A True story

Dad was posted in Mount Abu, Rajasthan, and due to official work, he, as well as his colleagues, had to go to remote places to do the fieldwork. A Surveyor puts together and creates an accurate topographic map. They look closely and keep a track record of the area to set up maps.

Dad and his colleagues had to work in far-removed areas. They were always off the beaten track. The families got news through the office and sometimes it took months to know about their whereabouts. At present things have become much easier but in the early 60’s it was hard.

Dad and his colleagues with a few orderlies and also locals were working in a remote area. After the work was finished, they wanted to rest in a nearby village. All were feeling tired so, Dad told the orderlies to fix the tents for the night. Dad was the camp officer and so his word was the ‘law’. The locals were gripped with fear and in loud whispers told the orderlies, ‘Please tell, Sir that this village is haunted and a little farther would take them to another village’.

Dad could sense the whispers, but no one dared to tell him on his face. Two of his colleagues tried to persuade him and change his mind but Dad brushed it off. No, he didn’t believe in any haunted place. So, the tents were fixed, and first tea was prepared, and then followed by hot chappatis and steaming hot vegetable curries. The locals brought fresh vegetables. They all had a sumptuous meal with rich hot vegetables and ghee generously put on the chappatis followed by warm cow’s milk.

It was past 10.30 and all went off to sleep in their tents. Not even an hour passed when all of a sudden big branch started falling on the tents. All the others came to Dad’s tent and were shivering with fear. Dad was fearless; he took his big round torch that had a long handle put on his Survey hat, the hard hat, and went out alone. He switched on his big round torch and flashed it all over. No, there was no wind, and not a leaf moved. But he found the air to be heavy and the environment felt hard. As Dad saw nothing, he went back to his tent which was crowded with all sitting together. He told everyone, ‘Come on, go off to sleep there is nothing around’. But they were trembling with fear and so, he allowed them to sit in his tent.

As Dad turned to sleep, again branches were falling on the tents and this time Dad took two torches and went out. As usual, there was no wind, and the air around was heavy. He kept on flashing his torches far around but saw nothing.

He went back and this time he did not go to sleep as he wanted to know the truth.

Just 5 minutes passed when a big branch fell on the tent which made the tent bent in. Dad got up and went out and he heard a shrill cry of a woman passing away with branches falling on the ground.

The whole night all sat awake. Dad had the big responsibility of looking after his people and so he told others to close their eyes and he was awake. This continued till 4 am and after that, all was normal.

The next day, Dad didn’t take the risk and shifted to the nearby village. The villagers were astonished and bit their lips. ‘Saheb, you have done the right thing. That place was not good.

These are some of the experiences that the Surveyors had to face. Dad got the message if people are troubled with branches falling then who can survive?

Mysteries are unsolved.