Haunting In The Holkar Bridge

“Tak, tak tak”, the sound rose her up, how long had been Bhrumai sleeping, her eyes were heavy listening to the music....and now the FM had stopped.... how long had it been since 

Aryesh left? She looked at her watch, it was 2:30 AM and Aryesh had not returned yet. This scared Bhrumai. Aryesh had asked her not to come out of the car whatever happens. The sound came right from above the roof of the car. She started panicking and looked for her mobile. She dialled Aryesh’s number at once, the ring came somewhere from inside the car, yes it was right in the door pocket.” He did not take the mobile with him” thought Bhrumai, her jaws tightened...she had never been so scared...the sound gave an eerie feeling and was already giving her goosebumps.

The knock above the roof was growing louder gradually” tak , tak, tak” as if someone is ready to break through the roof of the car. Bhrumai pressed her right palm tightly to her mouth so as to stop any noise erupting her mouth and let anyone know that she was inside. The night outside was full of mist. She was worried about Aryesh. Who could knock above the roof? She slowly moved her hands towards the doorknob and then stopped. “DO NOT go out of the car even if someone calls for help, do you understand?” said Aryesh before leaving, the statement repeated inside Bhrumai’s mind. She holds tight to the seat her voice choked, she was thirsty, she could not even call for help, she tried looking outside through the glass windows, No One, Not even a single soul was visible. Far from the Holkar Bridge Cemetery, a pack of wolves howled.

She could not take the stress, she was worried, it was uncanny, her heart was pounding, the night was dark, gloomy, the mist was heavy all around, 

she gathered her strength and uttered,” Who is it?” with a faded voice. Shrieking laughter chilled her nerves and pierced the silence. The fear could be seen in her eyes, she was perspiring ....she was not able to understand what it was, the sound above the car roof was louder and louder, she could not withstand ...........

The morning was sunny and bright, the Joshi villa in the midst of the city of Pune was filled with laughter and cheers, they had a newly wedded couple in their villa. Sidhes Dinkar Joshi’s eldest son Aryesh Dinkar Joshi was married to his long term girlfriend Bhrumai just 7 days back. They were busy packing 

for their trip to Maldives in the next 2 days and before leaving for their honeymoon they had to take the 

blessing of their clan deity and hence need to travel to Nasik’s Sunder Narayan Temple.

They were supposed to leave by 08:30 AM that morning since the journey was of over almost 9 hours to and fro. Unfortunately, Yashodha Joshi, their mother slipped off the stairs, though not hurt much, she had a bruise and pain in the waistline, the doctor on calling advised her to get an X-ray done. Bhrumai got busy 

serving her mother in law and wanted to cancel the plan to visit the temple, however, the day was auspicious and they didn’t have much time at hand before they left for their Honeymoon.

 Hence it was decided that they should leave for the temple. They left around 11:30 AM. 

To reach Nasik early Aryesh decided to take the journey through Holkar bridge, yes the infamous bridge above the Mula Mutha river, which seems eerie and lifeless even during the afternoon. It is said that people who cross the bridge during late-night hours observe paranormal activities and recently there was an unidentified headless deceased body found in the pool and the police had no clue as to how did it happen. The head was nowhere to be found. The post mortem suggested it to be a clean-cut, someone had slashed off the head with a sharp weapon, just next to it is the Holkar bridge cemetery and during broad daylight, you will still see the goosebumps appearing on your body. The dampness in the environment gives you a negative feeling and you might shudder from a crow cawing.

It did not take much time for Aryesh to cross the bridge and take a turn to Nasik through NH60 and within 4 hrs and 30 mins they were in the beautiful architectural monument of the Sundernarayan temple. 

The temple was already crowded as this was the time of spring equinox and people over the place and nearby cities and towns visit the temple at this time of the year. In Aryesh’s family, it is a faith that the newly married couple 

must seek the blessings in Swami Narayan Temple before heading for a happy married life.

The queue was already packed and it took almost 4 hours for them to get the “Darshan” of the deity. 

Aryesh then walked up to the high priest along with Bhrumai who was known to their family to seek blessings. It was getting dark. Hence the Priest asked them to stay back rather than returning that night. 

However, they had to return for their ailing mother so they set off for Pune.

In the mid-way, they stopped for some takeaways from a restaurant

It was almost 09:00 PM when they left the suburb of Nasik. 

Aryesh and Bhrumai had had such long trips before but today seemed to be very wearisome. Both munched on their food. The time of March is usually pleasant in this area, pleasant air blew over, sliding the window Bhrumai memorized their college days, their first meeting, their love and then marriage. 

Aryesh when started his job as a software engineer hardly could spare time for his girlfriend so did Bhrumai as she was a teacher in a Government school. But their love for each other had never faded. 

They had to face no obligations when they decided to marry. Both their parents agreed straight away. 

They both were happy and now they would go for their honeymoon, Bhrumai had weaved uncountable plans for their trips just one day and they would be in a land where they can spend a lot of time with each other. Both of them were excited. While cherishing their memories and talking about them, she did not realise, she fell asleep and Aryesh did not wake her up.

 It was almost 12: 50 AM, a loud creek suddenly woke Bhrumai up from her dreams. She looked aside with sleepy eyes, Aryesh was fiddling around with the gearbox and the start button of the car. The car had come to a halt, the petrol tank showed half-finished and they had enough to reach home.

He asked Bhrumai to stay in the car while he went out to check the engine, Bhrumai had her windows open and she spoke to Aryesh, “ What happened, did the engine broke down Aryesh?” The tension in her voice was clear, Aryesh had no clue what was happening, just gave a short nod to her question “Seems so”, he came back and started off the car, it started …

“Great, I hope we will reach back in 30 mins Bhrumai, cheer up, I know it was a hard day for you”, said 

Aryesh. “Where are we now?” asked Bhrumai. “We are about to cross Holkar Bridge,” said Aryesh.

With a sudden sudder Bhrumai sat straight, they were passing by the Holkar Bridge Cemetery.

She said nothing perhaps she was reciting something in mind, probably prayers. She was well aware of the sinister bridge.....She looked for the time it was past midnight.

While they were about to enter the Bridge the car came to a standstill again. Aryesh was furious muttering a few slangs he went to check the engine again, no, there was no fault again, then what was stopping the car?

He came back and started the car again, it started back to life, amazing what was happening was this the exhaustion that was leading him to break the car or was it something else, they started off again. This time Bhrumai was pretty stressed and started to utter her prayers, she felt a little inauspicious about the surrounding, she felt something heinous was happening, why would the car stop so often when everything seems to be fine and they had enough fuel?

Well, it takes almost 7 to 8 minutes to cross the bridge, at the verge of just crossing the bridge the car came to a halt again. A third time?

Was this coincidence or something spooky, an eerie feeling came up to Aryesh’s mind. Bhrumai was already trembling out of fear, she looked at Aryesh. He said “ Bhrumai, I think I have to call for a mechanic, I saw a service centre nearby while leaving for the temple, let me see if I can get them, till then 

DO NOT go out of the car even if someone calls for help, do you understand?” “Can’t you call them?” 

asked Bhrumai, “I don’t have their number” answered Aryesh.

Bhrumai all of a sudden hugged Aryesh and said, “ Can I not go with you?”

“Where would you wander with me? I will just go and come back in a jiffy” said Aryesh. It was 1:20 AM, 

Aryesh asked Bhrumai to lock the car from inside and keep safe.

The tension was at its swing to Passover this tension she decided to play music on the FM. The music started playing. Music really works like magic, the stress that Bhrumai was going through was somehow released she settled herself in the seat sliding back and did not know when her eyes were heavy.

From far off place somewhere there was an announcement, “Whosoever is inside the car please come out”, the announcement was not that clear but Bhrumai could hear it, she did not know she fell unconscious, the sound above the roof was fading away, a very light” Tak, tak, tak” sound was there 

above the car’s roof.

The announcement seemed to come from somewhere across the bridge, it grew louder and Bhrumai could hear it “ Whosoever is inside the car please come out..” a red fog light pierced through the heavy mist that had covered the place like a blanket and was reaching out to Bhrumai,” This is police patrolling, please come out if anyone’s there”

As if someone gave life to her body, she sat straight with a broadened eye, a ray of hope litted in her heart...Police Patrol, now her life would be saved. She regained her strength and was about to open the door, when she stopped again,

what if this was a gang of robbers? she could not decide. Aryesh had asked her not to step outside the car, but the sound above the roof what was that? She had no clue whom to trust? Her senses or Aryesh’s words. The watch in her hand said 03:30 AM. She would not believe in any paranormal activities unless the incident that happened today with them, Where was Aryesh? Had Aryesh sensed something and took help from the police? Was Aryesh with the 

Police then? There were a lot of questions in her mind.

The announcement repeated, “Whosoever is inside the car please come out, we are from Police, trust us. “No it's safe, Bhrumai believed her guts, she opened the door and stepped out.

She did not take a look to the vicinity of the car, she closed her eyes and without stopping to look behind ran towards the loudspeaker from where the announcement was coming, she did not stop to take a breath, the words from the loudspeaker grew louder, she was running towards the correct path.

A few voices came up ”Madam please do not look behind” few hands came to Bhrumai’s help, yes they were lady constables, the patrol jeep was standing right in front. They offered her some water, Bhrumai drank the water in one gulp, and with tremble was about to share the story, when one of the police 

officials said, “please come with us and do not look behind, we will listen to you”.

Why would the police ask her not to look behind?? The question triggered in Bhrumai’s mind, she could no longer hear the Tak tak tak sound though and within seconds looked behind………….

It is said human mind intends to do something when they are being stopped to do the same...

Sitting right above the car was something or someone hunched, it had no eyes, no ears, no nose, no one could even guess where was it looking at …..since the face was covered in hair. The vision chilled Bhrumai's bones.

The only thing that could be seen was her hand which was blood-stained rather than dipped in blood, yes that was blood dripping off her hand and in a grip she was holding something rather than bouncing it above the car like a ball, from which the tak tak noise was coming, What was that, Bhrumai tried to look closely.

It seemed to be someone's HEAD…. Aryesh…………………………………