An Old School Memory

Once during my prime puberty when I was a student of Class XII of OTM High School, Choudwar I visited Satrughan Sahoo Babu's Cinema hall to view a Bollywood Movie, Raja Jani staring Dharam & Hema which was the first picture in my life. In fact, one of my classmates and I enjoyed a full movie amidst the restrictive chain of Papa and Grandpa with deadly moral fear as we could not have permission to do so until the end of our student's career at that time. So we had secretly moved out of the school after all the periods were over. We had booked balcony tickets and attended 1st show which finished at 9 PM.

Then suddenly panic captured our mind how to return home so as to overcome the red eyes of our superiors and quickly stepped forward releasing our bicycles from the film hall stand. We also tore off the used-up tickets to avoid risk. It was mid-winter night with cold waves and we started cycling after intaking of aloochaps and samsara in a sweet stall nearby Gandhi Chhak. Then straight away we continued cycling towards Charbatia and Agrahat beside OTM Staff Colony.It was a dark night and we had to cross the Badhi (Lord Siddheshwar )Cremation Ground through Ragadi(at that time the red-colored stony barren ground of Choudwar)which was always haunted by discontented spirits and khabises and ghosts. Behind the colony wall when we were moving on we saw a black apparition standing at a distance of half a kilometer before us which was begging for some food to eat. Gradually we arrived closed to it and my classmate late Umesh Chandra Panda take out some Cadburrys Chocolate packets from his half pant pocket and threw them up to the ghost. Afterward it vanished in the air swaying and swaying towards the graveyard with a joyful screaming. My bosom friend proceeded to his ARC quarter and I reached home at about 11 AM.

As per daily routine, I was regularly plying to home within 6 PM without fail. But that day I deviated the same and was late. Then I clarified the reason for the delay to my grandpa and mom. Father had not returned from his office. I instantly asked our tribal domestic servant Banthu about the situation at home during my absence. As per his description, I came to know that all were being bewildered and captured by the untoward apprehension viz. the evening plateful of tea fell down from grandfather's hand while sipping and was broken. My mom and granny were weeping and praying goddess Agal Chandi, our village deity, to be tension-free and for my safe return from school. My younger brothers and sisters were crying too. Banthu also waiting for me in a desperate mood to play chess with me. After finishing the game I began studying and doing my home tasks. When my tasks were completed I look at the wall clock which showed 10 pm. Then my mom gave me a tumbler full of pure boiled milk after dinner and went to bed and enjoyed a sound sleep.