Dayan (witch)

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Dayan, Daayan, Ḍāin or Ḍāini is a malevolent spirit or ghost in Indian folklore, often of a woman who died under traumatic or unresolved circumstances (death in childbirth, murder). The term is often translated into English as "witch", though this translation can be misleading, as a daayan is typically understood as a vengeful supernatural spirit, rather than a living human practitioner of harmful magic (maleficium), and is therefore not equivalent to the Western concept of witchcraft. The term daayan has been derived from the Sanskrit word dakini, which refers to a female paranormal entity from patala (the netherworld). Dakinis have been described in medieval Hindu texts such as the Bhagavata Purana, Brahma Purana, Markandeya Purana and Kathasaritsagara as female fiendish spirits in the train of Kali who feed on human flesh. Daayans have sometimes been compared to malevolent female spirits such as the succubi of Western folklore. They also resemble vampiresses based on their alleged feeding...

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