Naale Baa: The Spooky History Of Karnataka’s Very Own 'Witch That Wanders'

Did you even have a childhood if you weren't threatened with ghost stories if you didn't sleep on time? While the legend of 'Naale Baa' sounds like such a story, it changed the state of culture in Karnataka.

Terror reigned in Bengaluru during the 90s. It was a frightening time, not merely due to a burgeoning water crisis but also because of a witch roaming the streets. According to local lore, she would traverse the city at night, knocking on doors and calling out to residents by name or imitating the familiar voice of a loved one. The rules of engagement were straightforward: if you answered the door, death would follow within 24 hours. Some accounts suggest that even turning to acknowledge the ghostly call from the street could seal your fate (yes, 'Stree' (2018) is inspired by 'Naale Baa').

Fear spread quickly — but so did ingenuity. One resident found a solution that spread like wildfire: write Naale Baa ('come tomorrow' in Kannada) on the door to trick the spirit into postponing her visit. The witch, bound by the command, would return the next day, only to be met with the same message again. Some stories explain that while her intentions were evil, the ghost would still ask for permission to enter, and 'Naale Baa' was the response that worked best.

Doors in Bengaluru and other parts of Karnataka began to display the words ‘Naale Baa’ prominently, transforming a legends into a tangible belief and custom. 

White chalk became the people’s best friend. A few stories suggest that writing commands on doors has been a practice in Indian cultures since the 1910s. A pandemic-struck India was known to have words like ‘come tomorrow’ on its doors, as an indication of an ill resident. Threads of these legends and stories run parallel in many Indian cultures. In the town of Rameswaram, April 1 is even celebrated as ‘Naale Baa’ day. A similar legend exists in West Bengal, Bihar, and some parts of Eastern India is the Nishir Daak. 

Over time, ‘Naale Baa’ evolved from a mere phrase into a symbol — a folk shield against forces that could not be reasoned with. Though the witch may have faded from memory, the legend remains a testament to folklore and communal belief systems that exist across India.

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