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“Babu, where are you? It’s almost 11 pm. Amavasya* is about to commence.” Mother called out.
“Maaaa….”
“No! It’s an inauspicious night, the night before Mahalaya*. Spirits who have not attained Mukti* remain close to the earth seeking liberation from all ties. And often their evil glances fall upon vulnerable people. So, you will sleep with me. No stepping out. Not even for the toilet. Do you understand?”
Babu had heard these stories from Dadu*. But both had agreed that these were mere superstitions and highly illogical.
This year, Babu wished it was true. He had lost Dadu to Covid and yearned for his loving presence.
“Ma, Dadu will never harm me.” He argued.
‘He is a spirit now. You never know…”
***
It was almost late into the night when Babu woke up. There was an urgent need to empty the bladder. Ma was in deep sleep. He tip-toed out. The toilet, located at the far end of a long corridor, appeared dark and eerily quiet. Finishing his business fast, he ran back. But someone was sitting on one of the armchairs in the corridor.
Is it Baba?
“Baba! When did you arrive?”
Babu’s father worked in a factory situated on the outskirts of the city. Most nights he either stayed back at the company guest house or reached home pretty late.
Baba nodded.
“Did you have dinner? Do I wake up Ma?”
‘NO.’ His voice sounded unusually heavy.
‘Baba…”
“Stop blabbering and follow me.”
A gentle and polite man, Baba sounded impatient and angry.
Babu found himself following his father. His mind protested but his body chose to obey his father. Baba glided down the stairs, through the garden, past the lily pond to the dimly-lit lake.
“Now do as I tell you. Get rid of that amulet around your neck. And then jump into the water. This is a ritual of Pitripaksha.”
Babu did just as he was told. Removing the amulet that Ma had tied around his neck and warned him from removing, he readied himself for the plunge.
As his body hit the water, a pair of arms grabbed him from behind. In the dim light of the street lamps, he turned around to see the face of his beloved Dadu. And then he knew nothing.
***
Babu opened his eyes to find everyone standing around him. Ma stood crying while Baba sat fanning him.
”W……w…what happened?” He asked.
“The caretaker found you lying beside the lake,” Baba said.
“But you knew where I was, for it was you who took me there.”
“I reached just now.”
By then Ma had started wailing. “See I told you. Your Dadu….”
“Stop it. Do you know it was Dadu who saved me?” Babu narrated last night’s incident.
Everyone sat in silence.
Soon the conches blew announcing the rituals for Pitripokko. Ma wiped her eyes and addressed them. “Come…Let’s go and pray for our ancestors.” The family moved towards the lake to perform the rituals.
Glossary:
Amavasya: The night of the new moon.
Mahalaya: The last day of Pitripaksha.
Mukti: Liberation
Dadu: Grandfather
Pitripaksha: A period before Navratri when spirits are said to be near their loved ones.
Sreemati Sen
