Living Ghost

One day, Raju thought of scaring people by pretending to be a ghost. He sat down holding his breath. His wife shook him, but Raju kept sitting quietly with his eyes closed. Oh God It seems he is really dead. She came out crying and called the neighbours. Raju was sitting in the same way without breathing, without moving. The neighbours also thought that Raju was dead. Now his cremation should be done, they said.

They brought Raju to the river bank. They laid him down on a pile of wood. Then they put more wood on top of him. When Raju saw that the neighbours were going to set fire to the pyre, he threw away the wood and stood up. When the neighbours saw Raju standing up like this, they ran towards the village shouting, Ghost... Ghost… Raju ran after them saying, Wait... Wait…. On reaching the village, they said, Raju has died and has become a ghost and is coming towards the village. Hearing this, all the villagers went inside their houses and closed the doors. When Raju reached the village, there was silence there. Raju started walking towards his house. Rajus wife Nagamma also heard that her husband had become a ghost. She also quickly closed the door of the house and locked it. Reaching home, Raju said, Nagamma open the door, I am Raju.

You are not Raju but Rajus ghost. Please go from here. I will perform your shraddha very nicely and will also feed the Brahmins. Thats it, you go from here. Raju kept knocking the door but Nagamma did not open the door.

Appa. What should I do now Even my wife is not believing me that I am not a ghost. Raju had not eaten anything for the whole day. Now he was very hungry. Who will give me food When even my wife is thinking that I am a ghost. He reached the village temple while walking. Let me spend the night here. In the morning when the priest comes to offer prasad, I will take the prasad from him and eat it. Raju sat hiding behind the idol and started waiting for the priest.

The night passed, it was morning. The villagers slowly opened the doors and looked outside. Rajus ghost was nowhere to be seen. Everyone came out of their houses and got busy with their work. The priest also started preparing prasad. He prepared prasad, made bade, made laddu. Then he decorated all the prasad in a plate and went towards the temple. After reaching the temple, he kept the plate of prasad aside, then took out a bucket from the well and started washing the temple. Just then Raju came out from behind the idol and said, Swami, you are very late today. I have been waiting for you for a long time. On hearing this, the priest threw the bucket and ran towards the village. Raju followed him, saying Swami... Swami.... When the villagers saw Raju following the priest, they again went inside their houses and closed the doors. Raju went to his house once again but Nagamma did not open the door.

Raju returned to the temple and satiated his hunger by eating the prasad that the priest had brought. After his stomach was full, Raju looked at himself. His vest was torn, his body was covered with dust and dirt, his hair was disheveled. People rightly think I am a ghost, look at my condition he said. First of all, I will have to ask Ramaiya the washerman for clean clothes and wear them. Thinking this, Raju reached the river bank. Ramaiya the washerman had not yet come. Raju hid and sat in the laundry furnace.

That day the kings police chief came on horseback to inspect the village. He saw that the villagers were sitting in their homes instead of doing their work. He knocked on the door and called the villagers out and asked, Why are you people sitting in your homes when work is at hand

Raju the shepherd has died and has become a ghost and is roaming in the village. We are sitting in our homes out of fear of him. The villagers replied.

There is no ghost. Lets all start our work, the police chief scolded. Everyone once again left their houses and started working. Ramaiya the washerman also left for the ghat. The police chief had to get his clothes washed, so he also rode his horse towards the river. As soon as both of them reached the ghat, Raju stood up in the furnace and said, Hey Ramaiya Appa, where were you till now I have been waiting for you sitting in the furnace for so long. On hearing this, Ramaiya ran towards the village in a hurry. The police chief also ran away from the village on his horse. The villagers again went inside their houses.

Raju took out a clean vest and a shirt from the washermans clothes. Then he went to the river and bathed, wore clean clothes and left for his house.

Reaching home he knocked on the door and said, Nagamma open the door. I am not a ghost. How can I be a ghost when I am not dead

We saw you dead, Nagamma said from inside. You were neither breathing nor moving.

I thought I was dying so I held my breath and lay down without moving. Raju said. Actually a traveler gave me a cotton thread and said that the day this thread gets lost, I will die. You open the door and see. I am not dead, I am alive.

Nagamma slowly opened the door. Raju was standing in front of her, freshly bathed and dressed in a clean vest and shirt. He doesnt look like a ghost, Nagamma thought. Then she reached out and touched Raju and pinched him hard. Appa Raju shouted. Nagamma understood that Raju was not a ghost. He quickly opened the door and let him in. He fed him a lot of food. Raju ate and slept. Nagamma left for the village to tell everyone that Raju is not a ghost.