Lusar Lal (Myanmar)

The term “lusar lal” means “replacing a person.” As the name suggests, lusar lal refers to a phenomenon in which spirits take human lives, forcing the souls of their victims to replace them, enabling them to move on to their next existence.

There are two types of lusar lal ghosts. The first type is associated with asount (see Book 1) which are ghosts of murdered victims whose souls are compelled to guard something or some place against their will. When these ghosts wish to be free from their guardian roles, they are said to reenact the gruesome murders or accidents that ended their lives, allowing them to replace their posts with fresh souls and be set free.

The second type resembles vengeful spirits with deep grudges against the living. Often, they met their demise through acts of murder and accidents and seek to inflict a similar fate on others out of spite.

Read more about lu sar lal ghosts in Ghosts, Spirits and Paranormal Entities from Asian Folklore and Mythology (Book 2).