Noson Gaeaf / Winter's Eve and Bhoot Chaturdashi
On dark nights when the wind is a’screech,
A Hwch Ddu Gwta chased the blues to the breach!
Amidst burning stones and scary ghouls
A headless lady and screaming owls
A feast for old bones out of reach!
By Maharaja Miku the Bard Bear
The Tradition of Noson Gaeaf
Noson Gaeaf (or Nos Galan Gaeaf) is the Welsh name for Halloween night—marking the eve of Calan Gaeaf, the first day of winter. It’s steeped in ancient traditions, folklore, and seasonal rituals unique to Wales.
🌒 Origins and Meaning
- Noson Gaeaf translates to “Winter’s Eve” or “Winter Calends Night”, with calan derived from Latin calends (first day of the month), and gaeaf meaning winter.
- It’s the night before Calan Gaeaf, celebrated on November 1st, which marks the beginning of winter in the Welsh calendar.
👻 Spirit Night (Ysbrydnos)
- Noson Gaeaf is considered an Ysbrydnos, or “spirit night,” when spirits and supernatural beings roam freely.
- People traditionally avoided churchyards, crossroads, and stiles, believing spirits gathered there. (Maybe Robert Johnson headed to the crossroads on Noson Gaeaf? )
🔥 Bonfires and Superstitions
- Villagers would light bonfires (coelcerth) and place marked stones into the flames.
- If your stone was burned clean, it meant good luck.
- If your stone was missing, it was believed you’d die within the year.
- As the fire died down, people would run home, fearing pursuit by:
- Yr Hwch Ddu Gwta – a tailless black sow with a headless woman.
- Y Ladi Wen – the White Lady, a ghostly apparition.
🥘 Harvest and Fortune Traditions
- Noson Gaeaf was also a harvest celebration:
- People played games with the last corn stalks, twisting them into a harvest mare.
- A special dish called “stwmp naw rhyw” (mash of nine vegetables) was eaten to ward off spirits. Sometimes a wedding ring was hidden inside—whoever found it was said to marry soon.
- Children bobbed for apples (twco fala)
Gwrachod
The name gwrachod means ‘witches’ or ‘hags’. Men would roam the villages dressed in rags and masks, or sometimes women's clothing, going from door to door for coppers, fruit and nuts. They would then drink in the local pubs. People believed dressing up like this would repel evil spirits, but it could also have been to scare people into giving them treats.
Links
and then suddenly.....
Bhoot Chaturdashi
The Boy who lights the Choddo Pradeep (14 lamps)
Where did Dadu and Didu go?
Did they board the slow train past Chandannagar?
The one that leaves but never returns..
With no return ticket, no tiffin box, no goodbyes
Or did they scatter like mustard seeds on the Ganga’s meanders,
Lost in the swirl of stories they once told me
Of jackals, of ghosts, of gods and of demons defeated by the gods.
I light fourteen flames, one for each whisper,
Each 'ha re baba', each 'ki sundor chele'
For each hug and blessing they showered on me once.
The lamps blink awake, shy and slow
Like Dadu’s tales of jamun thieves and moonlit fields,
Like Didu’s fingers parting my hair
To tuck in oil amidst her beautiful lullabies.
Are they watching from the other side?
From some 'bhoot-bhuturey' balcony of stars?
Do they still love me, even now,
When I forget to wear my 'monkey cap',
When I eat the 'luchi' before the puja’s done?
I light the last lamp,
And the shadows lean in
Not to scare, but to smile.
The flames flicker like old laughter,
And I feel their eyes in the quiet,
Warm as mustard oil on winter skin.
Dadu Didu - grandparents
Ha re baba - yes dear
Ki sundor chele - what a beautiful boy
Bhoot bhuturey - ghostly
Monkey cap - balaclava
Luchi - puffed roti
AI generated artwork in the traditions of Jamini Roy and also leaning on the dance of the King of Ghosts from Satyajit Ray's classic 1969 film 'Goopy Gyne Bagha Byne'.
by Maharaja Miku the Bard Bear
Bhoot Chaturdashi is celebrated primarily in Bengal on the eve of Kali Puja (a day before Diwali), is a night of ancestral remembrance and protection from malevolent spirits. It blends spiritual reverence with folkloric fear, earning it the nickname “India’s Halloween” in popular culture.
🔥 Key Traditions of Bhoot Chaturdashi
- Lighting 14 Diyas (Choddo Prodeep):
Fourteen earthen lamps are placed around the home—at doorways, windows, dark corners, and near the sacred Tulsi plant. Each lamp is believed to guide the spirits of choddo purush (14 forefathers) back home and protect the household from evil forces.
- Eating Choddo Shaak (Fourteen Leafy Greens):
Families prepare a dish of 14 different leafy vegetables, believed to cleanse the body and ward off negative energies. The greens are chosen based on seasonal availability and Ayurvedic principles, symbolizing health, purification, and ancestral offerings.
- Spiritual Cleansing:
People take ritual baths before sunrise and clean their homes thoroughly. This act symbolizes spiritual and physical purification in preparation for Diwali and to make the home welcoming for ancestral spirits.
- Ancestral Connection:
It’s believed that on this night, the spirits of ancestors return to visit their descendants. The rituals are performed to honor them and ensure their peace, while also safeguarding the living from wandering or malevolent entities.
- Folkloric Beliefs:
The night is thought to be a liminal time when the boundary between the living and the dead is thin. Stories of Bengali ghosts like Shakchunni, Mechho Bhoot, and Skondhokata are often shared, adding a spooky, storytelling element to the evening.
Children are traditionally advised to stay indoors, as the night is considered spiritually volatile. While modern celebrations may be more symbolic, the core of Bhoot Chaturdashi remains a powerful blend of ancestral veneration, seasonal ritual, and folkloric imagination.
Sources:
ABP Live – Bhoot Chaturdashi 2025: Rituals and Significance
Times of India – India’s Own Halloween
NDTV Food – Choddo Shaak and Its Meaning
The Telegraph – Ghosts of Bengal
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