Known also as बड़ैवा or जलशीरा, this legendary creature was considered as a spirit guide.
Balteeyar was believed to possess the same physical attributes as humans except for having a fire on the head.
He was fondly believed to walk lightning-fast, typically causing a marked trail of fierce fire to invariably appear behind him.
According to legends, when a person dies prematurely or accidentally, his/her troubled spirit is believed to wander aimlessly. Balteeyar was believed to guide their spirits towards possible salvation.
Historically, local people from their villages used to see fire orbs travelling in a pattern through the forests.
The Balteeyar traditionally gathered a group of wandering spirits, and as a characteristic, he lit all their heads. Afterward, Spirits followed him on the path to deliverance.
As per another local legend, Balteeyar is also considered a messenger of death.
Local legend has it that whenever a Balteeyar was near any home, it was a sign that someone was dying in that house, and he had come to take their spirit.