Chapter X · WITCHCRAFT.
Reading edition
Women who die in child-bed, meet an untimely death or commit suicide, become Dākans or Chudels after death.2
Notes in this chapter
Note 1 · The School Master of Dhānk. ↑Note 2 · The School Master of Ganod. ↑Note 3 · The School Master of Gondal. ↑Note 4 · The School Master of Sultānpur. ↑Note 5 · Mr. K. D. Desāi. ↑Note 6 · The School Master of Vanod. ↑Note 7 · The School Master of Dadvi. ↑Note 8 · The School Master of Moti Khilori. ↑Note 9 · The School Master of Ganod. ↑Note 10 · Mr. K. D. Desāi. ↑Note 11 · The School Master of Dhānk. ↑Note 12 · The School Master of Ganod. ↑Note 13 · Some people believe that women of such low castes as Kolis, Vāghris and Chārans become Dākans. High caste Dākans are rare.3Note 14 · A ghostly Dākan dresses in fine clothes and decks her person with ornaments. But she does not cover her back, which is horrible to look at. Note 15 · Ghostly Dākans trouble only women. When possessed by them, the latter have convulsive fits, loose their hair, and cry out without any reasonNote 16 · A ghostly Dākan lives with a man as his wife, brings him dainties and turns the refuse of food into flesh and bones. The man gradually becomNote 17 · It is believed that generally a Dākan kills a man within six months.7Note 18 · The Dākans do not allow calves to suck, cattle to give milk, and healthy persons to enjoy sound health. Sometimes they cause cattle to yieldNote 19 · A Dākan by virtue of her powers, can ascend to the sky. She lives upon the flesh of corpses.9Note 20 · A Dākan can assume any form she likes. She appears as a cat, a buffalo, a goat or any other animal. She can swell and shrink her body at wilNote 21 · Dākans haunt trees, cemeteries, deserted tanks, mines or other desolate places.11Note 22 · They also haunt ruins and places where four roads meet.12