Do
you believe in Ghosts ? Can you dare to visit to the village full of Ghosts. It
is believed that no one can dare to live in this village. Nobody has dared to
live here. Whoever tried, suffer a brutal death.You will come across this
deserted village during camel safari in Jaisalmer. Once Kuldhara was home to
more than 1500 people. Suddenly one night the entire population of this village
disappeared, isn't it Scary ?. It
didn't happen because of volcanic eruption, earthquake or floods. Apparently
the Diwan of Jaisalmer, who was famous for his debauchery set his eyes on the
beautiful daughter of village chief. When he was tipped off about the intention
of Diwan, chief decided to leave the village to save his daughter. Fearing that
in the absence of chief, other people of village may become victim of Diwan's
anger, the entire village decided to disappear overnight. They only took some
of the valuable items and left the village in dark. But not before cursing it
that whoever will dare to live in Kuldhara will die. Since then, this village
has become a ghost town now. The houses made out of sandstones have become a
tourist attraction. Several of these houses have been restored by Rajasthan
tourism.
The Real Witchcraft in Orissa (India)
One of the most studied tribal religions in India, Santhal
religion worships Marang buru or Bonga as supreme deity. The weight of belief,
however, falls on a court of spirits (bonga), who handle different
aspects of the world . The Santals are non-Hindu people--in fact, they make a clear
distinction based on race between themselves and Hindus and are classified as a
"Pre-Dravidian" tribe. A number of
ancient texts recount terrifying stories highlighting the sorcery or
witchcrafts aspect of the Yoginis in this area. According to these stories,
Yoginis could acquire certain magical powers with which they could transform
human beings into animals and birds. A few other stories talk of a category of
witches referred to as 'Dakinins', known for their ability to fly, besides
their appetite for human flesh. These spirits operate at the village, household, ancestor,
and sub-clan level, along with evil spirits that cause disease, and can inhabit
village boundaries, mountains, water, tigers, and the forest. A characteristic
feature of the Santhal village is a sacred grove on the edge of the settlement
where many spirits live and where a series of annual festivals take place.
In Orissa, the ancient
practice of witchcraft is still practiced. Among the Santals of Mayurbhanj
district, the Santali witches often leave behind their husbands in bed in the
midst of the night to assemble in a forest. Completely naked, they spend the
rest of the night dancing and singing with 'bongas' (spirits or deities) and
lions as their partners. At the break of dawn, they return to their beds, back
to being what they originally were. The Santals believe that the 'talent' for
witchcraft is not innate, but is attained through strict discipline.
