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Churel
The vengeful spirit of a woman who died in childbirth or was mistreated by her family. She appears beautiful from the front but has backward-facing feet. She seduces young men and drains their life force.
Ancient - Present
South Asia (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh)
50000+ witnesses
The Churel is South Asia’s vengeful female spirit.
The Legend
According to Indian folklore:
A Churel is:
- Spirit of wronged woman
- Died during childbirth
- Or mistreated in life
- Returns for vengeance
- Extremely dangerous
Origins
Women become Churels by:
- Dying in childbirth
- Being abused by in-laws
- Dying during menstruation
- Being neglected
- Improper funeral rites
Appearance
Described as:
- Beautiful from front
- Long black hair
- Attractive features
- But feet face backward
- Sometimes has pig face
Behavior
The Churel:
- Seduces young men
- Drains their vitality
- Ages them rapidly
- Kills within weeks
- Returns to victims
Targets
She pursues:
- Men of victim’s family
- Young attractive men
- Those who wronged her
- Male relatives
- Unfaithful husbands
Protection
Traditional defenses:
- Iron objects
- Proper burial rites
- Nail in corpse’s thumb
- Face body down in grave
- Religious ceremonies