Rantas
A mythical female creature from Kashmiri folklore.
Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons
Rantas (Kashmiri pronunciation: [rãːʈas]) is a figure in Kashmiri folklore, depicted as a woman with long hair, sharp teeth, elongated nails, and backward-facing feet. She appears only on nights of heavy snowfall and is used to warn children to remain indoors during winter.
According to legend, Rantas kidnaps men, holding them captive and eventually marrying them out of grief for her lost lover. She roams and cries on moonless nights, walking with her feet reversed. She is said to lure travelers with her beauty, then reveal a terrifying appearance once they are entranced. She seeks out young men she becomes infatuated with, abducting them to her lair on snowy nights.
A well-known Kashmiri urban legend tells of a man named Lav Lone, who was taken by Rantas while she was disguised as a beautiful woman in Nallah Ferozpora, though some dispute this location. Others claim the story originates in the forests of Anantnag. In January 2021, a local news channel broadcast a clip containing a woman’s scream, which was rumored to be that of a Rantas.
- field
- Kashmiri folklore
- known_for
- Abducting men, luring travelers, frightening children
- nationality
- Kashmiri
Lore & Background
Rantas is said to abduct men, keeping them prisoner and later marrying them due to sorrow over the loss of her lover. She wanders and wails on moonless nights, walking on feet that are turned backward. According to legend, she lures unsuspecting travelers with her enchanting beauty, only to reveal her terrifying form once they are captivated. Rantas is believed to venture out only during heavily snowy nights, seeking young men she becomes infatuated with, whom she then kidnaps and takes to her lair.
A famous story of Lav Lone and Rantas is quite popular in Kashmir urban legend which usually revolves around a man named Lav Lone who was kidnapped by the creature Rantas disguised as a beautiful woman in the Nallah Ferozpora which some people doubt in the plot-location. Some sources however argue the story originated in the forests of Anantnag while others differ the location. In January 2021, a clip was broadcast by a local news channel which had the audio of a female screaming and was rumoured to be of a Rantas.
Reader's Guide
Rantas serves as a cautionary figure in Kashmiri folklore, primarily used to frighten children into staying safely at home during winter. Her legend also warns travelers against being lured by appearances, as she uses her enchanting beauty to captivate victims before revealing her terrifying form. The story of Lav Lone, though disputed in location, illustrates the creature's role in local urban legends. The 2021 news clip of a screaming female, rumored to be Rantas, shows how the myth persists in modern media. Rantas embodies themes of sorrow, deception, and the dangers of venturing out in harsh winter conditions, reflecting cultural values of safety and caution.
Did You Know?
- Rantas has inverted feet, walking with them turned backward.
- She is said to abduct men and later marry them due to sorrow over the loss of her lover.
- A famous story involves a man named Lav Lone who was kidnapped by Rantas disguised as a beautiful woman.
- In January 2021, a local news channel broadcast a clip of a female screaming rumored to be of a Rantas.
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