PART I:
I woke up before dawn. I had troubled sleep last night. Maybe because of the journey I made. My eyes were sore due to lack of sleep. A sharp pain at the right side of my head was bothering me for a long time. I thought it will ease with time but it was growing with every passing minute. The pillow under my neck felt hard and the pain was spreading its arms crossing behind the ear lobes on its way to the neck. I got up from bed, looked out of the window. It was still dark outside. Time was 3.30 in the morning. I desperately wanted to see the first light of the sun. I took out a saridon from my side bag and gulped it with a glass of water. The room opens to a big balcony where I eased myself in a chair. The breeze was cool on my flesh. It had a healing effect as if it’s sweeping away my ailment. A sweet smell of incense sticks were floated in the air everywhere. There was serenity in the atmosphere. Far somewhere in some temple the first entreaty was made to the God. I could hear the bells of temples from all directions as if this place had seen its day long before than others. The sky changed its colour from black to red and then yellow. The first ray of light penetrates the sinful darkness and devours it in no time. It ushers the ray of hope and bliss. It was a new day with new dreams and expectations. But was it going to make any change in my life?
I was bored of the uniformity of life. Work & home, my life revolved around these two words. Life was otherwise gliding smooth, I had a good job which earned me a handsome salary at the end of the month. I never faced any big problem in life. Since childhood I was over protected. My parents were always around me to give their best. After finishing engineering I got a decent job. I traveled many places in the country and abroad. There I met my wife in my office. We were deeply in love and decided to marry. I remember those wonderful days of my mid twenties. The best time of my life with my ‘best’ girl. There was a passion in life and a deep urge to subsist. Surely, love can do wonders. The day starts with her call and ends with her sweet voice. There wasn’t a moment passed we didn’t hear each other. The times that we spent together, long drives, long walks hand in hand under the moonlight sky, candle lit dinners, our passionate weekends, her mischievous giggle that could bring back someone into life from death-bed. Those are memories now… MEMORIES… They say it plays a confusing role in life. They make u laugh when u remember the time u cried together and they make u cry when u remember the time u laughed together… little dewdrops from the sky brought me back into reality. My head was wet so as the shoulder of my T-shirt. I went inside. I saw Riya sleeping sound. Unaware of what had happened to me last night. When she sleeps she looks like an angel. I kissed her forehead and went to bathroom. I took a warm shower and changed into a black t-shirt and ash-coloured cargo pants. Riya sleeps till late in the morning. She had habit of taking sleeping pills, without which she could not sleep. I left the hotel room without waking her up.
Yamunotri, the source of river Yamuna situated between Rishikesh and Uttarkashi. This place is always known as pilgrimage destination. But apart from that, it has full of natural beauty. Surrounded with western range of Himalayas covered with snow, heavenly meadows, gushing streams, holy rivers and lush fields. The nature and its unbeatable beauty is enough to revive oneself. There were lots of big and small temples of all kind of Gods, in all directions makes it the home of divinity. The day started for the locals before the emergence of sun-light. People are busy with their daily chores. There was a boy serving tea and hot samosas to the tourists and locals, in his small tea shop. People were sitting on benches and charpai outside the shop. I made myself comfortable on a bench and ordered a cup of tea. The boy ran inside and came out with a glass of tea with strong smell of cardamom.
‘Samosa saabji?’, he asked.
‘No’.
‘What’s ur name?’
‘Shyamnarayan, but people call me shyam saabji’.
‘Where do u live?’, I asked inquisitively.
‘On the other side of the hill’.
‘How much do u get working here?’
’20 rs per day with meals’.
‘Do u study?’
‘What to study saabji? We have one school in our area with a teacher also, but I don’t find time to go there. Who will work here? ’
I looked at him with dismay, ‘ Only one teacher for all the subjects?’
‘Yes, he is very educated and he knows everything’.
I nodded with a smile.
‘Who are there in your family?’
‘My mother and my brother’
‘And your father?’
‘He lost somewhere in the hills. Long ago he went to a neighbor village and didn’t return since then’.
‘U didn’t look for him? Didn’t u inform the police station?’, I asked him straight looking into his eyes.
‘ Pujari ji says he will return on his own one day with the blessing of MataRani.’
I was surprised and I didn’t know what to say then he continued, ’People say he is in the possession of the devil of the bridge. They have seen him crossing the bridge after the sun-set”.
‘Devil of the bridge?’, I uttered after him.
‘Yes, there is a ghost of Meethi ba on the bridge. We don’t cross it after the dark’.
I read in many stories in my childhood about the apparitions of hills. I was not surprised by the belief of these people. Getting acquainted with ghost in the holy land of God was more than exciting for me. I was curious to know more about it.
So I asked, ’Have u ever seen a ghost?’.
‘Many times saabji. You shouldn’t call their names after the dark falls or they will possess your mind and body”.
‘Can u show me one?’, I asked.
‘ They cant be invited. They are everywhere in every form; man, woman, children, animals, trees; in any form.’
I finished 4 cups of tea while talking to him.
‘Tell me something more about that ghost of Meethi’.
‘Saabji people come and ask here about God and temples and u are asking about ghosts? Don’t u fright of them?’
‘No I don’t, I can make ghost, friends. Now tell me about Meethi’. I smiled and caressed his hair.
‘I don’t know much about her but she is there for a long time. People say she was the goddess of beauty when she was alive’.
‘Then how did she die?’
‘One evening she jumped from the bridge and ended her life. Since then she is seen to everyone whoever cross the bridge at night.’
‘Why did she end her life?’
‘I don’t know. But my father used to say that she was the most beautiful woman of this part of Yamunottri.’
I wanted to know more about the whole story but this boy was not able to provide any concrete information. So I paid him Rs. 20, Rs. 8 for the tea and rest for his time. He was happy. I waved at him and left the shop. I looked into the watch, it was 11 am. Ria must be awoken by now. I should return to the hotel soon.
PART II:
Ria and I were married 6 years back with our families consent and blessings after 3 years of courtship. Ria was more homely than I thought, she decided to quit her job after marriage and she did. Things were falling right into places for few years. We were enjoying our togetherness. Then life took its course, I started working hard to earn a good fortune. My responsibility increased both at work and home. People around me were keeping high expectations from me. Somehow I was shattered between my inner and outer world. I was tired and exhausted. I didn’t realize when the distance started growing between us. She was not the same woman I knew. She had changed a lot. She doesn’t enjoy my presence anymore. By the time I reach home every-night, she finished her dinner and went to sleep. My dinner was always served on the dining table. We used to sleep like strangers on bed. There was no chemistry in our touches. Previously, even after fight, the slightest accidental touch used to melt our anger into love. But now she doesn’t respond my touch anymore. The differences grew more and more with each passing day. Most often she was lost in a book or sitting alone near the window looking outside in the void. We were neither quarrelling nor blaming each other for anything. We were not communicating in the real sense. The words were limited to the exchange of our needs. On Sundays we finished our dinner without exchanging a word. I tried speaking to her but her reply was brief and to the point. Later I observed she couldn’t sleep properly. She started having fits at night. I took her to a psychotherapist for medication. She was treated for acute depression. For last 2 years she couldn’t sleep without sleeping pills. How could my Ria changed so much??
I brought Ria to this place with doctor’s prescription. He said she needs a change, it might help to bring her back to life. Ria was a spiritual woman, so I chose Uttrakhand for the vacation.
As I reached the hotel, I found Ria dressed in a red saree and ready with the offering in a plate. She didn’t have her breakfast, but I was hungry. Without wasting anytime we left the hotel and headed to Yamunotri Temple. There she went inside and finished her prayer while I was waiting on the steps of the temple. I wished I could find something to eat there, but all shops were keeping sweet-coated sweets or coconut for offering, and I had no wish to eat those. She came out of the temple and joined me to a local dhaba on the way down to the hotel, for some breakfast. We were eating in our plates and I started with small talks to break the silence. I saw she was interested in talking more than her usual days. I told her about my encounter with the boy in the tea-shop and also told her about the ghost..
PART III:
The next day I took a walk on the roads and watched the local women doing their households. I was walking towards the bridge. The place had inexplicable beauty. This bridge mainly made with iron, wood and other materials, that bridges the gap between the two hills. Its one side was Yamunotri and other side was Gangotri. The holy river, Ganges was flowing under it. The beautiful range of Himalaya makes the place phenomenal. There was serenity and peace all over the atmosphere. I smirked with the thought that the ghosts have chosen the best place for their existence.
There was a guard, sitting at one end of the bridge. I asked him if he had seen any ghost here.
He said, ’History witnessed many people died on the bridge and their spirits are always seen now and then. Especially after dark no one dares to cross the bridge alone.’
‘I want to know about Meethi. What happened to her?’
‘How do u know this name?’
‘That boy at the tea-shop told me’, I pointed towards the far end of the hill.
‘Oh! the ghost possess his fathers body. He is not seen since many years. But Meethi’s spirit is not harmful. Many people claims, they have seen her on the bridge, wearing a white saree, her head covered with one end of her saree. You can’t see her face, but once in a blue moon she is seen without the veil.’
He paused for a while and said, ‘ She was a very beautiful woman. She was a ‘Devdasi’, lived in a temple nearby. She devoted her life to God. Then one day people accused her of having an illegal relationship with the priest of the temple. She couldn’t bear the allegation made on her and she jumped from here and ended her life. But saabji why are u interested in her? ’
‘No nothing. Can I see her if I come at night?’
He looked at me in surprise, ‘I would advice you not to come here at night but if u insist you can see her at the middle of the bridge. But when you see her don’t get scared otherwise u will either die of an heart attack or an accident.’
I thanked him and returned to my hotel. I decided to come again at night to see that beautiful apparition.
At night I told Ria that I have to e-mail some documents to my office so I need to find a cyber-café. I promised I would return within an hour or two. It was close to full moon. The silver light was spread all over. I could see the roads without any torch light. I took the path to the bridge and reached there in 30 mins. I went at the middle of the bridge and strolled there for some time, with a hope that I would see Meethi. The breeze was cool and amusing. I wondered what I was doing at this hour leaving my wife at hotel room? Waiting for a ghost? But why? What if she kills me? What if I get a heart attack by seeing her real, like that guard said. All sorts of questions were wandering my mind. It had been 3 hours waiting for a ghost to come. I couldn’t see anyone nor could I feel anything. I was disappointed and angry. I couldn’t afford to prolong my stay there, leaving Ria at hotel alone. So I returned.
PART IV:
After returning hotel I found Ria very restless. I was gone for more than 4 hrs leaving her alone in a strange place like this. I liked her concern and calmed her with a gentle caress on her back. While having dinner together I explained her everything happened. I told her how I waited 3 hrs on the bridge chasing the ghost of Meethi. She was surprised by my act. I assured her that ghost doesn’t exist on earth. These are superstitions. But deep in my heart I wished it was real. I wished I could at least had a glimpse of Meethi. Was it Meethi’s unadulterated beauty or the fact of confronting a ghost for the first time, I didn’t know which was it that attracted me so much towards the bridge.
The following day we went to temple and after that we had lunch in a local dhaba. After that we visited few sights of the place. I was determined to visit the bridge one last time with the hope to see the apparition. I asked Ria to take her dinner and medicine on time. I told her where I was going, that I might return late at night.
It was a full moon night and the locals believe that on this day she can be surely seen.
I went to the bridge like the last night. Things were undisturbed and everything was right at place. It didn’t seem to me that it had been 24 hrs since I visited last this place. Everything was same as yesterday except the moon. It was brighter today. I was taking a stroll on the bridge waiting something to happen. I didn’t want to leave empty-hand this time. Almost 3 hrs past nothing happened. I lost all hopes and made my mind to return. I turned back and started walking to the other end of the bridge, suddenly I saw someone wrapped in a white saree approaching me. I was stunned. My senses were wrecked. My hands and feet were numb. My mouth was dried and throat was choked. I thought I was about to faint. As the distance between us was diminishing inch by inch, I reminded myself that what keeps me here? I assembled all my courage and strength and stopped at one place. I didn’t move as she was very close to me. I couldn’t see her face clearly as it was under the veil partially. She kept her hair open and I could see her lips under the veil. I was standing there with astonishment and she passed by me. She didn’t look at me. Suddenly unconsciously, I called her name ‘Meethi!!!!!’. She stopped for a while turned back to me. Then suddenly she jumped off the bridge. I could hear the splattering noise of water as her body plunged into the river. I could not believe my eyes and ears. Was it all real or just an imagination? I was contented with what I had experienced. I was running fast towards hotel and entered inside the room. I looked for Ria, she was not seen anywhere. Balcony, corridor, lobby everywhere… she was not seen. I went to the reception and enquired about her. They saw her leaving the hotel in a white saree 2 hours ago.
Madhurima Acharya
29th July' 07
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