Nishi Dak: The Call from the Darkness
On my never-ending quest to learn more about unusual creatures and monsters of myth and legend, I came across Nishi Dak from Bengali folklore of India and was left feeling, dare I say, rather disturbed. As a mother, daughter, wife, and friend, I value my relationships with others most in life, so when I read that the Nishi Dak exploits the love, protective nature, and close bonds its victims share with others to attack them, it hit a nerve.
The Nishi Dak are restless souls who died suddenly or by unnatural causes and didn’t receive proper funeral rites. They only venture out in thick fog, dense mist, or pitch-black, moonless nights, so their physical description is a bit elusive. We do know it can appear as a dark or white shadowy figure with hazy outlines and glowing red eyes. The monster lurks in the darkness, observing dwellings and studying its occupants' family structure and relationships. Once it targets a victim, it mimics a loved one's voice, calling out in distress and begging for help. This sinister tactic gives the creature its name, which means "Call of the Dark" or "Call of the Night".
If the intended victim answers the first or second call, they enter a trance-like state, unlock the door, and leave the safety of their home. If a victim hesitates or demands to see who is calling, the Nishi Dak can morph into the person they are imitating. However, the illusion will read as hollow, and their eyes may faintly glow or be completely black. Nishi Dak have also been known to impersonate a recently deceased family member, further exploiting the grief and pain of their victim. Proving that these guys are truly evil.
Nishi Dak lead most victims into swamps, deep water, or deserted bamboo groves. Then, they are usually drowned, consumed, or left mentally broken. Those who have survived a Nishi Dak attack are left psychologically shattered and frequently become mute, which further prevents anyone from getting a clear description of them.
Here is where the legend takes an interesting turn. Like many monsters, the Nishi Dak has some limitations. It can only mimic a loved one’s voice twice. It cannot call out a third time. Because of this weakness, children have been taught for generations never to answer or step outside on the first or second call. Only when the voice calls out a third time can one be certain that it is truly a loved one calling for help.
I know that I would go through hell and high water for the people I hold dear, so I find weaponizing our instinct to protect those we love in such a demonic and predatory way chilling. While Bengali folklore of the Nishi Dak highlights the deep-seated dread of harm coming to those we love, it sinisterly subverts our protective instinct by turning the voices we trust most into traps that lead us toward danger, or even death.
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