| Some time back my father narrated me an interesting | | | | the undead. The existence of ghosts, demons, and |
| tale. It appears when he was a student of | | | | angels is an age old question. Many people are skeptic |
| Government College, Hoshiarpur he decided to go | | | | but many are believers. There is a small percentage |
| home to his village about 15 miles away during the | | | | that are in between who cannot decide. |
| week end. As it was 9 pm the last bus had left, | | | | The question that everyone asks spontaneously is "do |
| therefore he and a friend of his named Harbans | | | | Ghosts and Demons exist?" There is no simple |
| decided to walk down to the village. | | | | answer to this question. But generally a ghost is a spirit |
| The duo started walking to the village. It was a dark | | | | that is on earth for what ever reason. There is a good |
| night and a cold icy wind blew as it was November | | | | chance that this spirit is earthbound for a variety of |
| and winter was setting in. Mid way to the village there | | | | reasons like some unfinished work or having |
| is a small rivulet called a "CHO" in the local language. | | | | committed some abhorrent crime like child rape and |
| As the two approached the rivulet my father says he | | | | murder and for this crime is denied entry into the after |
| heard horse's hooves on the earth. After some time it | | | | life. Thus he moves in this earth till he can atone for his |
| appeared that the rider had fallen from the horse. | | | | sins. Such spirits can also cause harm and are |
| Three times more they heard the horse's hooves and | | | | manifested in a number of ways like eerie goings on in |
| at each time it appeared the horse and rider was | | | | an empty house. Doors being slammed, windows |
| nearing them. When ever they looked back the saw | | | | breaking, bricks falling all cannot be explained by |
| nothing. They now waded into the rivulet to cross it | | | | scientific logic. I for one do believe in ghosts. Now |
| and at the same time they decided not to look back. | | | | coming to Demons.These are closely linked with |
| They also started reciting the 'Jap' the holy prayer of | | | | angels. They complement each other. Angels are |
| Guru Nanak.When they were mid way down the river | | | | good, demons are bad. Angels work for God, demons |
| which had a little less than waist deep water, they | | | | work for the devil. |
| heard the rider come close behind them and then fall | | | | All religions accept angels and demons as they are |
| into the water. They did not look back and continued | | | | supposed to balance each other. The church also |
| reciting the prayer. As they emerged out of the river | | | | accepts demons and exorcism of evil spirits is part of |
| my father says he heard a voice that said 'You have | | | | Christian philosophy. The field is vast and it will be |
| escaped now....but not next time" | | | | some time when even science will unravel this last |
| This incident looks unbelievable but as my own father | | | | mystery of the world. Belief in such supernatural |
| narrated this tale to me I am apt to believe it. All | | | | events and powers for centuries is not without any |
| religions agree that there is a dark world that includes | | | | foundation. |