Morning Horror

A Personal Encounter by Shekhar (Mumbai, Maharashtra)

Hi everyone, this is Shekhar from Mumbai. Just thought of sharing this bizarre incident I came across when I was at a friend’s place, about two years ago. I was spending a night at his place near CP Tank. It was an age-old place, probably dating back to the British era – a typical Mumbai styled chawl. His room was on the topmost floor in a forgotten corner. There was dust and the roof was wearing off. The bulb in the lobby was either stolen or was never put up.

As I entered the room, I experienced a sudden change in the temperature. If you have ever been to Mumbai, you will understand how sweaty it gets, even at nights, especially if you don't have a working AC put up. On the contrary, I experienced a sudden chill. However, I thought it might be the damp walls.


We had a couple of drinks and put up the DVD we had rented – it was one of the Hollywood horror movies. After half an hour or so, we got bored of the movie and started talking. It wasn't surprising when our topics bought us to ghost talks. That's when my friend told me about the history of the particular room (which he had apparently heard from his neighbors).


About 15-20 years back (my friend started narrating), this room was occupied by a mantrik (a practitioner of tantra magic). He used to practice black rituals to help his clients achieve notorious benefits. The whole room was (then) filled with voodoo dolls, lemons & chillies (google for their relevance in Indian magic rituals) and lots of such stuff. As months passed, the neighbors began getting scared of his presence - strange hymns could be heard the whole night. The neighbors thought that he might pose a threat to them and their children. They saw a sparkle in his eyes as he watched their kids playing around.


One evening, some of the neighbors dared to barge into his room only to find a shocking scenario. The mantrik was sitting at the havan (the fire) pouring in (what looked like) a small cup of blood. There were three black voodoo dolls tuck with pins, lemons & kumkum (vermilion powder). The neighbors panicked and beat the mantrik before throwing him out of his room and handing him to the chawl owner. It is said that the mantrik cursed the neighbors that even though they have removed his physical self, he will still live on in the room and will take revenge from them.


It is said that shortly after the mantrik was thrown out, the neighbors lost their children within a year - some were killed in accidents, some died of illnesses while some were lost and never found. The whole chawl was evacuated and was kept locked for years. It was only 3-4 years back that the chawl got a new owner who rented the blocks again.

I was pretty scared after hearing the story, though I preferred not to show it. Shortly after, we slept. I was feeling pretty uncomfortable - I even thought of getting out of this room and proceeding to my aunt's place in Kurla. Slowly, I drifted off into a sleep.

I had a weird dream - I was tied to the bed. I looked at my side and saw a man sitting beside. He had long hair and a full beard. I couldn't distinguish his face. He was wearing a red robe of some kind. He was muttering some chants while throwing vermilion on me. I asked him who he was and why he had tied me. He smiled looking at me and asked me to relax. He said that he will relieve me off my worries and give me a new life. I refused saying I was happy with who I am. I could see him going to my feet. Before I knew it, he poked a couple of pins in my feet while still muttering the strange rhymes. I started shouting out of pain. He simply smiled at me again.

I woke up with a start. It was morning - about 10 a.m. (I checked my watch). I looked around and saw that I was alone in the room (my friend had probably gone to the bathroom (outside). Suddenly, I felt a deadly pain in my feet. I just took my feet closer to check what had happened. To my utter shock, I found a couple of pins stacked into my feet. Blood had oozed out and dried. I plucked the pins out (and have still preserved them). Till then, my friend returned. I did not mention anything to him, since he hadn't had any such experience, and my narration would simply make him uneasy. I packed my stuff and ran out off that haunted chawl.

Guys, this incident actually taught me that no matter how much we ignore, there are still hauntings out there, waiting for the right time.