Choddo baati (14 lamps) lit, it’s the perfect time to catch up on some ghost stories. Add these spooky reads to your must-do-this-Diwali list and make it all lit!
This Bhoot Chaturdoshi, My Kolkata takes a look at iconic ghosts from Bengali fiction.
Simon from Brown Saheber Bari by Satyajit Ray
Three youngsters find the diary of a certain Brown Saheb. Repeated references to Simon in the diary make the youngsters curious and they decide to spend a night at Brown Saheber Bari to unearth the mystery.
Pishima from Goynar Baksho by Shirshendu Mukhopadhyay
Set before Independence, this story revolves around the life of a widow who is referred to as Pishima by everyone. Having been widowed at a young age and living an ostracised life made her the typical ‘khitkhite buri (irritable old lady)’ of the house. But what everyone wanted from her were her wedding jewels, her only prized possession which she was possessive and obsessed with. She befriended her niece-in-law but passed away soon after…only to come back and keep a watch over her beloved jewels.
Nidhiram Sardar from Gosaibaganer Bhoot by Shirshendu Mukhopadhyay
The master of horror and horror-comedy fiction tells the story of young Burun who enters Gosaibagan and befriends the friendly Bhoot there. As the bond strengthens, he learns more about the man the bhoot once was and is pulled towards his world, which concludes in fighting with the evil powers.
Bhushundir Maathe by Parashuram
Raj Shekhar Basu commonly known by his pen name Parashuram was a writer, translator and scholar. Bhushundir Maathe is one of his iconic creations which talks about the lives of myriad ghosts living in Bhushundir Maath or Bhushundi’s field. The storyline progresses as the readers get to know about the ghosts and their lives before death. But, even in death, they live united with other spirits in friendship, banter, anger, sorrow and more.
Byomkesh o Baroda by Sharadindu Bandhopadhyay
Even the greatest Satyanweshi had to face a ghost! This Byomkesh story sees him seeking the truth of a paranormal entity. But will a man for whom logic and reason come above all else give in to the existence of the paranormal or is there a ‘normal’ explanation waiting?
Lullu by Troilokhyanath Mukhopadhyay
Troilokhyanath Mukhopadhyay’s Lullu is a horror comedy involving a ghost, weaver-singer, exorcist and an astrologer. When a young married woman is ‘stolen’ and ‘hidden’ by Lullu; her husband embarks on a rescue mission with his band of unusual rescuers.