through a letter Boroda writes to his friends, recounting a strange experience during his stay in a remote village. He claims that every night, a spirit visits him — one that can change its face and appear as anyone. Curious yet sceptical, his friends visit him, only to be shaken by a mysterious knock at midnight and the eerie figure waiting outside.
Ek Ratrir Atithi
Written by Gajendra Kumar Mitra, Ek Ratrir Atithi follows Animesh, the narrator, who arrives by boat at a remote village late at night to catch a bus to the city — only to find he has missed the last one. Stranded and anxious, he meets a man named Janayiko Sadhak, who offers him shelter for the night. But as events unfold, the seemingly kind gesture turns into a sinister trap, pulling Animesh into a nightmarish void disguised as a small room.