A NOBLE GHOST

In OTM High School Choudwar often cultural programmes were being celebrated specifically on Saraswati Puja. Once I attended the function with my friends from 7 pm to 11 pm. The theatre was over and I prepared myself for return journey to our village, Agrahat.

Though I had got enough courage to do cycling still I prefer to accompany one for the sake of amiability. At that time OTM workers belonged to Charbatia area were often plying by the way of Sidhheswar Mahadev Temple ( Badhi ). That day luckily I got a company of a cyclist Mill Worker returning home. That was midnight. We were proceeding towards village beside Badhi. Suddenly a tall man with white dress was walking in front of us. I asked him to give us a pass for our smooth cycling. But that fellow did not respond and walking with long strides carelessly. We were quite upset for his behavior. So we wanted to knock him down by dashing our bicycle against him. Then we did so. When we did so we feel as if we dashed againt a smoky man. Nothing was happened to him. He was walking as before intact. Again I asked who are you guy? Why are you disturbing us? Only a faint voice came, " Hun Hun ". We knew that the apparition was a saitan ( a harmful discontented spirit ). We chant the name of Lord Siddheshwar and cycling on and on. 

Here it may be noted here that Choudwar area is the historical land of great heroes of the Mahabharat. It's climate is also good for health including Agrahat. Native people of that area were bold and brave. They were also hard workers and benevolent. Though I belong to that area I may observe both positive and nagative aspects of the local people impartially. Before decades ago that Ragadi ( plateau -plantless land of red colored soil ) was very notorious as it was a haunting ground of local thieves, smugglers, hooligans, dacoits and deadly cutthroats who was murdering many innocent passersby at night for money especially Mill workers or outsider strangers. So there are many discontented spirits of those victims who have been roaming as yet. The white apparition before us whom we call Saitan ( in raw Odia language ) was an innocent spirit. Perhaps he was a benevolent one and wanted to guide us to our village safely as we guessed.

However, the benevolent spirit guided us up to the Baideshwar Shivjee Temple and entered into the Temple campus. We also entered our village after paying salute to Lord Shivjee. Then we talked to each other that as the Lord Shiv was also called Bhutanath ( the Lord of all ghosts and goblins ) and the benevolent Saitan who followed us might have been also a true devotee of Lord Shiv during his life time. Eventually Our conception on that Saitan was absurd that he was a harmful spirit . But now we realize that he was a benevolent one and wwas in the waiting list for his salvation.

(A factual incident during my High School career)

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