Athurakal are supernatural beings who live half of their day in complete bliss and the other half in torment. They were once humans who carried out extreme deeds of good and evil karma, and as a result, they are reborn as entities who can’t move on to either heaven or hell but linger in this world, experiencing alternating periods of blessing and torment. During the day, athurakal appear as beautiful, eternally young beings, living a life of luxury. But come night, they endure a phase of hellish torture, where their bodies are attacked by monstrous humanoids wielding sharp weapons, and their bodies mauled by ferocious hellhounds.
Athurakal live on the same plane of existence as humans, but their dwellings are hidden deep within forests and mountains. Humans, even those who spend significant time in the wilderness, are unlikely to ever encounter athurakal. However, there are rare exceptions where humans chance upon an athurakal village and witness these beings’ phases of bliss and agony.
Learn more about athurakal in Ghosts, Spirits and Paranormal Entities from Asian Folklore and Mythology (Book 1). Did you enjoy this post? You can subscribe to get weekly paranormal folklore delivered right to your inbox.