to be impure during her period and the twelve days after she has given birth. According to some sources, in India, if a woman dies an unnatural death or during childbirth, especially during Diwali, she will become a Churel. The Korwas of Mirzapur say that if a woman dies in a lying room (the place where women give birth) she becomes a Churel. The Pataris and Majhwars say that if a girl dies during pregnancy or when she is unclean she becomes a Churel and appears in the form of a pretty little girl in white clothes and seduces men away to the mountains; the only way to free those captured is to sacrifice a goat. The Bhuiyars say that if a girl dies before she is twenty days old, she becomes a Churel. In Punjab, though nobody has ever seen this, some people believe that if a man dies on a bed and after his death if no proper donation of some items relating to his bed is done,, his soul becomes a Bhoot (ghost), and a woman becomes a Churel. The Kharwars think that when the soul leaves the body, it becomes air but if it comes in contact with a person, the soul becomes troublesome. In western India especially Gujarat, any woman who dies an unnatural death is believed to turn into a Churel, also known as , , , and . Originally, it was believed that only a low-caste woman turns to a churel. In West Bengal and Bangladesh, Petni/Shakchunni are formed when a woman dies unmarried or if she has unfulfilled desires. Appearance The true form of a Churel is described as extremely ugly with saggy breasts, a black tongue, and thick rough lips although sometimes she is reported to have no mouth at all. She may have a pot belly, claw-like hands, and scruffy, long pubic-like hair. They are also described to have pig faces with large fangs or human-like faces with sharp tusks and long, wild hair. She is sometimes described as having a fair front and a black back, but she invariably has her feet turned backward. A Churel may also be a shape-shifter. She can assume the form of a beautiful young woman, carrying a lantern with her head covered to charm any man she comes upon. The Patari and Majhwar think that she appears as a young girl in white