Evil Spirits Across Cultures: From Vetalas to Wendigos

5th October 2025

afterlife-beliefs, afterlife-beliefs, comparative-mythology, cross-cultural-myths, cross-cultural-myths, dark-folklore, evil-spirits, folklore, ghosts-and-demons, mythology-blog, supernatural-beings, world-mythology

Introduction

The Cognitive Revolution was the first of the three revolutions (the others being the Agricultural and the Scientific Revolutions) that separated Homo sapiens from the rest of the members of the Animal Kingdom. Humans, through that revolution, developed the concepts of folklore, including natural spirits and the concept of Gods. Like most abstract concepts that deal in duality, the forces of good were also very soon paired with the forces of evil. In this blog, we discuss some of the most common concepts of evil spirits across major civilizations, i.e., South Asia, East Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and Africa & Native America.

South Asia

Preta- Commonly known as hungry ghosts, the Pretas are evil spirits associated with Hinduism, Buddhism & even Taoism. They are associated with eternal cravings and are symbolized by uncontrollable greed and desire. In Classical Sanskrit, the term Preta generally refers to the spirit of a deceased person. They are generally believed to be invisible, but are said to be able to manifest as pale and skinny human figures with long necks and limbs. In Hindu metaphysics, these spirits are generally considered to consist of Maarut (wind) and Vyoma (space) of the 5 classical Indian elements. After the death of a Hindu, rice balls are offered to the spirit of a deceased, as the spirits or the Pretas are considered to have an uncontrollable hunger. The rice balls are offered in three sets of 16 over one year, which is considered to be the time taken by the Preta to transform into the next phase or rebirth. In the first set of 16 rice balls, the ten are generally for the deceased human, and the remaining six are for the nearby spirits. In Buddhism, the Preta is considered to be one of the six paths of existence after a person dies. The six paths are – the Deva or the Godly path, the Manushya or Human path, the Asura or the Demi-Godly path, the Tiryagyoni or Animal path, the Preta or the Hungry Ghost Path, and the Naraka or the Helllike path. In some sects or cultures of both Hinduism and Buddhism, the spirits continue to live as Preta and delay their reincarnation if they have too much desire and greed.
Pishacha- They are evil spirits in Indian cultures that are said to thrive on the raw flesh of living organisms. They are mentioned in ancient Indian scriptures like the Mahabharata, where it is mentioned that they were created by Lord Brahma, the God of Creation himself. Brahma created them to act as warriors guarding the prohibited places, like the realm of Kubera, the god of wealth and prosperity, and the realm of Lord Shiva, the God of time and destruction. In some other ancient legends, they are said to be the sons of Saint Kashyapa and his wife Krodhavasa. The Pisachas are said to like darkness, and they operate mostly at night. According to some cultures, they are also rumored to possess some human beings, feeding on their energies. Additionally, according to later customs, if proper rituals are not performed after a person’s death, the spirit is said to be unable to transform into a Preta and instead turns into a Pisacha, creating havoc everywhere.
Vetala- They are mythological spirits who are considered to be very intelligent and generally reside in cremation grounds. They are invisible spirits who are said to possess the dead in the cremation ground and cause trouble in the surrounding areas. They are said to be those who are trapped between the living and the dead. They were unable to die completely and still possess qualities, memories, and intelligence that they possessed when they were alive. They are said to possess a huge amount of knowledge on human nature as they are said to have been observing human emotions in the cremation ground through millennia and gained knowledge on various emotions and virtues of human beings. Vetalas are celebrated in Indian Culture through many pieces of literature, the most common being the “Vetala Panchavimshati”, written around the 11th century CE by the Kashmiri author Somadeva Bhatta. In the story, King Vikramaditya is asked by a tantric monk to capture a Vetala who lives in a tree, in a nearby cremation ground, troubling people. When the king captures the Vetala, the spirit tells him that he will tell him a story, and at the end of which he will ask him a question. If the king remains quiet, his head will explode, and if he answers correctly, the spirit will go back to his tree. This leads to numerous philosophical storytelling and discussions, which are considered to be of great value even today. Finally, at the twenty-fifth story, where the king could not answer the question, he accepted defeat, and the vetala, being impressed with the humility, allowed the king to take him to the tantric.
Churel/Chudail- Also called Petni or Shakchunni, the Churel is a female spirit of vengeance. Having died because of cruelty and torture, the spirit became vengeful and thus was unable to progress to the next life. They are said to be extremely ugly, with rotten flesh, but can transform themselves into beautiful, attractive women. With this power, they lure men(especially young boys) into the dark woods and suck their life force. The mythology is said to have developed from the neighbouring nation of Persia, but in India and Bangladesh, it became more popular.

East Asia

Gui- Guis are restless spirits that did not get proper ancestral rites, according to traditional Chinese culture. They are said to enter human worlds due to unresolved emotions from their mortal lives. They are not necessarily evil, just unsatisfied spirits seeking closure to their past lives. Traditionally, it is believed that when a person dies, their hun (Yang or masculine soul) and po (Yin or feminine soul) separate and ascend on separate paths. If the rituals are not performed accordingly, the hun may ascend peacefully but the po remains bound to the earth as gui. The Hungry Ghost Festival (Zhongyuan Jie) is celebrated in the seventh lunar month to appease the guis through foods, incense, and rituals.
Onryo- Onryos are the vengeful spirits (mostly women) in the Japanese Culture. They are believed to harm and kill enemies of the person or families that have wronged them in their lifetime. Emperor Sutoku, Taira no Masakado, and Sugawara no Michizane are considered the Three Great Onryos of Japan because they are said to be the most powerful and are worshipped throughout Japanese culture. Various Shrines are built across the nation to appease the resentment and anger that had turned them into Onryos. Onryos are integrated in Japanese culture, especially in the art forms of Kabuki and Rakugo Theatre. The Onryos are generally considered to be formless, but in the Kabuki theatres, they are represented as wearing white burial kimonos, which were worn during Sepuku. The actors also keep long, unkempt black hair and white face paint with colorful designs, giving a dramatic and horrific presence.
Yokai- Also referred to as Ayakashi or Mononoke, they are mysterious, magical spirits in Japanese culture. They are more tied to the tradition and religion of Shinto, and are considered to be the opposite of the beneficial Kamis, although both are said to be of the same class of spirits, coming from the same realm. Yokai are said to have various forms, some having more human-like features, while others have beastly or inanimate features. The most dreaded subclasses of the Yokai are the Oni, the Tengu, and the Kappa, which are considered the major three in Yokai classification. Oni are said to have superhuman strength and are said to live in caves and mountains. They can shape shift and can cause murder and cannibalism by luring people. The Tengu are considered to have bird and monkey-like features, and are said to disrupt and cause chaos in human societies. The Kappa are Yokai associated with rivers, ponds, and other water bodies. They are said to have an ambibious appearance with a turtle-like back and are said to hunt people near the water bodies. Thus, Yokais can have various forms and can use different natural elements to create problems in human lives.

Middle East

Jinn – Jinns or Djinns are supernatural beings from pre-Islamic Arabic culture, which later got integrated into Islam. Jinns are considered to have invisible bodies composed of subtle elements called asjam and can shape-shift to various forms. They are said to be controlled by charms and artifacts. Many esoteric groups claim to have tamed jinns for their personal ambitions. The name ‘Jinn’ has been theorized by some scholars to have been derived from the Roman ‘Genius’ – a guardian deity with tremendous intelligence. Jinn are also mentioned in Islamic texts like the Holy Quran. Jinns are also mentioned in later literature from the Middle East, the most famous being in the Kitab al-Bulhan, or the Book of Wonders. They are also mentioned in the famous One Thousand and One Nights, in the story of Aladdin and the magic lamp, from which a jinn appears and grants Aladdin three boons.
Ghoul/Ghul – They are monstrous creatures considered to be found in the graveyards, and are said to consume human flesh as their source of energy. Female Ghuls are known as Ghulah. They generally seduce human of their opposite gender and finally consume their flesh to satisfy their hunger. Although the ideas of Ghoul came from pre-Islamic Arabia, the word ‘Ghoul’ later entered English literature through the likes of authors, including Edgar Allan Poe, and today generally means flesh-eating asexual beings.
Ifrit- Also known as Afreet, they are powerful demons in Islamic theology. They are a very powerful form of Jinns who are seeking rebellion and vengeance. They are said to have come from Jahannam or the Islamic Hell, and are said to reside in remote places and ruins. Ifrits are also mentioned in the Quran, like at a place it is said that an Ifrit offered to carry the throne of Bilqis, the queen of Sheba, to King Solomon. Ifrits are also mentioned in the One Thousand and One Nights in stories like ‘The Porter and the Young Girls’ and ‘The Fisherman and the Jinni’.

Europe

Dybbuk – In Jewish Mythology, Dybbuks are evil spirits who possess the bodies of others in order to achieve some goals. They are wandering souls of the dead that try to cling to living creatures. Dybbuks are not ferocious, unlike most of the spirits mentioned in this blog, and they try to possess to body only to attain or complete an incomplete duty or action in their lifetime. In Jewish traditions, only a rabbi trained in exorcism can drive the spirit out of the host body, releasing it to its eternal rest.
Incubus/Succubus – An Incubus is a male demon in human form who desires to have sexual intercourse with a Succubus, a demon in female form. They seduce humans in their sleep in order to have sex, resulting in wet dreams and sleep paralysis. This illicit union is said to be the reason for the births of demons, witches, and other supernatural creatures in many European cultures. The legendary wizard Merlin is said to have an Incubus as his father. According to the Jewish treaty – Alphabet of Ben Sira, Lilith, the first wife of Adam, the first mortal in Abrahamic Cosmology, was a Succubus.
Draugr – Draugr are the undead creatures from the Nordic folklore. They are actually corpses who refused to stay buried. They are said to guard the graves in the Nordic regions. They were previously brave warriors who were unable to forget the worldly pleasures and thus could not proceed to the afterlife. They have a zombie-like appearance with rotten skin and thin muscles, who can battle in a fearsome manner and slay any foe. According to some lore, they refused to proceed to the afterlife as they feared becoming insignificant.

Africa & Native America

Tokoloshe – The Tokoloshe or Tikolose are dwarf life water spirits in the Nguni Mythology. They are mischievous, evil spirits that like playing pranks on people and later become invisible by drinking water. They generally target children for their pranks, but at their full potential, they can cause the deaths of human beings. They are said to have a furry, goblin-like appearance and who assassinate their prey with precision. Any death in Southern Africa with unknown causes is generally connected to the works done by the Tokoloshes.
Obayifo – In the Ashanti culture of Western Africa, the Obayifos are the blood sucking vampire like mythological creatures. They are said to blend easily among human beings, targeting their prey after proper investigation. They are said to be very hungry creatures and emit phosphorescent light from their armpits and anus while travelling at night. They are said to be transformed men and women (mostly women) who practised taboo witchcraft and thus later got transformed into these evil creatures.
Wendigo – Wendigos are the mythological spirits associated with the North American Algonquian folklore. They are said to have appearances like human beings with uncontrollable hunger, due to which they are notorious for devouring entire human families alone. They are larger in size with bodies as cold as ice. They are associated with natural phenomena like cold, famine, and starvation. In some cases, these were humans earlier who later became wendigos when they tasted human flesh because of their uncontrollable hunger. There is even a culture-bound psychological phenomenon in North America where people believe they are transforming into a Wendigo. This phenomenon is called Wendigo Psychosis.
La Llorona – La Llorona is a vengeful spirit in Latin American Culture. She is known to roam around water bodies, weeping and mourning the death of her children, whom she drowned herself in an act of rage when she discovered her husband was unfaithful to her. La Llorona is most popular in the regions around Mexico, but is also known in the southern states of the USA. She is said to be seen in the moonlit streets across the rivers crying, “jAy, mis hijos!” (“Oh, my children!”), which can bring chills in the air. This cry is said to bring misfortune, including death, to the people who had heard it. La Llorona endures a story of feminine rage, guilt, and mourning combined within a single spirit. The tale has travelled from the Aztec legends to the modern Hispanic culture across the centuries.

Conclusion and Reflection

The creation of evil spirits in the human myths across civilizations may be due to various causes. Some might be a result of human emotions like fear and sorrow, while some might be created to manage a certain section of the population and restrict them from doing something undesirable. In short, each evil spirit and its characteristics give a clear description of the extent to which human intelligence and imagination can proceed. It tells us how the early society formed cultures using emotions like fear and sorrow as useful tools. Thus, the lore and myths of various spirits and mythical creatures can be studied to get a critical view of the evolution of human philosophy, sociology, and psychology. That is all for this blog. Please like, share, and subscribe if you find this useful. Thank you all for reading this post.