Narak Chaturdashi: Celebrating the Indian Version of Halloween Traditions

Diwali is an important festival in Indian culture, celebrated over five days starting with Dhanteras. The day before Diwali is called Narak Chaturdashi, marking the day Lord Krishna defeated the demon Narakasura. In West Bengal, this day is called Bhoot Chaturdashi and is celebrated on October 30 this year. Also known as Kali Chaudas, it is a day to honor Goddess Kali and to perform rituals to remove negative energies and protect from evil spirits.

What Actually Bhoot Chaturdashi Mean?

Bhoot Chaturdashi, also called Naraka Chaturdashi, is celebrated on the 14th day of the dark lunar phase, just before Diwali and Kali Puja in West Bengal. The festival is connected to a story about the demon Narakasur, who was defeated by Goddess Kali. In Bengali, "bhoot" means ghost, and people believe that on this day, spirits return to the human world, making the line between the living and the dead seem less clear.

Story behind Bhooth Chaturdashi:

In Bengali folklore, there’s a story about a messy couple who kept trash inside their home for days. One day, a ghost appeared from the garbage, scaring everyone. Since then, people in Bengal make sure to keep their homes clean around this time to keep away evil spirits. This is similar to the Diwali cleaning ritual in other parts of India.

Another belief is that on this day, it's not evil spirits but ancestors who visit. The phrase “choddho purush” refers to 14 generations of ancestors. Lighting up dark corners of the house is a way to welcome these spirits.

Rituals:

On Bhoot Chaturdashi, families light 14 small lamps around the house, especially in dark areas and at the entrance. Each lamp is believed to welcome ancestors and keep away bad spirits. The light from these lamps brings peace and symbolizes goodness winning over darkness.

To keep peace at home and make the good spirits happy, people also eat 14 different types of leafy vegetables on this day.

Bhoot Chaturdashi is different from Halloween, as it doesn’t involve trick-or-treating or dressing up as ghosts or popular characters. However, both festivals share some similarities, like spirits visiting people, telling spooky stories, and celebrating together. Instead of using jack-o-lanterns, people light diyas (small oil lamps) to keep away scary spirits.