The Ghost Story...

“Jo tenu dekhiya, saansein gayi tham, saari saari raat soye na hum”

Now I’m not in awe with this latest romantic number in the ever-so-loved  voice of the Nasal Voice King Mr. Himesh Reshammiya. Take the lyrics of this song literally and that will describe the essence of this post.

Last week, the tellywood as well as bollywood both were possessed with spirits. Be it the new show on Sony TV “Anamika” (though I have not seen it, just saw the promos) or the latest movie from The Mr. Perfectionist “Talaash”, both were themed on the concept of spirits and ghosts. I saw this movie yesterday, and during the movie itself I had started imagining about my next blog post. I normally concentrate on movie only, but couldn’t enjoy this one much, because of a dumb friend of mine, who had posted  the suspense of the movie on facebook, so the thought process started there itself.

Bhoot.. Pret… Aatma… Chudail… Vashikaran… Ghosts… Spirits… Witches..And don’t know how many more descriptions. In India itself they have different names in different states. While I thought about doing some research on this topic, (though I couldn’t find much relevant things other than people’s incidents with these ghosts) I did came across this interesting post on names of different ghosts in India. I have no idea about its truth and genuineness, but if interested you can give it a read here…  http://www.paranexus.org/index.php?action=blog&bact=memberart&member=229&blogid=6&article=120&where=Member_Article

I actually don’t have a strong belief in these assumed-to-be-restless supernatural creatures, but they are believed to be there, to be present around us. Both good and evil spirits are assumed to be there. Either they have an incomplete mission, or they died an untimely or cruel death, or their bodies were not cremated properly, or they came for revenge,  there are ‘n’ number of stories related to them. Some believe, some are completely against there existence, some have actually faced them and some like me are confused. I have heard people telling stories they experienced or others told them, so somewhere in a corner of my heart I think they might be there, but if I consider the scientific approach towards life and death, and listen to my brain then it scraps such thoughts as mere foolishness and superstition.

Tales of ghosts tell they have inverted feet, don’t have a shadow, can be seen in mirrors, normally come in white clothes,  normally stay inverted on peepal trees, are afraid of steel and fire, run away when you chant the name of God, possess you through milk, via hair, or through any belonging of yours. Kids in school are always so excited about such things and have a keen interest in calling the spirits of dead by drawing circles on paper, using candles and coins, etc. And how can I forget to mention they are the rozi-roti (bread and butter) of loads of tantriks and babas in India, who earn in the name of freeing you from these evil spirits.

 But here in Punjab bhoots or ghosts have a very important usage in our daily usage idioms.  “Bhoot sawaar ho gaya”(being obsessed by ghosts) refers to an obsession for something which the other persons finds irrational.  “Bhoot banya hoeya hai” (you have turned into a ghost) is used to describe your looks are shabby and messy. “Tera bhoot utarna paega” (will have to free you from the ghost) is a sort of warning to make people understand something. And how can we forget even Akshay Kumar helped them in their publicity with his song in the movie ‘Singh is King’, tenu ghodhi kinhe chadaya bhootni ke which here refers to the groom’s mother to be evil like a ghost. When I was young my grandmother used to hate me leaving my hair open after having a head bath, and she used to scare me saying if you roam around in open hair outside the house, the chudail(witch) will stick to you via your hair from the trees (in crude punjabi words, je khule waalan nal bahar ghumi, te pedh nal latki chudail tenu chimbadh jaegi).

Scary, creepy, imaginary, interesting, haunted, dark, horrifying, terrible, disgusting, whatever you say, but you surely can’t ignore these not-so-present- but-still-present creatures.  Do share your list of any ghost experiences you had or heard of.

 

PS: I’m sure tonight they will come and scare me to death in my dreams, I have used ‘creatures’ word for them so many times in this post, many of them might feel offended... Does this sound like I’m believing in their existence… ;)