C5 Black Magic

A month passed by. In December, the country faced the biggest shocking incident of the decade. That night, nobody slept and everyone glued themselves to the news.

The 2012 Delhi gang rape and murder case involved a rape and fatal assault that occurred on 16 December 2012 in Munirka, a neighborhood in South Delhi. The incident took place when Jyoti Singh, a 23-year-old female physiotherapy intern, was beaten, gang-raped, and tortured in a private bus in which she was traveling with her male friend. There were six others in the bus, including the driver, all of whom raped the woman and beat her friend.

“How could such animals be set free? Delhi is not at all a safe place for us.” Aastha reacted sharply to the news. The incident affected everyone, especially women.

Hectic months passed by for Aastha, who was doing two things simultaneously. On one hand, she had to earn her living and send some money home, on the other, she had to prepare for the civil services preliminary exam to be conducted annually in May-June. It was three months now when we had just recovered from the worst phase that the country had to face in the aftermath of the Nirbhaya Rape case. Rapes became more rampant than before. Nobody feared the law until a new law came into place. The Government formed a committee in December 2012 to look into the Nirbhaya Rape case, suggesting some recommendations on the laws related to rape and other sexual offenses. They passed a new law, Criminal Laws Amendment Act 2013 in March 2013, strengthening women’s position in society. These developments formed part of Aastha’s curriculum.

Emotionally, she cried her heart out, “Being a woman, I could relate myself to the incident, but no woman can have a misfortune like Nirbhaya, as she was named. No one could be braveheart like her”. It was during this time that Aastha also received special treatment from her family and friends. However, who knows what lay ahead in the future, especially for a woman like her.

Holi was around the corner. The fear instilled in the minds of women also gained ground. This year, all festivals were fraught with sadness everywhere. And it was Mohan who was more eager to know what plan Parth had in mind.

It was Holi on 26th March. Teachers and students alike started the festival of colors with great fervor. However, the institutes remain closed throughout the day. No one could even dare move out of the house, spick-and-span. Everyone was being immersed in different colors - pink, red, yellow, blue, and all colors of hue.

There were few students like Aastha who detested playing with colors. Parth also joined the group.

It was noon when Aastha received a call from the Institute. “Mam, Happy Holi. The institute is open today. Can you take some classes for the students as there are no teachers available at short notice?” the receptionist requested.

“Okay, what time are my classes scheduled for today?”

“It would be good if you could come now”.

“Now. Okay, will reach there in fifteen minutes,” Aastha hurried to the Institute.

Being skeptical about the situation outside the house, Aastha covered her face with a cloth to prevent herself from being colored. The shops around the house were closed down. Everyone around seemed immersed in the celebrations. They celebrated by having Bhang Thandai on one hand and playing with colors on the other. Rangwali Holi or Dhulandi, the celebration of the festival of colors, brings the entire neighborhood together. People smear colors on each other as a token of welcoming them to the gathering and making them a part of the festivities.

On the negative side, Holika Night and a whole day of Holi festival are amongst the most auspicious days for performing Black magic, Tantra Mantra, Vashikaran, and other spiritual remedies because it becomes easy and fast for invoking the negative and positive energies on these days. Holi night is not only special for common people but it is also very special for Tantriks in India because this is the day which is best for attaining Siddhi. People do black magic to invoke negative energies, witches, and unsatisfied ghosts for fulfilling their wishes.

Aastha’s neighborhood had various incidents of witch practices. The temples were closed down during the afternoon while they covered the idols with black cloth. They resorted to devil worship. Coincidentally or by fate, she stayed at all such places in her life throughout till now - first during her college days in Pune, then while working in Mumbai, and now in Delhi, where such practices were rampant. She was also a victim of black magic. Being a victim herself, she showed certain symptoms. The few symptoms are that the victims fail at everything in life. They suffer incessantly, face obstacles and yet save themselves from overall distress. They become irreligious and move away from God, losing faith and confidence. Perplexed at everything in life, they lose their aim and resultant frustration. Most victims end their lives by committing suicide. They are subject to deception and feelings of lust, greed, anger, and revenge.

Heaviness and lack of concentration in studies were recurrent phenomena with Aastha. Since her childhood, she was a victim of black magic practices. This was clear in the symptoms she showed. Her only savior in such circumstances was God, rather faith in the almighty. It has always been a fight between good and bad forces for her. Many times, she succumbed to the bad. However, goodness prevailed over her, but not over her life. She met with failures and a few accidents.

“I think I am late”. She hurries towards the gate, crossing the two gardens next to each other. It was noon and nobody was there in the vicinity. It was not one of the usual busy days in the neighborhood.

Upon reaching the office, Aastha, dressed in a casual T-Shirt and Jeans, enters the office only to find nobody there. The group of seniors comprising Mohan Sir gathered in Keshav Sir’s room. All the classes were empty.

“Isn’t Parth coming?” began Mohan Sir, looking at Aastha.

“Sir, he is on his way. He will reach the office soon,” saying so, Meena, the receptionist, urged Aastha to take a seat. When she was about to take her chair, Parth Sir appeared from nowhere. He was hiding behind the chair, only to surprise her.

While everyone looked at each other, Parth treated Aastha with some sweets. After eating those sweets, Aastha feels dizzy and unwell. She almost blacked out. She understood the sweets had something in them because of which she became unconscious. Somebody had either mixed something in the sweets or possibly, the food was replete with black magic spells. A worried Aastha, couldn’t do anything on the day.

Giving a glimpse of the first stage of his Plan, Parth began -

“Mohan, you know we have been waiting for the only cherished thing for a long time now. We have found “The One”.

“The One,” Mohan looked at Parth with widened eyes.

“Yes,” he cried.

“It is Aastha. She will help us reach our goal. Rather, she is the one for the whole Mlechha community.

“Mlechha community?”

“Yes. Mlechha community?”

“What is that now?”

“You must have knowledge about the Mlechha Community. It means “the one who is dirty and unclean”. It is used for reserved non-Hindus, particularly for Muslims and Christians in Hindu/Sikh religious literature. The position of Mlechha is below Shudra in terms of ritual purity. The term is not attested in the Vedas but occurs for the first time in the late Vedic text, the Shatapatha Brahmana. Further, the Baudhayana sutras define a mleccha as someone ‘who eats beef or indulges in self-contradictory statements or is devoid of righteousness and purity of conduct.”

“You mean to say...She is the one” cutting across the valuable information, Mohan interrupted.

“Yes. She is the one we have been searching for. She has come down for us. We need her. We need her everything...”

“How did you come to know about her?” he added, with a raised pique. I mean, we know everything about her. But still, I couldn’t figure out that she was the one. I knew she was extraordinarily special.”

“She is a devotee of Lord Shri Krishna,” continued Parth. Moreso, she is a purified bliss, especially for us.”

“And...” Mohan enquired

“And nothing,” Parth replied

“What are you hiding, Parth? Who is she?”

“I cannot say anything for now. Let some time pass by and everything will be revealed.”

A highly restless and dissatisfied Mohan looked at Parth in anticipation of some answer.

“Others are waiting for us in the other room, let us leave,” saying so, both Parth and Mohan join their friends in the celebration.