Light in the Graveyard

Chandana village had very less population; mostly farmers and fishermen.  People of Chandana were quite innocent and god-fearing.  Mother Nature had blessed the village with beautiful hillocks, valleys and a river.  Sugarcane and sunflower fields added up the beauty.  Peacocks and porcupines were part of the villagers’ life.  The village had a very big graveyard on the hillock surrounded by palm trees and dense bushes.

It was a rainy night.  Kamli nanny was boiling sweet potatoes for her dinner when a group of villagers rushed in with an injured person.  “What happened to Ramu?” asked Kamli nanny anxiously.  Ramu was shivering in fear.  He was scared to open his eyes.

“I saw light in the graveyard moving in different directions” said Ramu.  “Light in the graveyard?” asked all at once.  Kamli nanny, by then, brought some natural medicines and applied on Ramu’s forehead by chanting mantras.  Nanny tied a red sacred thread on Ramu’s right hand and said – “As long as you wear this thread, no ghosts will trouble you”.

The crowd thanked nanny and dispersed.  Raji, Indu and Chandni were watching all these from the adjacent house.  They had come to Chandana village to enjoy their vacation with their grandpa and grandma.  They were very adventurous and brave who had no superstitious beliefs.   

On the next day, talk of the village was about the ‘light in the graveyard’.  Ramu was busy whole the day talking about his bitter experience.  He challenged the ones who did not believe his words.

Raji, Indu and Chandni decided to visit the graveyard on the hillock.  At the pretext of going for fishing, they left for the hillock.  They walked on the narrow pathway full of pebbles.  The pathway was terribly slippery due to rain in the previous night.  Squirrels and birds welcomed them to their world.  Rabbits and peacocks ran helter-skelter.  Chandni could not control her happiness on seeing porcupines for the first time.

“How beautiful it is!” wondered Indu.  Raji was keen to talk to the trees and butterflies.  They reached at the top.  A few kites watched them from the palm trees.  Red and white lantanas made thick bushes almost everywhere.  Anthills and burrows were seen all around.  Though beautiful and tranquil, the graveyard looked mysterious.  

Raji and Indu started walking around the graveyard while Chandni was busy in collecting peacock feathers.  Indu noticed food wastages and empty bottles inside a burrow.  Chandni pointed out at cigarette buds.  The sky was getting dark with rain clouds.  Suddenly, Chandni screamed – “Blood stains”.

The children were shocked to see blood stains on the rocks.  They also saw bones.  Frightened, both the children left the hillock at once and reached at the road below.  They told everything about their hillock visit to grandma and grandpa. 

“Silly girls, don’t ever visit the hillock.  It is dangerous.  Ramu’s escape from the ghosts was a matter of luck.  If you do any such adventures hereafter, we will send you back to your parents before the vacation ends” warned grandpa.  Grandma stared at grandpa and grumbled – “My girls are not silly but sweet and strong”. 

“You are amazing, grandma” Children hugged their grandma.

Anyway, Raji, Indu and Chandni were not willing to believe the ghost story.  They wanted to watch the hillock in the night.  Who will support them was the biggest question.  But, the brave children were not ready to give up so easily. 

Day by day, the light in the graveyard became a mystery for the villagers.  A few more people saw the light in the graveyard.  Seema and Sankar were chased by the unknown light while returning home late night.  Kamli nanny’s sacred threads could not save the villagers.  Nobody dared to go to the hillock even during day time.

“We have got only three days time to return to our parents” said Chandni while sitting on the river bank.  “Let anything happen, we must go to the graveyard tonight” sternly said Indu.  Raji remained silent.

Suddenly, they heard a gunshot from the sunflower fields and rushed to find out the gunman. 

“I saw her yesterday talking to our grandma.  She is Capt Madhumita from the Army.  She is on two weeks leave” said Indu.  Chandni happily said –“She is the only person to help us”.  “Yes, others think we are simply silly girls” Indu remarked.

“Good morning, Mam” The children greeted Capt Madhumita who was chasing away the sparrows from the sunflower fields owned by her family.  The Captain surprisingly looked at the little ones.  Indu explained the matter in detail.  “You are really amazing.  It’s my pleasure to help you all.  You must prove girls are not weak and cowards” Capt Madhumita appreciated the children for their courage and wisdom. 

The Captain charted out a plan.  She convinced grandma and grandpa and took the children to the graveyard.  After all, the villagers were highly panicked and they wanted a solution to the light in the graveyard. 

By evening itself, Capt Madhumita, Raji, Indu and Chandni left for the hillock.  Capt Madhumita carried a large net and her gun.  The children were equipped with pepper spray.  Also accompanied was Capt’s pet Alsatian dog, Sheru.  Capt Madhumita had briefed Raji, Indu and Chandni thoroughly how to act and react in dangerous situations.  The children felt themselves as brave soldiers while accompanying the Captain.

Before sunset, they reached at the graveyard. Indu pointed her fingers at the blood stains and bones.  The Captain scrutinized the area and found out some traps laid hidden.  She checked the burrows thoroughly. 

“Bow... Bow...” Suddenly, Sheru barked and ran to a corner covered with lantanas.  All were shocked! Parts of peacocks and porcupines were found inside the bushes.  From one of the burrows, Indu and Chandni picked up packed peacock feathers and porcupine thorns.  Raji suddenly said –“They must be illegal poachers”.

“You are right, Raji” opined Capt Madhumita.  It was dark by then.  The moon hid behind the clouds.  Other than the sound of crickets and a few jackals afar, the graveyard remained silent but ferocious.  It was a new experience for Raji, Indu and Chandni.  Even, Sheru remained absolutely silent.

It was midnight.  Suddenly, lights started approaching the graveyard from the nearby jungle.  It appeared as if the ghosts were spitting fire from their mouth.  Chandni and Indu felt a shiver at once and moved nearer to Sheru.  Raji came closer to Capt Madhumita.  Anxiously, they waited.

“Our suspicion is right.  They are the human-ghosts” The Captain whispered.  Three heavily built men reached at the centre of the graveyard and sat on the rocks.  They fixed their lanterns in a way to be visible from far below the village to cause fear in the minds of the villagers. 

“Today is a bad day for us” said one man while opening a big sack.  The other two also started untying their sacks.

Two peacocks and a porcupine were in their captivity.   “I think we need to shift our area to somewhere else as the number of peacocks and porcupines has tremendously gone down.  It is very difficult to meet the requirement of our customers for flesh, feather and thorns” said the shortest man while taking out his sharp knife.

“Hands up, don’t move” suddenly shouted Capt Madhumita and fired a round in the air.  Sheru barked ferociously and charged the poachers.  Raji, Indu and Chandni threw the net over the poachers.  Everything happened in a flash that there was no time for the poachers to react.  The poachers lay in the trap helplessly.  Chandni wanted to throw pepper spray on their face.  Indu wanted to kick them.  But Capt Madhumita intervened and stopped the children from unnecessary adventures.  “React well but never over-react as it might cause dangers, sometimes” The Captain warned the children.

Capt Madhumita ensured that the poachers had no chance to escape from their captivity.  She fired three rounds in air continuously to signal the youngsters below the hillock in the village whom she had thoroughly briefed about her plan.  The poachers begged for mercy.  They confessed to their crime of causing fear in the minds of villagers and carrying out poaching of peacocks and porcupines.

Within an hour, the villagers reached at the graveyard and saw the mysterious ghosts in captivity.    They wanted to thrash the culprits to pulp but Capt Madhumita prevented them from doing such crime.  Finally, the poachers were brought down the hillock and kept in captivity till the forest department officials and police arrived.

“You had taken a lot of risk for your life.  At least, you should have asked our brave men to accompany you” the Village Head said to Capt Madhumita.  The Captain smilingly said -   “Never ever consider girls and women weak and silly.  Don’t consider them as a burden but as a blessing.  You must know that women are now an integral part of our Defence Forces and Police Force where courage and bravery matter a lot.  You can see women in almost all the fields nowadays, in science, research, education, space technology, IT, medicine, journalism, sports and games and what not! Women successfully take care of their home and office”

There prevailed pin-drop silence.  Suddenly, grandpa said – “You are trained by the Army, so you are brave”.  Capt Madhumita greeted the old man and respectfully replied – “Training our girls to be brave, strong and stern has to begin at home.  Don’t degrade them and underestimate their capabilities.  From childhood, give them a feeling that they are capable of facing any challenges in life as brave and courageous.  Respect your woman who feed you, take care of you and pray for you all the life”.

There was a huge applause.  Grandma came and hugged the Captain.  “Wait... wait...” Capt Madhumita raised her hands and said – “Today is International Women’s Day.  Lets all pledge to reform our society by giving equal place and importance to women.  Happy Women’s Day”.

“Happy Women’s Day” the villagers shouted in merriment.  Capt Madhumita asked Raji, Indu and Chandni to present roses to all the women.   The Captain also presented a book to Raji, Indu and Chandni.  The book was all about the heroic tales of the great Indian soldiers.  The Village Head garlanded the little heroes and thanked the Captain.  Women folk praised Capt Madhumita and presented gifts.

Suddenly, Kamli nanny came forward and tied her favourite red sacred thread in Sheru’s neck and said – “No ghosts will trouble you hereafter”.  Everyone laughed together.  Sheru shook his head in denial and barked – “Bow... bow...”  Everybody laughed.

Raji, Indu and Chandni returned to their parents with great memories of an adventurous vacation.  Chandana village gave them a grant farewell.  Capt Madhumita returned to her Unit.

Light in the graveyard, thus, became a mere story!

MURALY TV