page_title: Ghosts in Bengali culture
section_title: West Bengal, India
hierarchical_section_title: Ghosts in Bengali culture / Alleged haunted places / West Bengal, India
caption_attribution_description: English: Original description:"Nimtolla burning ghat where Hindus burn the bodies of their dead and commit the remains to the Hooghly river. Several funeral pyres still burn while abandoned baby in foregroud awaits burning." The South Asia Section of the Van Pelt Library, University of Pennsylvania recently acquired from a bookdealer a photograph album consisting of 60 photographs of Calcutta taken most likely between 1945-1946. The photographer, Mr. Clyde Waddell, also provided the interesting glosses accompanying each photograph. Several attested copies of this work has emerged including one with a 'title page' held by the Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond, Louisiana. Mr. Waddell was a military photographer. Many of his captions sound like annotations that would be found in a typical military magazine. The album begins with several general long shots of Calcutta and ends with a picture of dhobi-s (washermen) washing clothes. The text accompanying the last photograph also sounds as if the author intended to finish with that picture of one of the "great mysteries of India." The annotations have been included because of their intrinsic interest not only to the photographs but to a 'typical' American impression of India at this time.
context_page_description: Ghosts are an important part of folklore, integral to the socio-cultural fabric of the geographical and ethno-linguistic region of Bengal, which today consists of the independent nation of Bangladesh, and the Indian states of West Bengal. Fairy tales, both old and new, often use the concept of ghosts. In modern-day Bengali literature, cinema and also in radio & television media, the references to ghosts are often found. There are also many alleged haunted sites in this region. It is believed that the spirits of those who cannot find peace in the afterlife or die unnatural deaths remain on Earth. The common word for ghosts in Bengali is bhoot or bhut. This word has an alternative meaning: 'past' in Bengali. Also, the word Pret is used in Bengali to mean ghost. In Bengal, ghosts are believed to be the spirit after death of an unsatisfied human being or a soul of a person who dies in unnatural or abnormal circumstances. Even it is believed that other animals and creatures can also be turned into ghost after their death.
  The Bengali Hindu community celebrates Bhoot Chaturdashi, which normally occurs on the 14th day of Krishna Paksha at the night before Kali Puja / Dipaboli festival.
context_section_description: Mullick Ghat and Zanana Bathing Ghat under Howrah Bridge, Nimtala crematorium, Rabindra Sarobar metro station, Royal Calcutta Turf Club, and National Library of Kolkata are claimed to be haunted.
  Nimtala crematorium, Kolkata: According to legend, this site in central Kolkata is haunted by the ghosts of those who were cremated there.
  Putulbari or the House of Dolls, Kolkata: According to believers, the site is haunted by the souls of the dead.
  Hastings House, Alipore, Kolkata: According to legend, students have seen ghosts on the grounds.
  Writers' Building, Kolkata: According to legend, this residence of junior servants and administrative staff is haunted.
  Ghats on The Ganges - Under Howrah Bridge, Kolkata: Believers claim that many spirits wander the sacred river.
caption: Nimtala Burning Ghat, Calcutta, 1945
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