Raghavan, that lady and me

It was during the days when I was working as a lecturer in PDIT( an engg college ) in Hospet. A friend of mine was a civil contractor. Quite recently, he was on a road-widening project in the outskirts of Hospet. The place is called Anjaneya temple road. We used to meet often and one day he narrated a real incident which had happened in Hospet, a few years ago: There lived a rich family in Hospet. They were looking for a bride for their son. After a long search, a suitable match was found. She was good considering her educational background, looks and attitude, except for poverty. The marriage was beautifully arranged and well managed. Well, the initial few days of the marriage were good. But, the reality show started and was anchored by m-in-law. The reason was dowry and the bride was tortured and hit regularly. After few days, the bride was killed with plan with gas leakage, but was projected to society as a casualty. The lady was buried in the burial ground besides the Anjaneya temple road. So, my friend was suggested by other workers not to continue work after 6/7PM for everyone’s safety. ‘coz the lady had turned herself into a ghost and used to create problems of variety sort to the on-goers.And it was followed like that for years.
After hearing the story, I went home and slept. 2-3 days passed by and I was bit tempted to go to this place and face it!! Sorry! I don’t know what was running in my mind during those times! I shared it with Raghavan, a very close friend of mine. It was just a day before new moon night( Amavasya ). We decided to visit the place.
It was 8PM. We thot – we will just find out the exact place today and tomorrow, the night of amavasya, we will go at 12 mid night. We started on Raghavan’s Bajaj bike. I was holding a 3 cell powered torch. Soon, we reached the Anjaneya temple road. There were no street lights. No vehicles moving in that road. No houses nearby and in surroundings. Its completely outskirt of Hospet and it was day before Amavasya. It was pitch black. We could only hear the sound of bike’s gear, accelerator, break and the flow of wind. Raghavan’s concentration was completely on the road and driving. I was looking right, left and behind! There wasn’t yet anybody and nor was there any sign of burial ground. I was looking behind me and all of a sudden Raghavan applied break! Suddenly, I turned front thinking Raghavan saw something or else someone has appeared in-front of the bike. But, it was a pot hole. We had almost traveled more than half on that road with no results. Raghavan stopped the bike but it was still on. In neutral gear, he raised the accelerator and turned the head light left and right. On the left it was just a long ground with ups and downs. On the right was long wall of the LFS school. We were near the gate of the school. The gate was locked. When the bike’s light fell on it, we could only see the long bars of the gate. I tried concentrating behind those bars and tried to find some signs like any lady’s movements or at least a stand still in White saree. We both were looking at gate and it suddenly flashed to me that there isn’t anybody behind me. At anytime the lady can come behind me and stand. I suddenly turned around and torched. I saw left and right. There wasn’t anybody! After a while, we felt that we havn’t come to the right place. We decided to return with no results. It was a great relief for me as we started seeing the street lights and ppl to my left, right and behind after entering into the city!
The climax was yet to be seen. It was on the next day. We decided to visit the place in the noon and find out its location exactly. At 2 PM, we were again on the same road. Holding a binocular, I was looking here and there, but, aha! No results. Some Lorries were running on that road. We almost reached the end of the road. No option left and little disappointed, Raghavan took U-turn. Few meters passed by and there was bullock cart going in front of us. As we neared it, Raghavan slowed the bike and I asked the bullock cart guy – "Where is the burial ground (smashana) here. I need to meet someone!". He was shocked for a while. Re-gaining his posture he told – "sir, there isn’t any burial ground here. You have to go to the other side of Hospet for it". Raghavan and myself looked at each other. Uff…
Although, it pulled the final screen for the whole drama, a part of the climax was yet to come. By the time we reached the beginning of that road, there was police check up going on for every vehicle passing over there. The cop stopped us also and asked for driving licensee. Raghavan had kept it at home!! We bribed him 250Rs and escaped from the scene.
Poor lady- someone really wanted to meet her. But, guess, the address was wrong. What a bad luck!