Shakchunni, a type of female ghost in Bengali oral tradition, is known not only for its cruelty and creepy activities but also for sensuality. They provide interesting space for women's agency and (sexual) desire.
Paper long abstract
Among the ghosts in Bangladesh, or more precisely in (oral) literary traditions of the Bengali language, Shakchunni’s place is a distinct one. They must have been married and Hindu in their worldly lives. Some argue that the prefix of the word Shakchunni, Shak, came from Shankha, a shell-made ornament that symbolizes Hindu married women. Shakchunnis are believed to have experienced an unpleasant married life with abuse and torture. Also, they while living could have been deprived of sexual pleasure. They eventually became one of the most tireless ghosts in their post-worldly mission – primarily to hunt their husbands, and then to explore sexual pleasure. Predominantly on a heterosexual narrative outlet, Shakchunnis keep on looking for attractive males, often the married ones. There are twists in the customization of ghost stories in different parts of the land and by different orators depending on their craft of storytelling. While some stories can portray the cruel and terrifying aspects of a Shakchunni, others may opt for sensual aspects. Understandably, the later genre provides space for pleasure not only for the Shakchunnis but also for the audience of these stories. One way to look into the stories is to reconceptualize women's agency and (sexual) desire.