Bhut Baba

Bhut Baba, also known as Bhuteshwar Baba, is a folk deity worshipped in South 24 Parganas, West Bengal, regarded as a manifestation or companion of Shiva. Alongside Bhut Baba, other spiritual entities such as Nishikanta, a unique bhut devata (ghost deity), and various apadevatas (malevolent spirits) like Chon, Mogor, Gangasagar, and Pettani are worshipped in rural Bengal, especially among the Rajbanshi community and in regions such as Nadia and the Sundarbans. These entities reflect the syncretic folk traditions of Bengal, blending Hindu beliefs with local animistic practices.

Overview

Bhut Baba is considered a folk form of Shiva in South 24 Parganas, distinguished by his association with the term “bhut” (ghost), which here symbolizes a divine attribute linked to Shiva’s epithets like Bhutnath, rather than a disembodied spirit. Nishikanta, worshipped in Fulia, Nadia, is a rare example of a ghost deity venerated independently, without direct ties to classical Hindu gods. Apadevatas such as Chon, Mogor, Gangasagar, and Pettani are malevolent spirits in Rajbanshi folklore, believed to influence human lives and requiring rituals to appease or expel them. These practices illustrate the coexistence of benevolent and malevolent spiritual beings within Bengal’s folk religion.

Mythology and Characteristics

Bhut Baba

Bhut Baba (Bhuteshwar Baba) is revered in South 24 Parganas as a folk manifestation of Shiva. The name “bhut” connects to Shiva’s title Bhutnath, indicating mastery over spirits. His idol depicts him seated on a five-legged throne resembling a lion, holding a hookah in one hand, with one leg raised over the other — an iconography reminiscent of Panchananda, a folk deity considered the son of Chashi Mahadev (Shiva as the farmer deity). This association reinforces Bhut Baba’s role as Shiva’s companion. The idol is flanked by an attendant and a dancing female figure, emphasizing his divine entourage.

Originally, Bhut Baba’s worship centered on a sheora tree (Indian screw tree), believed to embody the deity and known as the “milk-giving sheora.” Offerings included shola fish, cannabis, liquor, siddhi (hemp), and fruits. Even after construction of a temple at Chhoto Kachari near the Adiganga river by the Shulipota railway gate, the sheora tree remains sacred. Its roots are used to make protective amulets for children, believed to ward off fear and illness; the tree’s soil and roots are also applied medicinally.

Nishikanta

Nishikanta is a bhut devata worshipped in Fulia, Nadia, unique for lacking direct connection to classical Hindu gods. Local lore in Shantipur’s Fulia village speaks of apparitions, often appearing as women, near Nishikanta’s shrine at night, rendering witnesses unconscious by morning. The worship originated in Bamankuiacha village, Tangail (now in Bangladesh), where the Basak family reportedly received a divine dream command to start the puja, warning of calamity if ignored. After Partition, the Basak family relocated to Fulia, continuing the annual puja on the first day of Baisakh at Taltala.

Nishikanta’s idol is distinctive: a headless human-shaped clay mound with eyes, nose, and a protruding red tongue painted on the chest; arms and legs spread outward; and a red-ink paper ghost image placed on chest and hands. Goat sacrifices are offered, and the meat distributed as prasad. The puja is accompanied by a fair managed by the Basak family.

Apadevatas in Rajbanshi Folklore

Among the Rajbanshi community of North Bengal, apadevatas are malevolent spirits called dyao (ghosts). Key apadevatas include:

• Chon: A tall, ghostly figure haunting roads at night, mimicking animals (cats, dogs, jackals) to follow or scare people. It calls a victim’s name once or twice but never thrice (unlike humans who call three times). Responding can lead to drowning or possession. Protection involves carrying iron, fire, or sprinkling urine.

• Mogor: A headless spirit with glowing eyes on its chest, iconographically similar to Nishikanta. It throws clods of earth or possesses fearful individuals. It is also repelled by urine or iron.

• Gangasagar (Gohili Dyao): A spirit with a duck as its vehicle, punishing those who harm ducks. Attacks cause physical deformities, and pregnant women may bear disabled children. Its puja involves vermilion, incense, white cloth, a duck, and a lit clay lamp. After the ritual, the duck is released to carry Gangasagar away.

• Pettani and Pairi: Spirits of girls or pregnant women who died unnaturally. They attack children causing refusal of breastmilk, strange dreams, or abnormal excretions, and target pregnant women. Exorcism (Chauni puja) involves an ojha (shaman) sprinkling ghee and mustard seeds, chanting mantras, and offering sun-dried rice, jaggery, flattened rice, and bananas. Offerings are placed in a sieve hung on a tree to expel the spirit.

Apadevatas in Nicobar Islands

In the Nicobar Islands, related but distinct rituals address malevolent spirits:

• The dying are placed in seaside morgues (El-Pa-Nam) to prevent lingering spirits.
• Post-mortem rituals involve bathing bodies, closing eyes, and wrapping in red and white cotton before burial.
• Families shave hair and eyebrows and adopt new names to confuse evil spirits (Iui), while benevolent spirits are Iui-Ka.
• Carved wooden figures (Henta) of animals, boats, fish, and birds are placed along coasts to scare spirits thought to roam the air.

Worship and Rituals

Bhut Baba

The annual puja of Bhut Baba is held on a Saturday in Falgun at the Chhoto Kachari temple. Originally performed without priests, a priest now conducts the rituals. Offerings include shola fish, cannabis, liquor, siddhi, and fruits, mostly placed at the sacred sheora tree, which remains central despite the temple. The tree’s roots and soil continue to be used for protective amulets and medicinal purposes, preserving the folk character of the worship and emphasizing Shiva’s attributes.

Nishikanta

Nishikanta’s puja occurs annually on the first day of Baisakh in Fulia’s Taltala. Goat sacrifices are made, with meat distributed as prasad. The distinctive headless clay idol with red tongue is central, alongside a local fair managed by the Basak family. The tradition’s origin in Bamankuiacha and continuation in Fulia post-Partition underscores its cultural persistence.

Apadevatas

Rajbanshi apadevata worship focuses on appeasement and exorcism. Chon and Mogor receive flattened rice and curd. Ojhas (shamans) perform exorcisms with mustard seeds, fish bones, and mantras; spirits demand curd and flattened rice before leaving. Gangasagar’s puja includes offerings of vermilion, incense, and a duck that is released after rituals. Pettani and Pairi require Chauni puja, with offerings in a sieve hung from a tree to expel the spirits.

Temples and Sacred Sites

• Chhoto Kachari Temple, South 24 Parganas: Near the Adiganga river by Shulipota railway gate; houses Bhut Baba’s idol and the sacred sheora tree.
• Taltala Shrine, Fulia, Nadia: Site of Nishikanta’s puja, where a clay idol is created annually for Baisakh puja, accompanied by a fair.
• Matpara, Nadia: Another site for bhut devata worship during Chardak, featuring a unique idol with upward-pointing, flame-like eyes and a metal vessel for offerings.

Cultural Significance

The worship of Bhut Baba and apadevatas exemplifies Bengal’s syncretic folk traditions, where Shiva’s divine attributes merge with local beliefs in ghosts and spirits. Bhut Baba’s connection with the sheora tree highlights the integration of nature worship and Shaivism. Nishikanta’s independent ghost deity worship shows the acceptance of supernatural entities as divine in rural Bengal. Apadevatas such as Chon, Mogor, and Gangasagar represent community fears of the unknown, with rituals designed to protect from malevolent forces. Nicobar practices reflect a wider regional tradition of spirit management via ritualistic deception and offerings.

Historical Context

Bhut Baba’s worship likely originated from animistic traditions centered on the sheora tree, later absorbed into Shaivism. Nishikanta’s puja, rooted in Bamankuiacha (now in Bangladesh), continued post-Partition through the Basak family, demonstrating folk worship’s resilience. Rajbanshi apadevatas probably derive from animistic beliefs, sharing motifs such as headless spirits with Nishikanta. Nicobar rituals illustrate parallel indigenous spirit management traditions.

References

• Oral and folklore traditions from South 24 Parganas, Nadia, and North Bengal.
• Ethnographic studies on Rajbanshi community and their apadevata practices.
• Fieldwork and anthropological accounts from the Nicobar Islands.

See Also

• Shiva
• Dakshin Ray
• Bonbibi
• Rajbanshi people
• Chaitra Gajan
• Sundarbans