The “bad natured spirit” from India is called a Bhuta. It’s a vampire spirit that looks like a flickering light or a shadow, but it can possess a corpse.
Bhutas are created when a person with a physical deformity dies or when someone dies before they should murder, suicide or accident.
Once it has a body, it spreads disease and it now is able to shape-shift into an owl or bat.
The Bhuta is one of the vampires that don’t drink blood. It feeds on corpses sometimes it desires milk. In this case, it will attack a baby that’s recently fed.
Since it mostly feeds from corpses it’s usually habitat is cemeteries, but because it possess the dead, it can be pulled to the corpse’s favorite places while alive. Like alcoholics at bars, book-philes at libraries, etc.
If you start to feel very uncomfortable, and animals start leaving the area, it means a Bhuta is nearby.
To keep it from attacking Mecaru Ceremonies are preformed every 15 days to honor and show respect to the Bhuta. Only then, will the Bhuta search for ways to stay at peace with the community.
It’s believed the Bhuta is a companion of Shiva (the Hindu Great God) it can’t stand on the ground and doesn’t cast a shadow. It hates the smell of burning Turmeric, if it smells it for too long it will disappear.
Small shrines –for worship, sacrifices and to keep them pleased, are called Bhandara they are found throughout India, but especially where Bhuta are revered. Cradles the only requirement for these shires. Bhuta rests in them, because the Earth is considered sacred and the Bhuta can’t touch it.