A pocong, also known as shroud ghost or hantu guling, is an Indonesian and Malaysian ghost that is said to be the soul of a dead person trapped in its shroud. Known in Indonesia/Malaysia as kain kafan, the shroud is the prescribed length of cloth used in Muslim burials to wrap the body of the dead person. The dead body is covered in white fabric tied over the head, under the feet, and on the neck.
According to traditional beliefs, the soul of a dead person will stay on the Earth for 40 days after the death. If the ties over the shroud are not released after 40 days, the body is said to jump out from the grave to warn people that the soul needs to be released. After the ties are released, the soul will leave the Earth forever.
There are many variations about pocong appearances, but usually people describe pocong with a pale face and open wide eye. Another variant consists of burned face pocong with glowing red eye, green face pocong with blank white eye, and flat faced pocong with a hole in their eyes area. Although in popular culture pocong hop like rabbits because of the tie under the feet make the ghost can't walk, the original pocong move by floating above ground. This condition is often used to identify fake pocong.
The most favorite place of pocong is under a banana tree.
