Dead Days
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| Date | Darshali 22-31 |
| Type | Observance |
| Region | Sirdabi Caliphate |
The Dead Days are made up of the seven days after the winter solstice, when the boundary between the natural and supernatural realms is thought to be particularly thin and permeable. It is considered an unsettled time when any strange thing might happen, particularly during the long nights. It is a prime time for retiring indoors early, and telling ghost stories and other eerie tales. Many do not dare go out at night during this time without a pair of spoons to bang together to frighten spirits away. In many towns and villages this practice has evolved into a tradition of mummery, where unmarried youths dress up in mask and costume and go around beating spoons and drums and demanding offerings for the spooks of the night.