012: Black magic in 'Angithi' : True story from our childhood
School closed early due to bad weather. While coming back from school, kids could not see Himalayan mountains and sun, as they were eclipsed by dark clouds. Freezing wind was blowing slowly and kids were numbing in their woollen sweaters, jackets, caps, mufflers and hand gloves.
Father also came early from the office. He lit the kerosene lamp and a coal ‘angithi’ in the living room. Kids and Father sat around it to warm themselves. Kids opened their homework, Father cleared office files and Mother cooked food in Kitchen.
Mother came in between and said that she heard on radio that snow would fall that night. Kids were excited to see the snow fall. Bholu said that if that happens in the day he would eat snow with Jaggery. Pappu snubbed him saying that he will fall ill like last year. Sanju said that he will throw snowballs on them and play. Father enjoyed their conversation but asked them to pay attention to studies then and play when snow falls.
After a while Mother called them for food in Kitchen. Father said that it was too cold so suggested bringing food to the living room so that can have food in the warmth of ‘Angithi’.
Father went to help her and both of them brought food and utensils to the living room. Kids kept their books and office files to sides, and father opened the radio. ‘Vividh Bharti’ was playing bollywood songs. Mother closed the door while bringing the jug of water and glasses.
They were eating their food and listening to songs. Songs were so enchanting that all just immersed themselves into the radio. Slowly they stopped talking to each other. Their eating speed slowed down and the radio kept playing the next songs and then started the 9 PM news.
This was beyond normal. All of them felt dizzy. Kids started getting sleepy.
Mother felt that the kids were tired and slept because of melodious songs on the radio. She wanted to take them to bed but was left with no energy. She wanted to tell father to help her but voice didn’t come out of her mouth.
Father saw Bholu trying to sleep on his plate, Sanju on the left and Pappu on the right side of the plate.
He could see all his family getting into some spell of black magic. He was trying to understand, make sense of things happening in the last few minutes but he himself felt helpless.
He saw Mother leaning on Angithi and murmuring “Maata save us”
Fearing that mother’s ‘Saari’ would catch fire, with the help of an invisible feeble energy, Father stood up and walked out of the drawing room.
He went to the bathroom; washed his hands and face with cold water. After taking a few deep breaths in the varanda he then came back to see his kids and wife in the drawing room and opened all the windows and doors.
Chilling wind entered the room as father took Bholu out to the varanda. Behind him, mother brought Sanju and Pappu came out on his own.
Spell of black magic was carbon monoxide poisoning which had claimed the lives of a family in a nearby village a few weeks ago.
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