Matching 50 mythical creatures with each of the 50 states
!['The champion of the people', 1784. Charles James Fox attacking a many-headed monster, raising the Sword of Justice above his head. Behind him are his supporters, English, Irish and Indians. (Photo by Guildhall Library & Art Gallery/Heritage Images/Getty Images) 'The champion of the people', 1784. Charles James Fox attacking a many-headed monster, raising the Sword of Justice above his head. Behind him are his supporters, English, Irish and Indians. (Photo by Guildhall Library & Art Gallery/Heritage Images/Getty Images)](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/f360f3f1850d634e524260b038c9b579e3ec1e6e4a6b47324fa0c3d416e19e6a.jpg)
Indiana: Bhoot
In Indiana, there are a number of ghost stories and folktales related to ghostly women. In some cases, there are real, identifiable people behind the ghost stories. And in other cases, the story seems to have been lost in time, with a unique ghost story but no real people behind the tales.
So when it came to finding the perfect monster for the state, it just made sense that it would have to be a ghostly creature that took the part of monster representative for the state of Indiana. But which ghost reigns supreme?
In this case, it feels like the Bhoot is the perfect choice for the state. But what is the Bhoot?
It seems that the Bhoot originated in India and is a ghost that can assume multiple forms, whether we are talking about human or animal forms. Typically, these ghosts stay close to where they died and became a ghost. They never actually touch the ground and are most often seen as ghostly owls, but the biggest thing that makes the Bhoot stand out from the other ghostly entities out there is the fact that their feet are always backward on their incorporeal bodies.
When it comes to finding a representative for the state, it just made sense that a ghostly entity with shapeshifting abilities would be the way to go. After all, with multiple ghost stories under their belt they deserved to have a monster that can transform into any ghostly shape they may prefer (or relate to best).