The month of October is special in many ways across the world. People wait for Halloween with excitement. Every year Halloween is celebrated all over the world on 31 October 2025. On this day people wear different types of scary costumes. Children go around and do trick and treat.

Just as Halloween is celebrated in other countries around the world including America, in the same way in India too, people of different groups perform strange religious rituals to give peace to the souls, to honor the dead and to mark the transition between life and death.

In West Bengal, the festival of Bhoot Chaturdashi, also known as Bhoot Chaudas, is celebrated a day before Kali Puja. This festival is similar to the Halloween of Bengal. On this day, people light 14 earthen lamps and keep them in different dark corners of the house to prevent the spirits of their ancestors from wandering.

Cow Jatra, also known as Cow Utsav, is celebrated between August and September in states like Nepal and Sikkim and Darjeeling in India. On this day, people dress up as cows or sadhus in memory of their loved ones and take out processions across the village in memory of the dead.

In India, the festival of Pitru Paksha is celebrated for 16 days in the month of September. During this time, Hindu people offer Tarpan and Pind Daan to their ancestors in their memory. Pitru Paksha’s connection with Halloween is to honor the souls of the dead. Crowds are seen mainly during Pitru Paksha in Varanasi and Gaya, Bihar, India.

In India, Shab-e-Barat is celebrated in the eighth month of the Islamic calendar. This night is very special for Muslims. According to Islamic beliefs, Allah decides what will happen in the coming year on this night. This night is the night of prayer. The association of Shab-e-Barat with Halloween is such that, people visit the graves of their deceased loved ones and pray to Allah for the souls.

In the Indian state of Odisha, on the day of Diwali, people perform a special ritual called Bada Badua Daka. On this day, family members gather in front of the house and burn jute sticks. Holding burning jute sticks in their hands, they chant special mantras in Oriya language. The purpose of performing this ritual is to provide peace to the souls of the ancestors and inspire them to return to their world.

Mahalaya Amavasya is celebrated in eastern states including West Bengal on the last day of Pitru Paksha. Actually, after Pitru Paksha, Durga Puja is celebrated across the country. On the day of Mahalaya, people offer prayers to their ancestors and offer water to the souls of their ancestors on the banks of the river.

Theyyam is celebrated from December to April in Kasaragod and Kannur districts of northern Kerala. Theyyam is not just a festival but a vibrant and intense dance form, which has been in practice for over 800 years. According to local people, during Theyyam dance, the artiste, wearing a special kind of costume, becomes the medium of the spirit of a deity or ancestor.