(1) A Vaitaal (Sanskrit), or Baitaal, is a vampire-like being from Hindu mythology. The Vaitaal are defined as spirits inhabiting corpses and charnel grounds. These corpses may be used as vehicles for movement (as they no longer decay while so inhabited); but a Vaitaal may also leave the body at will. In Hindu folklore, the Vaitaal is an evil spirit who haunts cemeteries and takes demonic possession of corpses. They make their displeasure known by troubling humans. They can drive people mad, kill children, and cause miscarriages, but also guard villages.

They are hostile spirits of the dead trapped in the 'twilight zone' between life and afterlife. These creatures can be repelled by the chanting of holy Mantras. One can free them from their ghostly existence by performing their funerary rites.

Being unaffected by the laws of space and time, they have an uncanny knowledge about the past, present, and future and a deep insight into human nature. Therefore many sorcerers seek to capture them and turn them into slaves.

(2) Raajaa Vikramaaditya and Vaitaal stories  are very famous among children. They are a part of Bhavishya Puraan. A sorcerer once asked King Vikramaaditya to capture a Vaitaal who lived in a tree that stood in the middle of a crematorium. The only way to do that was by keeping silent. Every time Vikramaaditya caught the Vaitaal, the Vaitaal would enchant the king with a story that would end with a question. No matter how hard he tried, Vikramaaditya would not be able to resist answering the question. This would enable the Vaitaal to escape and return to his tree. The stories of the Vaitaal have been compiled in the book Baitaal Pachcheesee.

(3) The monkey-faced son of Shiv, born of Gauree after she had entered into the body of Raanee Taraavatee, wife of Raajaa Chandrashekhar. Two sons were born from her - one Bhairav and another Vaitaal. (see his history as given by Aurv Muni to Raajaa Sagar in Kaalikaa Puraan, Ch xlv)

(4) Vaitaal cult and Demigod Vaitaal
There is also a strong Vaitaal cult in the Konkan region, under the names of Betaal, Vetaal, etc. It seems, however, that the relation between the literary Vaitaal and this demigod's is feeble at best. There is a Shree Betal temple in Amona, Goa.

(5) Vaital and Kaal Bhairav
Vetal is the worshipper (or Sevak) of Kaal Bhairav and is the head of all spirits and ghouls and vampires and all kinds of Pishaach. He has another form which is a more potent and fiery form, that of Agni Vaitaal who is the Sevak of none other than Kalikaa. Lord Agni Vaittal has flames on his head and controls fire. He is also known as Agya Vaitaal. Agni Vaitaal is used by Taantrik to perform evil black magic on people. But it isn't Lord Agni Vaitaal's fault because the Taantrik misuse the powers given to them on propitiating Agni Vaitaal.