Remember listening to spooky tales, while growing up? Where fascinating yet scary creatures haunt and punish bad behaviour and rule breakers. Folklore, horror literature, and mythical creatures – are a part of the cultural fabric of India – the knowledge of which is passed down through generations using storytelling. These myths and legends are not just scary stories, but an important source to understand the sociological aspects and cultural history of a region. Assamese folklore consists of many fascinating ghost stories which are an integral part of the cultural heritage. If we look deeper and have an open mind, several social, environmental, and cultural metaphors might be revealed.
Let’s look into some of the popularly known ghosts that exist in Assamese myths and legends:
Burha Dangoriya is known to be a holy spirit who is a protector of ‘Naam-Ghor’ – which are community places of worship. He is believed to resemble an elderly man in an all-white attire including a magnificent white turban. It is also believed that a tree possessed by Burha Dangoria cannot be cut down without appeasing him. There is a belief that the trees never move no matter how much force is applied and the ones who try often suffer from physical ailments.
We are in an era of global warming and climate change today! We know the utmost importance of green cover and the conservation of trees. Losing cultural heritage in the day of technology and modernization has also proved to be a matter of concern. If we look closely, the myths around Burha Dangoriya have a narrative of cultural and environmental protection – where ancient community places of worship are protected and so are age-old trees.
Bordoisila is a married female spirit who is also referred to as the Goddess of Storm! According to legends, she lives with her husband in a far-off land and visits her mother’s home in Assam during Bohag Bihu – the Assamese New Year in April. Her presence is felt through wind and storm, before and after the Bihu celebrations. Before Bihu, when she is said to be coming to visit her native, she is said to be happy and therefore there is a strong but pleasant and delightful breeze in the air. However, while returning, after Bihu, she is upset to go back and her anger and tantrums result in turbulent thunderstorms that often cause some destruction.
Bordoisila’s story is almost a relatable representation of the honest emotions of many married women whose birth identity and childhood joys are often cut short and taken over by the responsibilities of married life. Festivals like Bihu bring those joys back and then again stop by the end of it. The myth seems like a yearly retelling of this social construct imposed on women for centuries and an acknowledgement of its psychological impact.
Baak is the water demon of Assam. It is known to be evil, murderous and a fish lover! Baak is said to be living in water bodies, carrying a pouch that holds all its power. There is also a belief that some Baaks are benign and mischievous, who trick youngsters by taking the form of other humans. As they are known to love fish, people usually carry theirs along with garlic and red chillies to avoid encounters with Baak at night. They are also apparently scared of fishing nets. Hence, carrying fishing nets while passing near a river body is also a strategy used to be safe.
If we look into Baak stories, the lesson we receive is to stay away from water bodies, especially the unknown ones and at night! Horror stories are also often narrated to children, to keep them aware of threats and dangers, almost as a strategy to bring discipline. River bodies can naturally pose threats in the dark for humans and Baak seems to be a representation of that danger. The fact that Baak loves fish can also be a subtle statement made to not indulge in over-fishing and the co-existence of humans along with the living creatures in the water.
Jokhini is the Assamese name for the commonly known female ghost/witch in Indian horror literature and folktales. The tales of a witch – known by various names in India like Daini, Chudail, Dayan, etc – are prevalent abundantly throughout India. Jokhinis are said to have long open hair, lure and manipulate men of wrongdoings, and are characterised to be greedy creatures. They are also known to be shape shifters who possess avatars of a beautiful woman to fulfil their evil motives. Jokhini is also known to be jealous of women who are married and pose a threat to pregnant women.
The story of witches is a representation of the deep-rooted misogyny in patriarchal society. It bears a huge societal context of demonising characteristics and traits in a woman that proves to challenge patriarchal beliefs and cultural traditions. There have always been multiple re-telling of the story of the witch – Jokhini, that continuously question the society and its views of women regarded as evil or dangerous in real life as much as in folklore.
Tales of Bira are commonly found in Assamese folktales. They are similar to Jinn in Arabic literature or a poltergeist. The belief is that Bira often connects with people going through mental distress and causes further harm, even physically. It is also believed that some individuals keep Bira as a pet as they use it to avenge enemies and receive wealth in return.
Highly associated with emotions, like jealousy, greed and anger – the stories of Bira highlight the darker side of humans. They speak of the evil doings of people – like being revengeful and causing harm to others.
Assam has a tapestry of myths, legends and folklore that has immense cultural significance. Through horror, these stories invoke interest in multiple subjects like environmental conservation, protection of cultural diversity and heritage, history of the region, challenging societal wrongdoings, and celebrating human goodness! The mystical creatures and their stories, go beyond superstition and personal beliefs and provide multiple insights in a plethora of subjects that have eternal relevance and significance, today and in the future.
There are many folklores that were passed down orally through generations. Efforts by Assamese authors like Lakshminath Bezbaroa have led to the documentation of these stories.
The most notable publication is “Burhi Aair Sadhu,” (Grandmother’s Tales) – a collection of Assamese folk tales compiled by Lakshminath Bezbarua. The documentation of these stories have led to its preservation and therefore holds great significance.
Tejimola is the protagonist of a popular Assamese folktale who faces severe cruelty at the hands of her jealous stepmother. It is a story of symbolizing resilience, justice and the consequences of envy. Read the story here: https://chalohoppo.com/the-story-of-tejimola-a-timeless-assamese-folktale/
Bordoisila is to be the Goddess of Storm, and comes during Bohag Bihu and marks the coming of monsoon.
The Ngi Ngao Kham is a mythical winged dragon-like figure and is a cultural symbol of the Tai Ahom community of Assam.
