Bestiary.us

Deyyam is a Telugu word derived from the Indic word Dev. It is usually translated as “ghost”, though not all Deyyams are spirits of the dead.

In folk stories of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, Deyyams have many attributes in common with the Hindi Bhoot. But there are some differences. While Bhoots can stretch their arms and legs to reach a great distance, the Deyyam prefers to do this trick with its tongue — extending its glistening, prehensile pink muscle into another room to adjust the volume on a radio, or to turn off the gas burner of a stove. Deyyams also have the ability to transfer their spirit to any other living thing through a bite or a scratch. Sometimes these scratches seem to come from invisible entities hovering in cool air, in which case they are called deyyam barukulu, or ghost scratches. Deyyams are susceptible to fire, and appear to die a second death if they are burned.

Thus, in one folktale, a marauding Deyyam who had been feeding on the livestock of a certain village was caught, and the villagers burnt it to death. Just before the ghost died, it managed to grab hold of a chicken and claw a gash in its side. The chicken then became a demon-chicken that laid cursed eggs, out of which hatched bizarre feathered Deyyams with human heads. The demon chicken was later caught and killed and cooked, and all those who ingested its flesh turned into Deyyams as well.

Some Deyyams are bound to certain objects. A famous story from Guntur district tells of a farmer who found a beautiful glass bead in his field. He took it home and hid it in the pooja cabinet. Soon afterwards, an old woman showed up at the house. She introduced herself as Peki, and asked if there was any work for her to do around the farm.

Almost immediately, doubts arose about Peki’s true nature. For one thing, she was freakishly strong, working better and faster than any of the men in the fields, despite her wrinkled face and stooped back. And late one night, the farmer’s mother, who was half-asleep, observed her stretching her tongue far across the room to adjust the wick of an oil lamp.

Distraught, the family tried to move to a new house to get away from Peki. As was the custom, they left behind their stone mortar and pestle, to ensure that any evil spirits residing in the old house did not follow them. But Peki simply lifted up the mortar and pestle and carried them to the new house.

Finally, the family brought magicians to chant mantras of protection to banish the spirit. Peki, from outside the gate, shouted at them, “Just give me my glass bead and I’ll leave you alone!” For though she had searched everywhere else in the house, the pooja cabinet, with all its images of the gods, had remained off limits for her.

The farmer threw the bead out to Peki. She caught it and left, and after that the haunting stopped.