The Whispering Shadows

Ashok was on the verge of a depressive mood. He ceased the regular "chai" talks and fun-making among friends, avoided family conversations, and remained distant over holidays. He withdrew behind closed doors and went into his shell when his relatives visited them.

Shrabonti Devi became alarmed at noticing her son's dejected expression. She took her pen and wrote a letter to her brother, who stayed with his family in CR Park, Delhi, asking if he could help Ashok.

Ashok's elder brother, as well as his younger brother, got jobs in Calcutta. The only regret that Ashok had was that he had done his master's in science subjects with a mathematics major and was a better student than many others. Why he never received any good interview calls hit him hard.

Sharabonti Devi lost her husband when her elder son, Amit, joined college. The youngest daughter was then only 5 years old. She was the mother of six children—five boys and a girl. In the early 1970s, women were not very educated, so when her husband left, she had to sew clothes and bring her children up. Her two brothers stood like pillars, but Shrabonti was independent and tried her best to earn some money. Today, two of her sons were doing fairly well, so financially, they were good enough to look after themselves.

Sharbonti’s brother visited Calcutta during the winter, and while going back, they asked Ashok to come along, as in Delhi, he might get a good job. The mother wiped her tears with the end of the saree. Though her other children were with her, she had a soft corner for Ashok.

Ashok picked up a few tuitions, and when he started earning, he preferred to rent a room on his own. His maternal uncle objected, but he kindly told him that he liked to be independent and then looked for good jobs.

Here in the Karol Bagh area, he rented a room that was on the roof of the house. The landlord had arrangements for the tenant to use the steps from outside, and so Ashok had the freedom to come home even if he was late. December is a sunless month; it's chilly and overcast, especially in Delhi. Ashok was finding things difficult, as in Calcutta, he never went through a severe winter. But he made up his mind that he w

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ould fight in any situation and get settled while doing a good job. So, he tried to be happy doing his few tuitions that fetched him a good amount.

The landlord gave him a few instructions that, if he wished, he could use the toilet, which was downstairs and was meant for the people who took the room on rent upstairs. Ashok made himself comfortable using a thick blanket, and he slept on the mattress that was given to him by the landlord. He was fast asleep when he heard a slight knock on the door. Ashok hurriedly got up, thinking the landlord had something more to say. With his sleepy eyes, he opened the door, but strangely, there was no one. It was a dark, moonless night, and he felt the cold air to be heavy.

Ashok went and bolted the door from inside. He covered his whole body and tried to sleep. No sooner did he close his eyes; he fell asleep, and then again, a knock at the door, this time a bit louder. Ashok sat on the mattress but didn’t open the door. This was the third time he heard a stronger knock on the door and a rattling sound. He opened the door, but there was no one, only a shadow of a man, and this time he got nervous and frightened. He sat the whole night and was feeling sick, but he went for the tuition.

Some of the neighbors looked at him with curious eyes, and one of them asked him how he was feeling. All these made Ashok worry, and he was sure that something was wrong. As he was good at mathematics, many welcomed him for their children, who were weak in science subjects. One evening Ashok felt sleepy while taking classes, and the gentleman of the house noticed, but instead of scolding him, he was kind and asked him if he was not well. Ashok hesitated and then came out with the truth about the disturbances in sleep that he was facing in his rented house. When the gentleman heard that he had rented Sharma’s house in Karol Bagh, he immediately knew the answer. He told Ashok that the room there was haunted and someone had committed suicide.

Ashok was asked to bring his luggage, and he stayed with the family till he got a permanent job at a good MNC.

Chakraborty Meenakshi