Haunted Minds

It was love at first sight. The single storied house, stood alone. Red slated roof, in contrast with the green ivy trailing down its length beckoned the passerby cheerily. Just the way i had envisaged my new house would look. Getting off from the car, i  walked down the driveway, admiring the small lawn, the feeling one got of being in the countryside, though one stood just a lane away from the main road. That was Banglore for you. Lovely homes, together but a discreet distance apart from each other. Coming from Mumbai, and its chawls, i was taken with the thought of having my own little bungalow, private, serene, above all quiet.

After the agent, going in for the kill, had shown me around the spacious hall, the small but cosy bedrooms on the first floor, i was ready to buy. The first person i called was Dad, in far away Kolkata. I may have earned my money, but my financial advisor was definitely my dad. " Be cautious, beta. " was his advise."Go check out your neighbours. If it is such a good buy, why is it on the market in the first place ? Is it the only vacant property around ?"

"Ah, dad. Must i go talk to total strangers ? I dont even know Kannada, at all."
"So what ? People know English, no ?!"

So, having got rid of the most- reluctant- to- leave, broker, i set off to the house next door. Standing outside, i realised that it had very high walls, which was strange, considering that most homes here had small fences merely around their periphery. As I rang the bell, a huge clang reverberated inside, accompanied by the furious barking of dogs. I started to retreat when a voice boomed from inside, " WHO is it ?" Startled, I replied, trying to get myself heard above the din the dogs were making, " Just a neighbour. "
"Wait !" commanded the voice. I could hear the sounds of bolts being dragged open. The door finally opened. Before me, eyeing me suspiciously, stood a small man. Dressed in pyjamas, though it was almost evening. Almost bald, a small ring of  mostly grey hair around his head, he must have been in his late sixties, at least.

"Well ?" He demanded in a surprisingly strong voice. "What do you want, young man ? "
" I was interested in the house next door, and just wanted some information, sir."
He eyed me for a minute or two. Suddenly, the door slammed shut. Literally on my face. I leapt back just in time, or my foot would have caught in the door.

Shaken, i turned to leave. "Don't buy it. If you value your life." The voice, much quieter now, came from within. The windows, I noticed were barricaded. In fact, every window in the houses nearby was barricaded, I noticed as I walked, slowly back to my car. It was back to my father again.

Most parents are paranoid about their children's safety. So was dad. But having been a policeman all his life, he never gave up on things without reasoning them out. I heard him out, then driving back to my hotel, I had a plan of action ready for the next day.

The broker stood trembling before me. He tried to speak bravely, but his voice quavered as he pleaded, "Sir, you get one of your friends, how can I...No! No! i cant, i won't ..."

" Look, Pandey. These are my terms. Take it and i'll up your commission by  one percent. Leave it and your house stays unsold. Come on, man ! " I urged him." Why don't you want to spend one night that too with me, in this house." Then I added slyly, " how do you expect me to stay here alone for the rest of my life then? Is it haunted or something ?"

Those were the magic words it seemed. Suddenly the man was a blubbering mass, clinging onto my feet, pleading with me to reconsider my decision. "I will show you other homes, much better than this one, sahab. I swear on my mother, I heard about it today only, or I wouldn't have brought you here. This house is haunted. Someone screams and cries from inside, so the neighbours say. A woman died. Murdered by her own son. That is why no one is ready to buy it. "

"Your mother is dead, right ? " I retorted. "No. your punishment then for lying to me, is that you will spend a night with me in this house, if I have to tie you up and drag you there. I am a policeman's son, you see. I  never give up  without investigating.

Maybe the words "Police" had something to do with it for he turned up at my hotel that evening. I took one look at him, then burst out laughing. He was dressed in a white dhoti, with a saffron shirt. Numerous   rudraksh, sundry other malas and threads were tied around his neck and wrists. "Arrey, Pandey you look like a pandit. Any ghost will be able to see you from far away, then what will happen to you. " As he turned white, I put a reassuring arm around him, "Come on then, don't be such a coward. Main hoon na ?"

Soon we were at the gates, Pandey with his eyes shut had to be led inside. Muttering various mantras under his breath, he led me into the hall. " Sir ji. We will sleep here only.  Look I have sleeping bags." I frowned then, agreed. The last thing I wanted was him running out on me.

The house was quite. From the garden, we could hear the sound of crickets. An aura of peace surrounded us. The disquiet lay within us. Every sound we heard had us alert. His eyes would immediatly dart to mine. He had slowly shifted his bedding so that we lay almost side by side. The watch I wore showed the time as eleven forty five. Slowly the conversation had run out between us. We lay, cold and shivering on the floor. Was this the craziest thing i had ever done ? You bet !

Surprisingly, he was the first to fall asleep. I tossed and turned. Then I started thinking about how I would do up the house if I lived in it. The ceilings would be pristine white. The walls an electric blue offset with white. "No. It used to be green. The ceiling was off white." Had I imagined it ? Or had I actually heard someone say it ? Nah. I was keyed up. That's what it was. Time to sleep. " No. Time for the yagna to begin." There it was again. Then it started. At first softly. Then slowly it started to reverberate in my mind.. "Om Namash Shivai....Om Namash Shivai...." My eyes snapped open. I reached out a hand, for the first time it was actually trembling, and grabbed Pandey. Only my hand touched thin air. Pandey, still sound asleep, and snoring was suspended. On the very same ceiling. I opened my mouth to scream. All that emerged was a strangled croak, " Pandey !" His eyes shot open, then arms and legs flailing wildly, he turned, and landed on the floor with a thump. Petrified, he scrambled to run. But discovered he couldn't move. "Join the yagna, Mantra padho ! " The voice rang and echoed all around us, growing in frenzy, until we both had our ears covered. While Pandey clutched me in a death grip, i took a hold on myself. " Meditate !" I could hear my dad's  voice commanding me. "Block it out, you can do it." Closing my eyes with a super human effort, i started retreating into the abscesses of my mind. I was a zen master. I had the strength. Soon there was nothing around me, but the vistas of my mind. Wave upon wave of serenity.

I must have been thus for a long time. When my eyes  opened, i could hear the chirping of the birds heralding dawn. Pandey must have fled a long time ago. What had happened with him, I would never know. I checked the ceiling just to make sure. With a heavy heart i made my way out, and home to the hotel. I knew what I needed to do. Pandey, when I located him, had his bags packed. He was going to his desh, he said, his haunted demeanour spoke loudly then his words. Nothing I could say convinced him to stay.

The Puja was held in the house early on Sunday. My dad and I were the sole participants. Even as the mantras were recited by him, we could feel a wave around us. One that exuded joy, exalted relief. As it was coming to an end. I heard a voice in my head. "Thank you. " It said. " Now I am free, Now! I can rejoin my mother, I owed this to her, her last wish on earth, before she died. Killed by me, when I had one of my fits.Killed by these cursed hands of mine. " I was now free too. To live in peace in this beautiful home. Pandey, visits me now and then, but never stays the night. I wonder why.