Dakshin Rai

Dakshin Rai (Bengali: দক্ষিণ রায়, "King of the South") is a revered deity in the Sundarbans in India and Bangladesh who rules over beasts and demons.

[1][2][3] The deity is worshipped by all those who enter the Sundarban forests of West Bengal, for subsistence, irrespective of their caste, creed or religion.

Dakshin Rai's father is Prabhakar ray (Danda Baksha muni) a brahmin and mother is Narayani.

Inhabitants of the Sundarbans pray to Dakshin Rai or Bonbibi before venturing into the mangroves, as they believe this affords them protection.

Natives of some tribes bind a mask with the face of Dakshin Rai to the back of their heads to confuse or scare an approaching tiger and ward off its attack.