Bhut

(“[someone who] was”) The spirit of a
person who has recently died, which is
still inappropriately connected to the
world of the living. This is often a troubling or malevolent presence, either to
the departed’s family or the general population. Bhuts and other malignant spirits, such as prets or churails, have
generally either suffered an untimely or
violent death or died with certain unfulfilled desires, particularly relating
to marriage and family life. In cases
where both these factors are present, the
likelihood of the departed becoming a
bhut is deemed much greater. Bhuts
make themselves known to the living
through either dreams or possession. In
some cases they have specific requests
and can be placated by worship and
offerings. In such cases the dreams and
possession are methods of communicating with the living, who can perform
the necessary actions. Some bhuts
resort to possession as an attempt to
realize their unfulfilled desires by
directly using a living person’s body.
These spirits are far more malevolent,
and the only way to remove them is
through exorcism. For further information on the care of restless family spirits,
see Ann Grodzins Gold, Fruitful
Journeys, 1988; for a masterful psychological interpretation of spirits, possession, and healing, see Sudhir Kakar,
Shamans, Mystics, and Doctors, 1991.
114
Bhut
Women praying at a shrine in Bihar. This northern Indian state is home to many sacred sites.