Paranormal phenomena.
Does it even exist, for real?
Well, nobody can tell for sure if the paranormal exists or not, but what does it matter?
We can always talk about it, fill our hearts with awe, get shit-scared at times, and experience orgasmic goosebumps all over our bodies. Ain’t that cool?
So let’s talk about the paranormal today.
But let me make one thing clear:
I have no intention to make you believe in the paranormal phenomena because believing is irrational and idiotic. It’s more like accepting something true without experiencing it for yourself. So, never believe anything just because somebody you respect, trust, or admire said it (me included). 🙂
Now, what could be better to explore the paranormal than to dive right into Bharatiya folklore? You see, the Hindu folk culture has many paranormal phenomena stories—tales of wonder, fear, horror, and utter eeriness passed on from generation to generation—stories that you might never have heard before.
Ready?
Let’s do this.
Paranormal Phenomena
Ghaal (घाल)
“Ghaal” or “Ghaal Totka” is a black magic term. It’s an occult phenomenon, and many people claim it’s kind of a flying light primarily seen on or around Diwali.
Ghaal is also called “Flying-Matka,” “Flying-Handi,” or “Flying-Diya.” But what is it, exactly?
Do you remember the missiles in Hollywood movies—locked onto the target to destroy it? There you have it.
Ghaal is just like that—an ancient otherworldly weapon, programmed to destroy enemies. Its existence, however, is debatable. Some people say it exists, while some other folks label it as horseshit. I don’t know the truth because I have never seen one.
The interesting part? Many people claim that Ghaal is one of the deadliest black magic weapons ever devised.
Here’s how it works:
The black magician places a lit earthen lamp inside an earthen pitcher (which has holes) on an Amavasya night. (According to Hindu Tantra, Amavasyas are the perfect occasions to perform black magic and related rituals. Diwali is considered the best time for launching a Ghaal because of the powerful combination of Diwali and Amavasya.)
The black magic practitioner energizes the Ghaal with certain mantras and programs it to kill a specific person. Once the “energizing ritual” is complete, he launches the Ghaal. It flies into the sky and moves towards the target. Upon reaching the home of the targeted person, it hovers and calls his name thrice.
And you know the eerier part?
It uses a familiar voice to deceive the victim. Ghaal can imitate anyone’s voice—a family member, a relative, a friend, or a neighbor. The Ghaal calls the person by his name, and if that person replies with a “yes,” he gets killed.
But there’s a catch.
If that individual keeps silent, the Ghaal returns and kills the person who hired the black magician to launch it. (Karma is a bitch, huh?)
Chhalava (छलावा): A Deceitful Supernatural Entity
“Chhal”—the Hindi word for Deceit.
That’s where the term “Chhalava” comes from. Chhalava is a supernatural entity, kind of a “shape-shifter” who can take any shape—an old man, a woman, a beautiful girl, a rabbit, a goat, or a snake—anything! Hence the name Chhalava—a deceitful supernatural entity.
Chhalava is an unexplainable phenomenon that can confuse and disorient you like anything. But there’s something weird about it—I have never heard anybody claiming that a Chhalava killed somebody. Never. It seems that it scares people just for fun.
Here’s a tale my Nana ji (maternal grandfather) narrated to me once (it’s a real-life story that took place in the village Fazalpur (Sundarnagar), Baghpat, Meerut):
My Nana Ji and his younger brother were supposed to go to their tubewell at night to irrigate the fields. (It was the time when the power supply was erratic and the supply was provided to different villages at different times–one week in the daytime, and the next week at night).
They decided the time and went to sleep.
Around the supposed time, my Nana Ji woke up and noticed that his younger brother was already standing under the peepal tree in the courtyard. He started moving slowly on the path toward the fields and my Nana Ji followed him. After about 1/2 kilometer he noticed his younger brother appeared to be taller than usual, but since it was dark he dismissed it as mere speculation.
They kept moving and the younger brother kept growing taller by the minute. Then my Nana Ji got suspicious and called out his name. He didn’t reply and suddenly transformed himself into a he-buffalo, charged into a sugarcane field, and disappeared.
My Nana Ji realized that it was not his younger brother. It was a Chhalava. When he returned home he found his “real younger brother” looking for him with a “Where the fuck have you been?” written all over his face.
Marriage of Ghosts (भूतों का ब्याह): An Otherworldy, Spooky “Love Affair”
Sound fascinating?
It is.
Western Uttar Pradesh folks call this ghostly phenomenon Bhooton ka Byah.
This eerie “marriage” happens during the nighttime, far away from the human dwellings.
And you know the “goosebumpy” part?
Many people claim they have witnessed this spooky love affair—most of them were farmers who were working in their fields when the “marriage” took place.
In Western Uttar Pradesh (and many parts of Bharat), it’s quite normal for the farmers to work at night, generally for two reasons—irrigating their crops with the canal water supply or transferring hay from fields to home (during the wheat harvesting season).
The interesting thing is that this “sacred union” of two people (ghosts in this case) is quite similar to mortal marriages. It goes something like this:
The spirits gather in an open field. They dance, sing, and make merry. Once the celebrations are over, these otherworldly entities distribute sweets among themselves and anyone nearby (humans included). While offering sweets, they warn (in a nasal tone—the mention of “nasal tone” is common across the claims of the “witnesses”), “Eat this sweet right now. Don’t save it, else it’ll turn into shit with the first light of the day.”
Once a farmer, who was lucky enough to be working his fields in the vicinity of one such “marriage function venue” was approached by ghosts.
The ghosts offered the farmer some sweets. He ate some of the sweets and kept the rest for his kids. But, when he looked into his pocket in the morning, there was dust and pig poop. (Oh! I see, highly perishable food items, huh? 😀 )
The Power of Your Word: Think Before You Speak
Your home is your turf, and anybody wanting to enter needs your permission, right?
Did you know that it’s true not just for humans but also for certain types of spirits and specific “diseases?” Believe it or not, such anomalies need your permission to enter your home. And the way they ask for it is pretty interesting:
They call your name thrice while you’re asleep. Then, if you replied immediately, they consider it “permission granted.” But if you don’t answer, they go away. That’s why older people advise that you shouldn’t wake up in an instant to answer anybody calling your name. (It might be a spirit or a disease wanting to get your permission to enter your house.)
Do not answer until your name is called at least four times, even if you’re damn sure that the voice is familiar. If the person waking you up is for real, he will also call you the 5th time and may also shout at you for not replying.
That’s kind of silly, but…
Prevention is better than cure.
The Wrath of “Jhaar Deewan”long (झार दीवान—वीर जाहर गोगा दीवान): My Story
It was 1996.
In my hometown, Khatuali, Muzaffarnagar, a yearly carnival is organized approximately 20 days before Janmashtami (Bhagvan Shri Krishna’s birthday).
Sweets. Toys. Fancy dresses. Decorative items. Temporary eateries. These are some of the attractions of the carnival, known as “Chhadiyon ka mela.”
One must offer prasad to “Shri Jahar Veer Goga”—a supernatural being, a guardian of the snakes—popularly known as “Jhaar Deewan,” before proceeding to the fair. Once you do that, you’re free to enjoy the fair. It’s kind of an unwritten rule. (The Jahar Veer Goga temple is not on the Khatauli bypass. It’s in Khatauli.)
Once, I went to the carnival along with my younger brother and an uncle. My brother offered prasad at the temple and asked me to do the same. “I am wearing shoes, don’t make me untie the laces. You go ahead and offer the prasad for me, will you?” I asked.
He did.
We enjoyed the carnival and went back home the following day, and I returned to Delhi after a couple of days.
Help! There’s a Snake in My Room
One evening, I was busy with my studies.
Suddenly, I noticed a large black snake entering and going into hiding under my bed. Terrified, I jumped out of the door and went straightaway to my uncle’s place. I returned the next day and checked under my bed. The snake was gone. But as soon as the night approached, there he was, again.
Again, I went to my uncle’s place. Hearing about what happened, my grandmother got curious. “Have you ever offered prasad at the Jhaar Deewan mandir?” she inquired.
OMG!
I recalled the incident when I had the opportunity, but I didn’t. I narrated the whole story.
“That’s okay; there’s no need to panic. Go home, hold 5 rupees in your hands, and close your eyes. Then, focus on Jhaar Deewan, and ask for his forgiveness. Promise him that you’ll offer prasad the next time you visit Khatauli,” she suggested. I did as told. And never saw that snake again.
After two months, I went to my village and offered prasad at the Jhaar Deewan temple.
Phew!
Flavors and Fragrances: Demons, Ghosts, and Anomalies Love Them
Spirits love sweets, especially those made with milk, sugar, and ghee (clarified butter).
And how do they do that? Well, the otherwordly entities don’t have a human body but they can possess a human and force him to eat sweets. This way they can satisfy their “cravings.” Therefore it’s not advisable to go outside immediately after eating sweets, particularly in the summer afternoons and nights (any season).
Reason?
Spirits are most active at these times, and the flavor of the sweets can act as a catalyst to attract them. If you must go, wash your mouth with water and eat some pickle or a pinch of salt or a little bit of ash (if you happen to be in a village).
And now, here’s an interesting thing.
When a married woman gives birth to a child, the woman’s mother sends her “Meetha” aka “Saanda.” You see, “Meetha” or “Saanda” is a mixture of dried fruits (almonds, raisins, dried dates, muskmelon seeds, and Kani (dried fluid derived from a tree)) prepared in Ghee (clarified butter) and Boora (powdered white sugar).
It is customary for the woman’s brother or father to carry the mixture from her mother’s place to her husband’s home. The lady of the house keeps a small onion or a clove of garlic with the mix (wrapped in several layers of paper or plastic) to keep away the “evil spirits.”
This is true not only for sweets but also for fragrances—perfumes, and scents. Demons, ghosts, and spirits love them.
Avoid wearing a fragrance if you pass through a deserted area or a water source like a well, river, lake, pond, etc., because spirits, ghosts, and many other paranormal beings hang out around water sources. I have heard that water bodies act as a “doorway” between the worlds of the living and the dead.
Quite interesting.
Kuldevtas (कुलदेवता): Protectors of the Household
Kuldevtas.
Popularly known as Detās or Devtās, they are the deceased forefathers of a household. They protect their descendants (children of that particular house) from diseases, setbacks, and misfortune. Elders say that keeping the Kuldevtas happy is the key to a healthy and happy life.
Now, here’s the thing:
Almost all Hindu families in villages build small temple-like structures for their Kuldevtas. But people consider keeping such temples inside the house inauspicious. The reasoning behind this is that the Kuldevtas belong to the other world and people of the household don’t want them to intermingle with the world of the living.
That’s why folks maintain these tiny structures far away from homes—built with five bricks. (See the picture above. It’s the temple of our Kuldevtas).
Sunday is considered Kuldevtas’ day. Some households prepare “Kheer” (खीर) (a sweet pudding made with rice, milk, sugar, and dried fruits) on most Sundays. The lady of the house offers the Kheer to the Kuldevtas and then distributes the rest of it among the family and neighbors as “prasad.”
Here’s one more related observation.
Newly married couples of the household honor the Kuldevtas by lighting a Diya and pouring a mixture of water, milk, and sugar over the Kuldevta temple. This process is known as “Jot Jalaana” or “Jot Baalna” (जोत जलाना या जोत बाळणा). It is a highly regarded custom to seek Kuldevtas’s blessings for a happy married life.
And guess what?
The couple is forbidden to make love unless they perform this ritual.
During the Wedding
Spirits love not only sweets but also new clothes and jewelry.
And a house with a wedding procession going on in full swing may attract such spirits.
Kuldevtas are called upon to protect the house from evil influences. The lady of the house creates a temporary structure with a heap of wheat or rice (with a Diya lighting over the heap) 24 hours a day. As soon as the processions are over, she thanks the Kuldevtas and requests them to return to their abode.
Generally, both the houses follow this custom—the house of the girl as well as the house of the boy. The would-be bride and bridegroom are prohibited from stepping outside their homes for three days before the marriage. People say it’s crucial because a spirit(s) may be looking for an opportunity to possess the boy or the girl.
Why?
To satisfy their lust and desire for food, sex, and a married life.
Experienced folk say that if a spirit somehow gets to stay with the bride or the bridegroom during the Phere (the ritual when the girl and boy circle the fire seven times), it’s next to impossible to ward off that spirit. That evil entity may create numerous problems in the married couple’s life, including, but not limited to…
Constant conflict in the house. The bride’s inability to conceive. Misery and suffering in some form or the other.
Dāb ka Banda (दाब का बन्दा): An Interesting Supernatural Phenomenon
Dab Ka Banda.
It is the root of a mysterious plant that attracts prosperity and good luck, irrespective of the outer circumstances.
A household in my village is said to have one, though they never admit it.
My grandmother once told me that that household do possess “Daab ka banda.” And that’s the reason those folks are one of the wealthiest households in our village.
Conclusion
So, there you have it—untold, unheard-of paranormal phenomena, otherworldly stories and occult experiences.
I hope this article filled your heart with awe and wonder and helped you experience some “goosebumps.” 🙂