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{{Short description|Supernatural creature in Asian ghost stories}} |
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[[Image:Imaginary painting of Himalayan foothills of 1860.jpg|right|thumb|An imaginary portrait of mountainous region that bears close similarity to Himalayan foothills of 1860's.]] |
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'''Pichal peri''' or '''''pichhal pairī''''' ({{langx|pa|ਪਿੱਛਲ ਪੈਰੀ}}, {{langx|hi|पिछल पेरी}}, {{langx|ur|{{Nastaliq|پچھل پيری}}}} "reverse-footed") is the name given to the '''[[churel]]''' in northwestern [[South Asia|South Asia]] and [[Central Asia]] because of their typical appearance as a woman with long hair covering the face and feet pointing backward.<ref name="Mysteriesrunsolved"/> |
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{{unreferenced|date=September 2014}} |
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'''Pichal Peri''' ({{Nastaliq|پیچھل پری}}) or '''[[churel]]''' ({{lang-hi|चुड़ैल}}, {{lang-ur|{{Nastaliq|چڑیل}}}}) is an unexplained entity that is a popular topic for ghost stories in [[Central Asia|Central]] and [[South Asia]]. |
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== Background == |
== Background == |
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Pichal peris are said to roam the mountains of [[India]] and [[Pakistan]].<ref name=Rediff>{{cite web |title=Pichal Peri |url=http://pages.rediff.com/pichal-peri/393200 |website=[[Rediff.com]] |date=2020}}</ref> They are said to be found in the Himalayas, though it occasionally enters some Indian villages.<ref name=Rediff/> In [[Pakistan]], sightings are usually reported in the rural mountainous regions of the [[Khyber Pakhtunkhwa]] province, however sightings in the [[Punjab, Pakistan|Punjab]] province are also occasionally reported. People who claim these reports are usually elders of rural villages who are known to hold superstitious beliefs, it is possible that people in [[Punjab, Pakistan|Punjab]] have taken inspiration from their northern neighbours and made their own versions of the legend. The characteristics of the pichal peri vary depending on region.<ref name="Mysteriesrunsolved"/> |
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In some versions, pichal peris appear in the woods at night and target lone men. Most stories will have the victim escaping as these are usually told by people who claim to be first hand witnesses. It is believed that pichal peris have two forms. In most stories they appear as beautiful women in order to lure men and get exposed only due to their backward feet. In some cases witnesses claim to see the female form transforming into a tall demonic creature.<ref name="Mysteriesrunsolved">{{cite web |last1=Dark |first1=Lucy |title=The Legend Of Pichal Peri Is Not For The Faint Heart! |url=https://mysteriesrunsolved.com/2018/09/the-legend-of-pichal-peri-is-not-for-the-faint-heart.html |website=Mysteriesrunsolved |access-date=1 August 2020 |date=14 June 2020}}</ref> |
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== Appearance == |
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It is believed that the Pichal Peri has two forms. In most stories, the Pichal Peri appears as a beautiful woman and targets vulnerable men. She is able to disguise everything about herself except her feet, which point backwards. In some stories, witnesses claim that they have seen the female transform or morph into a demonic creature that is twenty feet tall with a long face, long fingers, hunchback, bloodied clothes, large circular eyes and messy hair that covers most of her face. |
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== Behaviour == |
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The Pichal Peri appears in deep isolated woods after dark and targets a man who is by himself. The legend does not specify whether the Pichal Peri is malicious or not. Most stories about her involve the victim escaping, as these are usually told by people who claim to be first hand witnesses. In many villages, elders will claim that locals and tourists go missing every year when they go into the woods alone and that they are never found. They suggest that a Pichal Peri is a likely explanation. In [[Naran, Kaghan Valley|Naran]] for example, many mountain climbers have died attempting to climb [[Malka Parbat]] due to the harsh, challenging nature of the mountain's terrain, altitude and temperature. Locals of Naran believe this is due to supernatural entities such as the Pichal Peri that inhabit the mountain. |
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==See also== |
==See also== |
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<!---♦♦♦ Please keep the list in alphabetical order ♦♦♦---> |
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* [[Abarimon]] or antipode, people from classical mythology with their feet turned backwards and native to the Himalayas |
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* [[Ciguapa]], Dominican mythological creatures in the form of dark-skinned women with very long hair and backward-facing feet |
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| ⚫ | |||
* [[Indian folklore]] |
* [[Indian folklore]] |
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* [[Pakistani folklore]] |
* [[Pakistani folklore]] |
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*''[[Roohi (2021 film)|Roohi]]'', a 2021 Indian film featuring a pichal peri (though referred to as ''muṛiyā pairī'' in the film) |
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== |
== References == |
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{{reflist}} |
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*[http://pichalperi747.piczo.com/?cr=7] |
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{{Superstitions}} |
{{Superstitions}} |
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[[Category:Superstitions of Pakistan]] |
[[Category:Superstitions of Pakistan]] |
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[[Category:Superstitions of India]] |
[[Category:Superstitions of India]] |
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[[Category:Indian legendary creatures]] |
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[[Category:Pakistani legendary creatures]] |
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[[Category:Punjabi folklore]] |
[[Category:Punjabi folklore]] |
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[[Category:Mythological monsters]] |
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[[Category:Supernatural legends]] |
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Latest revision as of 04:04, 4 December 2024
Pichal peri or pichhal pairī (Punjabi: ਪਿੱਛਲ ਪੈਰੀ, Hindi: पिछल पेरी, Urdu: پچھل پيری "reverse-footed") is the name given to the churel in northwestern South Asia and Central Asia because of their typical appearance as a woman with long hair covering the face and feet pointing backward.[1]
Background
[edit]Pichal peris are said to roam the mountains of India and Pakistan.[2] They are said to be found in the Himalayas, though it occasionally enters some Indian villages.[2] In Pakistan, sightings are usually reported in the rural mountainous regions of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, however sightings in the Punjab province are also occasionally reported. People who claim these reports are usually elders of rural villages who are known to hold superstitious beliefs, it is possible that people in Punjab have taken inspiration from their northern neighbours and made their own versions of the legend. The characteristics of the pichal peri vary depending on region.[1]
In some versions, pichal peris appear in the woods at night and target lone men. Most stories will have the victim escaping as these are usually told by people who claim to be first hand witnesses. It is believed that pichal peris have two forms. In most stories they appear as beautiful women in order to lure men and get exposed only due to their backward feet. In some cases witnesses claim to see the female form transforming into a tall demonic creature.[1]
See also
[edit]- Abarimon or antipode, people from classical mythology with their feet turned backwards and native to the Himalayas
- Ciguapa, Dominican mythological creatures in the form of dark-skinned women with very long hair and backward-facing feet
- Curupira
- Indian folklore
- Pakistani folklore
- Roohi, a 2021 Indian film featuring a pichal peri (though referred to as muṛiyā pairī in the film)
References
[edit]- ^ a b c Dark, Lucy (14 June 2020). "The Legend Of Pichal Peri Is Not For The Faint Heart!". Mysteriesrunsolved. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
- ^ a b "Pichal Peri". Rediff.com. 2020.