Ghosts, Monsters and Demons of India cover

Ghosts, Monsters and Demons of India

by Rakesh Khanna

An encyclopedia of evil entities and folkloric fiends from across the country, from Ladakh to Lakshadweep, Maharashtra to Manipur, Yamalok to Tuchenkwaka. An illustrated guide to the folktales and real-life stories of the ghosts, monsters and demons of India, a culture famously rich in tradition and legends. Perfect for fans of Eli Roth’s Urban Legends and Guillermo Del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities. “I was not prepared for how deeply this book captivated me … Ghosts, Monsters, and Demons of India is exemplary of what a book can be, how it can operate. It’s a bridge across space, time, and language” —Robin Sloan, author of Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore An encyclopedia of evil entities and folkloric fiends from across India, from Ladakh to Kerala, Lakshadweep to Nagaland, Naraka to Tuchenkwaka, complete with 60 spooky illustrations. Inside this book you will find … - Killer robots built with stolen Roman engineering technology that once guarded the relics of the Buddha - The ghost of a 21-year-old motorcyclist whose Enfield Bullet is venerated at a highway temple in Rajasthan - A Himalayan drum-playing spirit-teacher whose wife is a fearsome Yeti - Diabolical entities conjured into existence by the simultaneous deaths of seven tigers - Triple-rooted night-flying Vedic necromancers - Call-centre employees from beyond the grave - The dreaded Ngalei Ahmaw of Maraland, whose victims’ heads detach themselves from their bodies at night and go wandering in search of blood … - AND MORE

Chappie’s discussion starters

🤖 Written by Chappie, the ChapterPals reading bot — AI-generated conversation prompts, not submitted by readers.

  1. Which character stayed with you after you turned the last page, and why?
  2. Was there a moment where you disagreed with a character’s choice? What would you have done?
  3. What theme did this book keep circling back to — and did it earn its ending?
  4. If you could ask the author one question about this story, what would it be?
  5. Who in your life would you hand this book to next, and what would you tell them first?