Be thou a spirit of health or goblin damn'd
Bring with thee airs from heaven or blasts from hell,
Be thy intents wicked or charitable
Thou comest in such a questionable shape- William Shakespeare, Hamlet
For centuries, Maharajas of the Chera dynasty ruled the erstwhile Travancore state. Later, they accepted British protection, mainly to ward off the invading army of Tipu Sultan. A British Regent, stationed at Madras used to oversee the affairs of the state ruled by the Maharaja.
The British thus gained pre-eminence in the state. They bought and developed plantations for growing rubber, tea and spices. During summer, to escape the sweltering heat, they would go and live in the hill resorts of Munnar, Peeramedu or Devikulam for a couple of months along with their families and entourage. In all these resorts there would be well-equipped hospitals with qualified doctors, compounders and nurses.
The hill resorts mentioned above are situated in the Sahyadri mountain range. There are hill, valleys and dense forests all around which were completely devoid of human habitation in the earlier days. The clouds dance around the hills and sometimes descend into the valley, causing a thick mist.
My uncle, a surgeon, was posted at Devikulam in charge of the hospital there in the year 1925. His wife, who was in the family way had a safe delivery in that hospital and was brought home to their bungalow along with the new baby girl.
According to folklore or popular belief, new mothers would have to wait at least three months after delivery to step out of the house, especially during the evening twilight or in the night - because their psyche would be delicate and they might be exposed to the influences of evil spirits or other supernatural beings.
Unaware of the above restrictions, my aunt was standing at the gate of the bungalow late one evening. The compounder who passed that way was surprised to see her standing there barely ten days after delivery and advised her to go inside. Soon after, the nurse who passed that way also cautioned her. My aunt did not heed these warnings. She stood at the gate.
Nature has a unique way of warning us about the arrival of spirits. If it is a windy day, the winds will suddenly stop, not even a leaf will move and there will be pin-drop silence. Conversely, on a clear day when everything is quiet, clouds will suddenly appear and there will be stormy winds.
The winds suddenly stopped that day and everything became quiet. So quiet, it was un believable. A beautiful young lady with long hair reaching down to her knees was seen smiling at my aunt from the hill across. My aunt felt a great attraction and affection for her. The lady, dressed in white, came close and told her "How beautiful is this place! Let us roam about and play. Please keep me company." My aunt obeyed her and covered some distance when she found that the lady went over the hill and disappeared into the valley below.
This continued several times a day for several days. My aunt used to leave the new-born child and go after the lady. Though she pointed out the lady to my uncle, he could not see her. It was when my aunt started running towards the other side of the hill in search of her friend that uncle and his aides had to bring her back to the house by force.
Around this time, on Tuesdays and Fridays, a small black animal resembling a bear used to enter my aunt's bedroom, go round it a few times and vanish. This would be accompanied by an unearthly fragrance. Once when my uncle was there, it happened. He could not see the beast, but could smell it.
In the end, an astrologer was called to investigate and suggest remedial measures. After prayers and calculations, it was revealed to him that a British lady, while riding her horse, had fallen into a ditch from the top of the hill and died a long time ago. It was her spirit that was haunting the place in the form of the lady in white with the long hair. He suggested that one of my aunt's necklaces be removed from her neck, subjected to certain rituals, and then worn again. This was done and my aunt was never again troubled by the lady of the mountain slopes.
It was rumoured that the spirit, in her frustration, shifted her activities to the other side of the hill.
