Munjya

In Hindu and Jain traditions, the mundan ceremony marks a boy's entry into formal education, involving the tying of a sacred thread around the torso and a girdle made of munja grass around the waist, typically at the age of seven.

[2] According to folklore in Maharashtra and the Konkan coast, Munjya is believed to be the ghosts of boys who died after this ceremony but before marriage, inhabiting peepal trees.

Munjya's are described as restless bachelor ghosts who roam trees at night, possessing cleverness and multilingual abilities.

While most Munjya's are not harmful, they may retaliate against those who defile their tree homes, potentially pelting offenders with stones or causing accidents.

[3] One feasible rationale for the belief in Munjya is that peepal trees, known for their expansive canopies, emit substantial carbon dioxide during the night.