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Enticing entity – the Dead Alive in Barkur’s Nagarmut.

Believe it or not. He himself told the others not to publicise and threatened to kill them or to burn the village. He was youthful in his younger days and at the end of his days too. He was the son of a leading land owner with a dozen plus children. Think of our joyees (Nambiar) and he will be remembered too. Not because he was a joyees but because he carries the same term which is  close to the dead ones surname – Pundit. Yes, he was none other than my younger days yeomen hero Late(?) R---- Pundit !! . He was the last son in the family and was a student finished his basic education with  certain necessary qualification to read and write in a rampant way. He was different than his other family members. His brothers are doctor, lecturer etc, and live a  prosperous life. The Pundit’s son was, as I have his version, once was angry with his father and said, “I shall not return home”. In reply father said, “never come back… go”. He went with a five batteries torch,  to the  house of his relative, which was about two kilometers in distance and told them, “I’ am angry with my father and shall never go home back. They said, “come son..have food”. He said, “no”. He returned home and it was dark enough about 8.49 pm . He climbed a cashew tree, took off his Lungi and rolling around his neck with a knot he cried out aloud, “Pundit’s son  is gonna hang himself, come soon…ye all… come soon” and  there he jumped down and you imagine what happened. His  brother came and cut the Lungi and brought him home while his father stopped them and said, “don’t bring him home, take him and cremate him there and then”. In obedience in those days to the father of a dozen plus, the sons faithfully obeyed and put him on a funeral pyre and lit it. However they would not stay till the body been burnt, as they were to collect the ash on the following day as their tradition is. The following day, when his brothers went to collect the ash  found him half burnt. They said, better burry him. And they did so.

Days passed by, and months too flew. Every thing went on well. However, a person is dear to the family only when he lives. He is most unwanted as soon as he is dead. He is rather ill treated by pulling from the bed catching leg and dragged on the out door as he may not come home and disturb in the form of bhoot (evil sprit) or so.

One fine evening when one of his sister-in-law who lived with her husband in the near by plot as cleaning the fish said, “oh, how lovely is the fish, if only brothe in law was there, he would have eaten some pieces…..”  Ah, here comes the real hero who yelled three times and could be heard at distance of three kilometers. She dropped what she had in her hand and was silent in breakdown. Neither any one understood the mysterious sound of a living dead. Next day when  his another sister-in-law when preparing Dosa, and oh, there again, outside the kitchen window in the form of a shadow someone begging, “ sis-in-law, give me dosa”. She yelled and rushed to the other room as it was 4.48 in the morning as our people were to work in the field early before dawn, and before sun would burn cream them in black after 10 am .

Time passed by, as and at every Amavasya and hunnime, he would scream thrice and it was audible till half way to Moodhadu- 3Km distance.  It was repeated time and on. He would jog your memory by this gesture, it is either amavasya (half moon) or hunnime (full moon). It was like a siren of the factory, or a church bell or that of a aazaan sound of a mullah in the Musjid.

Few incidents though sounds funny and a validly ordained inscribes it then I’m not the one (handle with care). But what is exiting is the reality bite. Those were the days spoken of ghost and pixachi. Now monis denvchar zala!?.

One: Three childrens murder: Loss of three lives!  Should the dead be forgiven?

Three of his brother’s sons were cow grazing daily. One was in the eighth other in ninth and the third in the Pre University . All were students of National junior college, Barkur. As they would do the same every day so also the traditional customary bath they took in the well which was very close to the grazing place. And on a particular day, all three got drowned. They all knew swimming and the well was not very deep and the mouth of the well was not very broad. Mr. Ramesh Shetty who later after some time met with an accident and died at Kundapur,  took them out of the well. The mystery was.. the boys were full of black mud in their ears, nose, mouth and found fully dipped into the well and were in a dilapidated situation. Does this happen to any who gets drowned into the well?. What really happened to them? Later they were put in a empty rice mudi (rice protector made of hay) and were taken to the hospital, by then they were already dead. Yes, lets ask my good friend evil entity, and they did so and he replied, “I’m sorry, I  was the one who killed them. ‘cos I was angry – please forgive me”. Which priest is prepared to hear his confession next?

Two: Young girl raped on a broad day light when cutting grass? – Likes of my age in those days in eighth standard would not know what is sex all about. The Entity taught me. He was silent for few days. Suddenly the  daughter of a certain Shedthi was cutting green grass who was rosy in her youthful days and was to get marry to the first who would come on his way to propose her. She fell down with a loud cry and her dear ones found her half naked on a broad day light i.e. midday hours. Wrapped with her clothes they brought her home and kept a silence and still has remained a silent story altogether. I know, our friend the entity was the rapist. Don’t punish him. ‘cos he need be hung as per the gulf law and you may find a hang of a person without person visible in it.

Three:  Justice Judge in air?  Tow achartis (women from vishwakarma Brahmin community –generally carpenters and gold smiths) fought on a wooden log which was cut and brought in their compound. The one claimed it belonged to her and the other repeated the same. However, quarrel was never ending. The village oxford dictionary words were well spelt to mean what they didn’t. However, the living dead , the entity my friend went and told them. “ Do both of you catch either side and bring and keep the wooden log in my place – father’s residence”. They learnt it was my good friend evil dead, and very next morning before breakfast the two achartis began their day with lifting the log and pulling it to the place of Pundith. The place distanced about 6 kilometers. Good Justice, in closed eyes.

Four: Fear not, I’m with youBenthikere Chikku Gudi where daily prayers are offered, the priest  would take all that is offered to Goddess Chikku and go home to Bairibettu from our Entity’s home town. Aham, he wasn’t alone. He was accompanied till home by our friend who would continuously ring the bell found in the Bhatta’s basket along with rice and money mixed with panchakajjaya and talk to him till he reached home. Mr. Robert D’ Souza’s and our dogs did keep silence when Entity was at work in the late night when Bhatta was kept simputer (simply) chatting with him.

Five: Fire off when it isn’t your time off? – “Oh, what a fire come Ma come out soon”. And my Mom then rushed to see scrambled, “where , where”? I said, “See there”. And both started us watching . A mega fire!.  However, all the brothers of Entity brought water in pots and buckets and as soon as they reached close to the fire, the fire disappeared. What happened to it? Ah, there was a mighty laughter. It was again my hero. I too heard him laugh and smile. His brothers asked him, “Why did you do this”. He said, “When I walk this tree used to disturb me. Hence, I burnt it”.  They went home and that night I prayed one extra Rosary and went to sleep. Next day I got up one minute early than other days to see the tree. Ah, and it was there as it was in the last evening.

Six: Catholic facets with devil dence? – Then certain Mr. Andrade and our friend, yeah, this time a catholic with Entity. It wasn’t tug of war or dog and the boon. But Late Mr. Andrade the Hero as his brother jeni (John) came to Nagarmut from Dubai . As with happiness all the about 43 and half (with seven childrens who are counted by me as half) went to encounter the Entity. They reached with this band to encounter on the Rangastala which I thought I will call the Kurukshetra. Shush, our friend was on with his Armour. As Mr. Andrade family reached the Government well, there the Enity spoke the highest wisdom of his younger days, “bale bale (tulu normally Ranga spoke. I knew not. Hence, I couldn’t interview him asking whether he was in hell or in heaven) “dumbu bale” – (come close). “I shall dip you all in the deep pool here”. Just in the evening house Mr. Mhalinga had fished some thigur and chipparam in it. Mr.  Andrade from Dubai got the sixth sense in use and said, “Baba patim yam” – let’s go back. Other wise I would have seen what was it to fight St. Peter with St. Lucifer’s family. I still regret it to believe it. Please help my little belief.

Seven: My mom saw it he took it – money and Papad. Some weeks my good friend disappeared. He says at home, “I wanna go to Bombay . Give me money” Those days pinto travels took just Rs. 45 to put you off the bus in Andheri with 36 hours time to the then Heaven – Bombay. The entity would take money, which my mom saw when she was in their house. They were preparing Papads too. Every time they prepared papad, the banana leaf got torn and the papad was dismantled. The member of the family said, “Why don’t you give some to the dead”. One kept a piece and Rs.100.00 there. Suddenly both disappeared when my mom was witnessing. She came home and told me and I was half awake looking at Mary’s photo reciting Sotmantam in reverse the whole night. If that was real during Sunday collection, what would happen to the Parish Priest? Assistant parish priest would be a happiest one except the days of Parish Priest’s absence.

Eight: My brother in those days was learning mechanics in Brahmavar and was smart. He was repairing water pumps and was available only in the night as he was working in Brahmavar, He was invited to repair the water pump and as he was repairing, a dozens of coconut leafs and coconuts were pulled down. The family member said, “worry not it’s our Entity. He won’t harm you”. I would have smelled water stream around my toes with urine smell.

Ninth: I went to bring toddy and oh…. Never again. I could see simply dry leaves run and run. I had my own fear and that was again. Oops, never again. No toddy and no Entity to kill butter flies in my stomach. I sigh, never again as long as my senses are sensible.

Ten: Day time I saw the light and it was a light of the Entity. I could and often have seen light like just focused mirror on something. I have at least observed it a two to three dozens of time as our then house is just faced towards Pundit’s house where the government well was only a peak center which would not disturb the valid lively and fearful interaction of mine and his.

Eleven: Every night he would walk with torch on and he was there. It was clear that our friend walked the way. We were eager to see his torch and were anxious to hear him scream. Often he dismayed us. However, if he was angry he did award us with his normal high volume, blood chilling Kooooi……

Twelve: Talking to a living old hag from a tree of Banyan day out and day in. The tall man related to the Pundit family was old enough to be kept in a museum for all the life that he worked and lived in a village. He was wedded to the Entity and was talking from 8.32 pm till I saw the star in my dream and my younger brother stokes me up as he used to bed wet every night. One could hear the koooooi  about a kilometer distance. Later it became a routine thing to all of us. I was least bothered to that as I could not understand tulu other than one word which my mom often used to cheat me with my eldest sister using ‘ pokkade’ – simply. It was told that Entity was coming close to this man in the form of a black dog.

Thirteen: He would inform the people not to publish or make known this fact to the other. Believe it or not. I speak the truth, nothing but the truth. So what do you want? The truth or nothing but the truth? I violated the Entity told his friends and family people. Hope this news won’t work as a virus.

Where is he now?: Fear not. Virus won’t affect as the Entity is been caught and kept in a Limbo (lime) and the limbo is kept in a tender coconut (bondo) and the bondo is buried in a four feet deep  pit using black magic and mantra by a matra vadi. Hence, if dug by finding the  place, he may reappear as he is in your website just now. I’m confident. Are you? Keep a mini peg near to you to balance it.

Fourteen: He used to get angry on his father and pulls his little loin cloth the local casti. Mud and soil was often put in his rice plate. He was really a member without having body and nerves but sharp brain!. He would even eat in the family except chastising the father rest all was good and sound. Often he destroyed the tiles and roofs of the family where his father lived.

Fifteen: Sun goes down means people of the place dead down in sleep under the pillow. Yes, all were asleep even if it was to become slight dark. Perhaps those days electricity company must have lost one fifth of their income from Barkur’s Nagarmut.

Sixteen: Did Pinto Travels paved the seat to the Entity or Mahabaleshwara brought him back from Bombay ? Those days Bomaby buses were Mahabaleshwara and Pinto. Hence, I’m sure he must have sat next to some of you and traveled to Bombay with you. Some of their relatives reported that he was found talking to them and were surprised to hear that he is dead. ‘Oh God, now we understand Jesus really rose from the dead. Don’t be sorry, we believe in his resurrection’.

Cypri ,  MA.LLB.MSW. Barkur  05/10/12

For a glimpse of the life at Barkur as remembered by Barkurians, check archives

Barkur, located in Udupi Taluk, Karnataka, India. 576 210

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Copyright Kishoo, Barkur 2002.