Vetala

A vetala (Sanskrit: वेताल, romanized: vetāla) is a supernatural being in Hindu mythology, most often described as a knowledgeable spirit with the power to foretell the future. These entities are said to inhabit charnel grounds and commonly animate corpses as physical vessels, entering and leaving them at will.

In Hindu folklore, a vetala is portrayed as a malevolent presence haunting cemeteries and possessing the bodies of the dead. They express their displeasure by tormenting the living, which can include driving people to madness, causing the death of children, and inducing miscarriages. Yet in some traditions, they also act as protectors of villages.

Vetalas are regarded as restless spirits caught in a liminal state between life and the afterlife. They can be driven away by the chanting of sacred mantras, and their souls can be released from this condition through proper funerary rites. Unbound by the limitations of space and time, they possess an extraordinary knowledge of the past, present, and future, along with a penetrating understanding of human nature. These abilities make them highly sought after by sorcerers, who attempt to capture and enslave them.

A distinct vetala cult exists in India’s Konkan region, where they are known as Betal, Vetal, or Vetoba. Betal is believed to be the consort of the goddess Shantadurga, and his presence is often honored with a shrine within her temple complex or in nearby forested areas. A prominent Betal temple stands in Amona, Goa. In this form, Betal is considered an aspect of Bhairava and is revered as the lord of spirits, ghouls, vampires, and all manner of pisachas.