Shri Radhe Maa - Brush with the paranormal

By Sanjeev Gupta

Rita Purohit’s story: After watching a late night movie at INOX in Nariman Point, Mumbai, I asked my husband to wait for me as I proceeded to the wash room to freshen up. Just before I entered, I felt someone walk past me and enter the room before me. It was scary but I brushed my misgiving aside and proceeded to the washroom. As I straightened my dress and patted my hair into place, the hand sanitizer that was a few feet away from me came to life on its own. Surprised, I looked at it. It turned off and then turned on again. This happened five times. Terrified, I rushed out of room and babbled the entire episode to my husband who tried explain how it could have happened on its own. On our way home, I was shaken by the experience and also upset that my husband would not sympathise with what had happened. I later learnt that I had misread his attempts to calm me down. He told me later that he had also sensed the entry of whatever it was that was giving me company in the washroom and had also heard stilettos as the entity had walked out of the washroom.

He had felt a light breeze as it had walked past him.

 The next day, I called Choti Maa to understand what had happened. I heard Devi Maa laughing in the background. I rushed to Devi Maa's  Bhavan. Devi Maa told me, "She thought she could take you - the chandali! She had to leave when she saw my swarup on you." I had goose bumps. I thanked Devi Maa profusely, sought her blessings and left. It was past 1 am when I left the Bhavan in Borivli, Mumbai. Back then, I lived in Powai, which is an hour-and-half drive away from Devi Maa’s Bhavan. I had to drive alone through the Aarey Milk Colony stretch that has gained notoriety for its jungle, leopards and paranormal sightings. The memory of my narrow brush with the entity fresh in my mind, I was terrified at the prospect of passing through the dark, people less road. I arranged the rear view mirror so I did not have to see the back seat. If some spirit wanted to take the rear seat, I did not want to see it. I turned on the stereo and was relieved to hear the Hanuman Chalisa playing. Somehow, chanting Devi Maa's name and with the Chalisa playing on my stereo, I reached home. The Chalisa had also ended. The next day, it struck me that I did not have a Hanuman Chalisa tape. I checked with my driver, my family members and no one had purchased a Hanuman Chalisa album. I walked to the car and turned the stereo on.

Bollywood film music streamed out of the car stereo.

 

  As told to Satish Purohit