Indian Mythology

Chordeva

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Tradition / Region: Bengali mythology, Indian Mythology
Alternative names: —
Category: Cat

The Myth

The Chordeva is a vampiric witch feared throughout the folklore of Bengal. It possesses supernatural powers and commonly takes the form of a cat to hunt its victims.

Rather than attacking the healthy, the Chordeva stalks the elderly, the sick, and the dying. It hastens their deaths by stealing their food or poisoning what little nourishment they have left. The creature can also kill instantly by simply licking its victim. Because of this belief, cats were traditionally kept away from those near death.

Although it resembles an ordinary cat, the Chordeva is said to produce a distinctive mewing cry that reveals its true nature. It is also repelled by water and can transform into a monstrous werecat when threatened. In this form, it is said to be completely invulnerable to harm.

The Chordeva can assume a human appearance as well. While disguised as a person, it may be destroyed like a traditional vampire, by driving a wooden stake through its heart or exposing it to prolonged sunlight. If slain while in cat form, it immediately reverts to its human shape, bearing the same wounds that killed it, allowing people to identify the hidden vampire and destroy it permanently.

Sources

Bane, Theresa. Encyclopedia of Vampire Mythology. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Company, 2010, p. 45.

Gandabherunda

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Tradition / Region: Indian Mythology
Alternative names: Gaṇḍabheruṇḍa
Category: Bird

The Myth

Gandabherunda is the fearsome two-headed eagle form assumed by Vishnu as Narasimha. The immense bird possesses overwhelming strength, capable of carrying elephants in its talons and beaks.

After Narasimha slew the demon king Hiranyakashipu, his terrible fury threatened the stability of the universe. To restore peace, Shiva took the form of the mighty beast Sharabha and confronted him. Narasimha answered by transforming into the colossal Gandabherunda, and the two divine beings fought a battle that lasted eighteen days.

On the final day, Gandabherunda overpowered Sharabha while also destroying Hiranyakashipu. With the conflict ended, Narasimha’s wrath subsided. Sharabha offered his own hide as a mark of respect, which Gandabherunda accepted before restoring it to him. Having brought peace back to the universe, the two resumed their true forms as Vishnu and Shiva and returned to their heavenly realms of Vaikuntha and Kailasha.

Sources

“Gandabherunda.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Accessed July 27, 2026. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gandabherunda

Kinnara

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Tradition / Region: Indian Mythology
Alternative names: Kinnari (female)
Category: Bird

The Myth

The Kinnara is a celestial being that is part human and part bird, dwelling in the forests and mountains of the Himalayas. Renowned for their beauty, music, and devotion, Kinnaras live in loving pairs, spending their lives singing, dancing, and playing heavenly instruments. They are gentle spirits who watch over humans in times of danger and are celebrated for their compassion and harmony.

According to the Mahabharata, Kinnaras are eternal lovers who never separate from one another. They remain forever husband and wife, embracing one another without seeking children or allowing anyone to come between them. Their existence is one of unending love, joy, and companionship.

Buddhist stories describe Kinnaras as innocent and harmless beings who delight in music and flowers. They nourish abandoned children, comfort the suffering, and are so trusting that hunters sometimes capture them and present them to kings as curiosities. Despite this, they never lose their gentle nature and continue to symbolize grace, love, and artistic excellence.

Sources

Wikipedia contributors. (n.d.). Kinnara. In Wikipedia. Retrieved June 29, 2026, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kinnara

Karyōbinga

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Tradition / Region: Indian Mythology, Japanese Mythology
Alternative names: Kalavinka; Kalaviṅka; Karyōbinga
Category: Bird

The Myth

The Karyōbinga is a divine bird said to dwell in the Pure Land. It has the face of a human and the body of a bird, and its voice is so beautiful that it preaches the teachings of Buddhism through its song. In Buddhist art, it is sometimes shown playing a flute or another musical instrument as it sings.

The Karyōbinga is the Japanese form of the Sanskrit Kalaviṅka, a heavenly bird renowned for its incomparable voice. It is frequently depicted in temples and on Buddhist ornaments, often appearing beside the halo of Amida Buddha. The bird is also celebrated in gagaku, Japan’s classical court music, where the dance Karyōbinga portrays the celestial bird descending from the heavens to perform its graceful dance.

Sources

TYZ. (2009, July 26). 迦陵頻伽 (Karyōbinga / Kalyobinga). In 新版TYZ 妖怪図鑑. Retrieved June 29, 2026, from https://tyz-yokai.blog.jp/archives/1010655151.html

Karkadann

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Tradition / Region: Persia, Arabia, India, Iran
Alternative names: Karkaddan, Kardunn, Karkadan, Karkend
Category: Horse

The Myth

The Karkadann is a legendary beast from Persian and Arabic tradition, originally based on the Indian rhinoceros but gradually transformed into a mythical creature resembling a unicorn.

Early descriptions portray it as a powerful animal with the body of a buffalo, thick black scaly skin, donkey-like ears, three-toed feet, and a single horn growing from its nose. Later traditions changed its appearance, giving it a long, straight horn growing from its forehead, making it increasingly resemble the unicorn of medieval legend.

The Karkadann was feared for its ferocity. It was said to attack and drive away even elephants, fiercely defending its territory. Despite its savage nature, it could be calmed and subdued by a virgin, a motif that later became closely associated with the European unicorn.

Its horn was believed to possess extraordinary medicinal powers. It could detect or neutralize poison, cure ailments such as epilepsy and lameness, relieve constipation, and serve as a powerful antidote against toxins. Because of these properties, the horn was highly prized and was sometimes fashioned into knife handles and other valuable objects.

In later Persian and Arabic folklore, the Karkadann became the mythical counterpart of the rhinoceros—a wild and dangerous beast whose miraculous horn combined immense destructive power with the ability to heal and protect.

Sources

Wikipedia contributors. (n.d.). Karkadann. In Wikipedia. Retrieved June 29, 2026, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karkadann

Lau

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Tradition / Region: Indian Mythology, Myanmar Mythology
Alternative names: Chauga (South Andaman languages), Inene (among the Onge)
Category: Ghost

The Myth

The Lau are the spirits of the dead in the traditions of the indigenous peoples of the Andaman Islands. They are regarded as invisible beings or as pale, white-skinned figures with frightening appearances. Rather than referring to a single creature, the name Lau serves as a general term for the ghosts of the deceased.

Among the peoples of South Andaman, these spirits were also known as Chauga. They were believed to be uncanny beings whose appearance differed greatly from that of ordinary humans. Their strange pale complexion and frightening nature made them objects of fear and caution.

The terms Lau and Chauga were also used to describe foreigners such as mainland Indians, Europeans, and other outsiders. Because these strangers possessed lighter skin than the islanders, they were sometimes viewed as resembling the ghostly dead. Black Africans, however, were considered entirely human in appearance and were not included in this category.

Similarly, among the Onge people, the word Inene referred to pale-skinned people and was also used for the spirits of warriors who had died natural deaths.

Thus, the Lau are remembered as the ghostly dead of the Andaman Islands—terrible pale spirits whose appearance was so distinctive that even unfamiliar foreigners were sometimes associated with them.

Sources

Bestiary.us. (n.d.). Lau. In New Bestiary: Encyclopedia of Imaginary Beings. Retrieved June 20, 2026, from https://www.bestiary.us/lau

Yeti

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Tradition / Region: Bhutan Mythology, Nepali Mythology, Indian Mythology, Chinese Mythology, Russian Mythology
Alternate Names: Abominable Snowman, Mi-rgod, Wild Man
Category: Mountain Dweller

The Myth

The Yeti is a legendary ape-like being said to inhabit the remote mountains and glaciers of the Himalayas. Descriptions vary between regions, but it is most often portrayed as a massive hairy humanoid creature that walks upright like a man. Its body is covered in dark or reddish fur, and it is associated with enormous footprints found in snow and ice. In older Himalayan traditions, the Yeti was not merely viewed as an animal but as a mysterious supernatural being connected to mountains, wilderness, and spiritual power.

Among several Himalayan peoples, especially before the spread of Buddhism, the Yeti was tied to religious beliefs. Some Lepcha traditions described a “Glacier Being” worshipped as a spirit or god of the hunt. Followers of the ancient Bön religion believed the blood of the wild mountain being possessed ritual power and could be used in spiritual ceremonies. In these stories the creature was depicted carrying large stones as weapons and roaming isolated snowy valleys far from human settlements.

In Tibetan Buddhist traditions, the Yeti became less of a god and more of a powerful nonhuman creature living beyond civilization. Some stories describe Yetis helping monks, saints, or religious figures after being tamed through spiritual teachings. Images of Yetis were sometimes carried in ceremonies as protective guardians against evil spirits. Despite this, encountering one was usually considered a terrible omen. Hearing its cries or glimpsing it in the mountains was believed to foretell danger, death, or misfortune unless the witness performed religious acts to cleanse the bad luck.

The Yeti became widely known outside the Himalayas during the nineteenth century when explorers and travelers reported seeing strange footprints and hairy creatures in remote mountain regions. Trekkers described tall bipedal figures covered in dark hair fleeing across snowy slopes, while guides told stories of wild mountain men wandering glaciers and forests. Reports of massive footprints in the snow became especially famous, though many later believed they may have belonged to bears or other animals distorted by melting ice.

Despite skepticism and many suspected hoaxes, the legend of the Yeti endured throughout the Himalayas and later spread into global popular culture as the “Abominable Snowman.” In folklore, however, the creature remained something more mysterious than a simple monster: a hidden being of the mountains, existing somewhere between animal, spirit, and wild man.

Sources

Wikipedia contributors. (n.d.). Yeti – Pre-19th century. In Wikipedia, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yeti#Pre-19th_century

Pichal peri

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Tradition / Region: Indian Mythology, Pakistani Mythology
Alternate Names: Pichhal pairī
Category: Mountain dweller

The Myth

In the mountains and forests of northwestern South Asia there wanders a being called the Pichal peri—the reverse-footed woman. By day she is unseen, but at night, when mist coils between trees and lonely paths wind through the hills, she appears.

At first she seems beautiful. A young woman stands alone beneath the trees, her long black hair flowing over her face. She may be weeping softly, or calling gently for help. Travelers who see her often feel compelled to approach, thinking her lost or in need of protection.

But there is one sign that betrays her true nature.

Her feet are turned backward.

Those who notice too late say that she walks smoothly despite this unnatural form, gliding over the earth without sound. When a man draws near, she lifts her face from behind the curtain of her hair. Her beauty may seem perfect—until the moment she reveals her true shape.

In some tales, her form stretches and twists into something tall and monstrous. Her limbs grow long, her face contorts, and her voice becomes inhuman. In others, she remains outwardly fair, luring her victim deeper into the forest before striking. She preys especially on lone men who wander at night, separating them from the safety of village and firelight.

Most stories are told by those who claim to have escaped. A traveler may notice her reversed footprints in the dust, or glimpse her transformation just in time to flee. Some say she cannot cross certain boundaries, or that calling upon divine names will break her hold. Others insist that once she fixes her gaze upon a man, his fate is sealed.

In the villages of the Punjab and the mountainous regions of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the Himalayas, elders warn the young not to roam alone after dark. For somewhere in the night woods, a woman with backward feet may be waiting—her hair hiding her face, her steps leaving tracks that lead the wrong way.

Gallery

Sources

Wikipedia contributors. (n.d.). Pichal Peri. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved February 14, 2026, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pichal_Peri

Interpretive Lenses

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Acheri

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Tradition / Region: Indian Mythology
Alternate Names: Hill Fairy; Bhūt; Hill Godling
Category: Ghost

The Myth

The Acheri is the restless spirit of a young girl, or sometimes a woman, who died a violent or untimely death. After death, her soul did not depart the world but lingered among the mountains, becoming a dangerous presence feared by the villages below.

By day, Acheri dwell on mountain peaks and high hilltops, unseen and silent. As dusk falls, they descend from the heights to hold revels in remote places. These gatherings are perilous. Anyone who stumbles upon an Acheri revel risks death or grave harm, and even visiting the site afterward is considered unsafe, as the land itself is believed to retain their influence.

Acheri are especially feared for their connection to disease. They are said to cast their shadow—known as chāyā—over children, afflicting them with sudden and incurable illnesses. The touch of their shadow alone is enough to weaken the body, and once marked, a child may never recover. Because of this, parents were warned to keep children away from lonely hillsides and twilight paths.

Though feared, the Acheri are not without boundaries. It is said that wearing a scarlet thread around the throat offers protection against certain illnesses associated with them, particularly colds and goitre. However, bright red clothing is dangerous, as the Acheri are believed to hate the color red and may be drawn to it in anger rather than repelled.

In some regions, strange sights on the mountains are attributed to the Acheri. Travelers speak of enormous moving shadows cast against the slopes—phantom processions of elephants, horses, and figures marching in silence. These illusions are said to appear without sound or substance, vanishing as suddenly as they arise.

The Acheri are remembered as spirits bound to the hills by unresolved death. Neither fully divine nor merely ghostly, they stand between village deities and wandering dead. Their presence turns mountains into places of beauty and danger alike, reminding those below that the heights are not empty, and that the spirits of the violently lost still walk at dusk.

Sources

Bestiary.us contributors. (n.d.). Acheri. In Bestiary.us — Mythical Creatures of the World, from https://www.bestiary.us/acheri

Wikipedia contributors. (n.d.). Acheri. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acheri