“.. and in the name of the lord who rules over this world with his love, we the pledge our eternal service to our alma mater.” The chorus of the batch entire passing out batch could be heard over the college lawns.
Father Sebastian stood up from his chair and removed his glasses to wipe his eyes.
“Children” he said while beginning to clap “you have done me proud. Perhaps this is the most memorable day in my life. ”
This was the day of the first convocation ceremony of the St. Mark’s College Malgudi, Established. 1903. This exact dialogue was recounted by Barrister Vallabhraj of Malgudi who was a part of the first batch that passed out from this college in the year 1906.”
“Nice.” Anup said looking at the photograph again. “I didn’t know photography was invented back then. Did you know this Puneet ? ” he continued turning towards me. “I mean we have been in this college for the past 3 months but don’t know why didn’t I ever come to the Admin area. All the archives here are cool. ”
“ Yeah there are many photographs of that era ” I replied “by the way this is the only place where they write entire dialogue as captions under old photographs. ” I had been to a lot of museums because of my interest in history but never had seen any dialogue written a photograph. “This is really cool” I said and tried to move forwards.
We soon found out that it was the only photograph that had an entire dialogue as a caption but still it was kind of amusing.
Oh I forgot to introduce myself. I am Puneet , Puneet Sharma. A first year BA student at St. Mark’s Malgudi. Me and Anup, my new found friend had been three months into college when suddenly one day he had the idea of visiting the admin block. The oldest area of the college constructed some one hundred years ago which housed all the administrative offices as well as served as a museum. Photographs of the first 30 passed out batches adored the walls. And maybe after 30 years of pasting photographs the college administration had realised that if they went on like this soon the college will run out of walls. The last photograph of 1938 showed people wearing something like tweed Jackets with Dhoti’s . Probably a fashion sense to be proud of back then I wondered.
“Hey..” Anup said and broke my train of thought. Its half past seven already, Puneet hurry up dude maybe they will lock up in this place. If they don’t know that we are here.”
We rushed towards the from which we had entered only to find it closed . This gate is open from 7 AM to 7 PM. A little sign board above the gate announced in Hindi and English.
“ So we’re trapped in our college in this spooky admin block?”
The old building had started to look spooky now once we knew that our exit was blocked.
“Come” Said Anup “let’s check the Princi’s office otherwise we will call home and tell them to arrange something right.”
Without question, I followed. Maybe it was the thought of spending a night there that made the corridors look eerie or they actually were kind of spooky. I tried not to think about that.
Suddenly , I could hear footsteps behind us.
Anup turned his face ashen. He looked at me and I stared blankly at him. Someone was coming from behind us. We stood still too scared to move or think. The silhouette of a man was soon visible in the corridor.”
“Puneet, Anup what are you doing here?” Said a familier voice as the face slowly came into view. It was Rudra ,the class nerd.
“What?” Anup said “how did you get behind us?”
“I was just in the Alumni society office looking for someone. You look scared” he pointed.
“ah nothing” I didn’t want to sound like a sissy especially in front of the class nerd. “Just looking for a way out.”
“Oh use the all night gate then. Its in the corridor next to the one holding the alumni pictures.”
“You not coming?” Anup inquired.
“No I still have some work over here” he said and turned back and disappeared even faster than he had come.
“Strange. Come lets leave” Anup said and pulled me towards the corridor containing all the group photos. Knowing that we were not alone we crossed it wihout much fear. Until it caught my eye.
I stopped in my tracks and pulled Anup.
“What the..” he started but trailed off and fell silent as my figure pointed towards the photograph of the first batch.
Smiling at us from the group photograph and wearing a black coat over a dhoti with spectacles thick enough to smash someone’s head was Rudra.
Both of us looked at each other with Gaping mouths and un-verbally decided that it was the time to run for it.
We breathed only after coming out of the admin block.
Continued.
Common sense prevented us from disclosing our little adventure that night. I had also invented an explanation to satisfy ourselves, someone who lived more than a hundred years ago could easily resemble our class nerd, and we had only noticed it because we got scared by his sudden appearance on the scene. Anup had pointed out that neither of us had heard any doors during that time. But I looking for a rational explanation had rubbished it as just a trick of our memories.
The coming made us forget the incident more or less as the cultural festival of our college was on its way and being eager first years we were all ready to participate. And somehow the two best looking girls of our class (according to us) had considered us to join them for their drama group.
We practiced at varied locations depending upon the availability.
It was on the Monday before the beginning of the fest when our practice was disturbed by some seniors who wanted the classroom being used by us for their dance practice. We had no choice but to find a classroom on one of the upper floors of the arts block.
I didn’t know how but the entire atmosphere of the second floor had turned spooky. The light coming out of incandescent lamps in their sockets seemed oddly dim. Pigeons were flying about in the areas populated by students by the day.
“Guys” rhea said lets go back. Even I wanted to turn. But i caught whispers. It was as if the air of the corridor itself was whispering.
“Let them leave first” a bodiless voice was saying.
“Quiet!” came another voice “we are invisible to them but not inaudible someone with keen ears can still hear us and don’t move maybe they already sense us”
Scared I looked at the others. But perhaps they had heard nothing.
“Come on guys” Rhea said again let’s leave.
No one but me had heard the murmurs. But all of them believed me when I told them as each of them had felt some supernatural presence in that corridor. Some half hour later all of us were sitting in a café discussing the things that we had just felt.
Had our lives been the subject of one of the great Hollywood horror movies we would have unleashed something strong enough to destroy the world which would have devoured one of us by now and would have chased the others through the seemingly gigantic college building into the forests nearby. (Though there actually are no forests within a hundred kilometre radius of Malgudi). Thankfully we had the lives of average Indian teenagers so even after feeling ghosts we were sitting in a café paying for overpriced coffee just to impress the girls.
“Our college is haunted.” Chetna statered the conversation by stating what was obvious to all of us by now.
“But classes are held in those places in day time how can the teachers not know.” I put forward a doubt.
“Maybe no one has been to that place after hours. Or maybe we were just unlucky” Anup offered an explanation. Over the past few days I had observed that he was getting used to answer for Chetna.
“Who found them is not the point guys” Rhea got her chance to speak. “We must inform the authorities as soon as possible.”
“Rhea I said maybe it was just due to the dust or some other problem in the building. After all it is more than a hundred years old.” I tried to convince her though I wasn’t so sure about it myself.
“All of you felt it guys” Rhea said and gave her head a sudden jurk to prevent her hair from going into her eyes.
“Yes we did” said Anup “but then we don’t have any proof of them existing and neither do I want to get myself involved in such stuff.”
“Neither do I” said Chetna.
“Ditto” I mouthed.
“well am not too keen either though it could have been quiet an adventure. But not an adventure to literally die for” Rhea tried to lighten up our spirits.
“So its finalised we don’t roam about in the arts block after dark” Chetna stood up finishing her coffee as I and Anup went to pay the bill.
That night we had decided to stay away from trouble but by the next morning trouble had found us.
A lot of crowd was gathered around the stadium when I was passing by it to the arts block for my classes. I could see a police jeep parked.
Out of curiosity I stopped and asked a teacher who had also stopped been attracted by the crowd.
“What’s it sir”
“Murder probably.” He said “two bodies found hanging from trees by the gardner.
Continued.
In the view of the recent supernatural activity witnessed by me and my determination to keep out of such stuff I had absolutely no intention of discussing the murders or anything relating to them. This according to me was the best way of staying away from trouble. Trouble on the other hand was not all that keen on leaving me alone. As while heading towards the classroom I had forgotten that not everyone people usually like gossip. Especially if it is regarding murders on the campus.
Within a few minutes of reaching the classroom I had learnt every minute detail about the murders that was known to the common public. Like the expressions on both the faces were like they had been scared to death and it was clear by the shut mouths that they had been hanged after being killed. Also that the bodies had been discovered by the morning watchman sometime after sunrise.
According to Vaibhav(one of my classmates who was jogging while the bodies were found) the old bloke had screamed out like he had seen a ghost. Ghost I had thought and rubbished the thought at the same moment. The college was more than a hundred years old and had there been ghosts on campus people would have known. Atleast I thought so. I searched for Rhea to share my idea who was not there and did not come until the end of the first class. She came directly to me as the old professor Bhatt exited the class after an hours attempt at finding something even remotely funny in one of Shakespeare’s comedies.
“Puneet” she said to me , “this is not good, Vishakha, my roommate said that even she had felt some paranormal activity going on in the college.
“What? What did she say” Oh how I hated being dragged into trouble. But I had to pretend to be interested at-least when Rhea was involved.
“About Rudra. That nerd is spooky, she said that she saw rudra going upstairs yesterday after her French class from 5-6. She had then remembered to ask something from him and had followed him some 5-10 seconds after he had disappeared on the staircase. And when she reached upstairs he was nowhere to be seen but the air over there suddenly became thick and the light started diminishing. She felt as if someone or more than one people were present there. Invisible. So she ran downstairs away from the college and she is so scared that she didn’t even come today. She’s afraid that Rudra knows that she saw him disappear.”
Whatever Rhea said was indeed news. It confirmed two of my suspicions first there indeed was something other than classes was going on in the college and second Rudra the nerd was actually not human.
“We will have to do something about this.” Rhea said. Again jerking her head to keep the hair out of eyes.”
“We!, what can we do?” I managed to say. I was interested in history and dead people but I preferred dead people when they stayed dead and did not try to increase their numbers. Anup and Chetna had already decided to investigate so I had no choice but to follow suit. We decided to first go take a look at the picture in the admin block just to check whether the Rudra look-alike was still there in it.
And he was.
“Well that confirms one thing he was not a ghost back then.” Chetna spoke again just for the sake of speaking.
“how?” well this was a first Anup had questioned chetna.
“Well ghosts don’t show up in pictures do they” she explained matter of factly.
“Ooh. “ Anup said in a flattering voice “ you are so knowledgeable about everything” . a**hole.
“Means that if he actually is a ghost he wont show up in a photograph now” Rhea had an idea.
“And means we can check it using this. ” I said pulling out my iphone “perhaps we can add an app for detecting ghosts.”
“Hmm nice idea. Pu ” She had turned to me smiling “I have a friend at IIT maybe we can actually ask him to develop an app for this. But first let’s try to photograph him”
Continued
By sheer chance I the only seats that were vacant when I and Rhea entered the class were the ones just behind Rudra. Like all nerds , he preferred the front row and maybe it was due the college fest that everyone was trying to avoid contact with him. Professor Mehta, the ancient white whiskered professor with a half-moon shining between his long white locks came in holding the OHP transparencies bearing the maps of middle ages that we had to look at and try to absorb over the next three fourths of an hour.
“Right” he said “Settle down now” his voice unexpectedly loud for his thin frame. “Today we shall look at the Vijaynagar empire.” He moved towards the board pulling the chain to lower the projector screen onto the black board.
“Krishanadeva Rai” he began while pulling the screen down “was the most impor..ah” the screen slipped from his hand as soon as it had reached its full length and sped back at considerable speed to snap to its source.
The screen hit the metal casing with full force, dislodging it from one of the sockets holding it and making it swing like a pendulum. Professor Mehta jumped back with considerable agilitiy for a man of his age, the florescent tube lights above the board were however not that lucky. All three of them were smashed by the force of the swinging projector screen. And upon the floor they fell broken into little pieces.
“Well that’s a nice start”, he said smiling though visibly shaken before anyone could get back to their senses. This however had given me ample opportunity to capture a still of Rudra.
And as soon as the class came back to its senses a chorus echoed through the walls, “SIR… CHHODO”
Perhaps afraid of creating or rather becoming history by causing any more accidents Prof. Mehta gave in to popular demand and let us free.
***
Chetna looked at the five megapixel photo of Rudra for the fifth time. And obliviously stating the obvious once more.
“He’s visible, how can that be”
“He’s the special class of ghosts that show up in i-phone photographs” I wanted to say but considering that this girl was good friends with both Anup and Rhea chose to keep quiet.
“So maybe he’s not a ghost Cho” Anup said.
“Yeah but there is something strange going on over here.” She replied “has any of you seen the notice board after lunch.
“No”. I, Rhea and Anup replied in unison.
“well the VP (the vice principle) has issued a notice asking all students to stay out of the teaching blocks after classes. and I wonder what’s that for.”
This was the first time since I had known her that Chetna had actually uttered anything that contained some information. A thought crossed my mind “Perhaps you can measure information contained in a sentence by just knowing how unlikely it is.” The study of a measure for information was something that made me smile. The idea of measuring information in sounded even more stupid that following ghosts and ghosts were currently the things that we had to deal with.
“Maybe the V has an idea of what’s going on around in here and maybe it has happened before.” I said “and maybe it’s best to stay out of it.”
“Right but I still suspect this Rudra fellow perhaps we should follow him after classes today and just see where he lives.” Rhea added and there was something in her way of stating things that made me follow her wishes.
I tried for three days to strike a conversation with rudra but he sort of disappeared aright after the classes every day. Meanwhile a few more of our class mates had experienced something eerie in the college and more than one of them had heard voices without speakers. Rudra however was mostly found to be near the source of disturbance.
As for him even he looked more and more worried every day and it seemed like something was getting on to his nerves.
It was the fourth day of my attempts at striking a conversation with Rudra. The college fest was just a day with our play largely forgotten. Students from other colleges had started pouring in and as I was following Rudra trying to strike up a conversation with him about the ancient Indian drain architecture I saw bands from other colleges coming laden on cycle rickshaws. Maybe for out rock show “bandwagon” that was the main attraction of the first night.
“Rudra” i panted, almost running after him , “Why are you in such a hurry? ”
“Cant explain now need to reach the church real fast.” He said and sprinted off.
Anup and I tried to follow him as fast as we could. He however possessed a great running speed. We saw him disappear at the back entrance of the church. The entrance led into a compound so we low walled open compound. Rudra was nowhere to be seen as if he had disappeared into thin air.
In the middle of the compound stood an obelisk that we had noticed multiple times but had never cared to look closely. Today however as we were following something apparently supernatural our curiosity had arisen to read it.
Both of us moved slowly towards it. The inscription was clear. “Erected in the memory of Rudra Pratap Saha Class of 1906 killed in the Jalianwala Massacre.
“what is Rudra’s surname by the way.” I asked anup in a shaking voice.
“I don’t know” he squealed , “maybe Saha”
Both of us were suddenly feeling much less adventurous.
And then we felt it again. The air had started getting thicer again.
And the church bell peeled.
We could sense hostility in the air around us. “He” was not happy to share his secret.
And we did as we had done countless times over the past two weeks. We ran for our lives.
***
“We must report it to the principal.” Chetna said.
“The vice principal you mean.” I said. The teacher’s union and internal politics at our college had actually stripped the principal of all power in the past few years. Makling him only a ceremonial head of the college appointed by the children of Mark, the society that on paper was the governing body of our college.
As we reached the administrative block, we found the vice principle, professor Ashtputre going towards his office. We ran towards him and tried to explain the things that we had observed.
He looked at us amazed as we explained our version of events and but a smile stretched across his features as we tried to explain supernatural involvement in those events.
“Is anyone of you on drugs?” He asked.
“no sir actually.” Anup started but was not able to say anything else.
“Intersecting, ghosts I might not even have the authority to deal with them. This matter must be reported to the principal at once. He shall be able to do something regarding it. After all such troubles are a priest’s job to handle.” He smiled and instructed one of his minions to show us into the principal’s office.
We saw father Andrew for the first time that day. He was no more than sixty but his face was lined much beyond his years. He sat under a large portrait of Father Sebastian our founding principal. The portrait was painted magnificently but somehow it made Fr. Andrew look even weaker.
We started telling him our story and he listened to us with rapt attention merely raising an eyebrow here and there. Only when we had finished did he start speaking.
“If you suspected such a thing then why did you people try to follow him, It could have been dangerous for you.”
This was the answer that we had least expected, his voice showed deep concern.
“There have been rumours” he continued “since long of the first passing out batch haunting this college but never have they been felt so much and never has any student felt their presence. But no one has been harmed yet.”
“Father, have you known all this?” Anup asked slightly shocked.
“No. I said I have heard rumours I have not felt anything of this sort but then again I see no reason that you should lie to me about such a thing.” Perhaps this was his main weakness he trusted almost everyone.
“Yet I can’t help you much children I don’t have much power at this place and if I said that I believed you I might be relieved from my duties and I fear to think what those people shall make of this place once I leave.” He was too soft herted for his own good. “Now I think you people must leave as it is getting dark outside and if there are spirits here whom you have infuriated even unintentionally then I must impress that you must leave the campus as soon as possible.”
All four of us had got up to leave when a voice from behind made us stop in our tracks.
“No wait.” It was not father Andrew and when we turned back he too was searching for the source of that voice.
BANG
We heard a gunshot from outside.
BANG
Another gunshot.
All five of us were too shocked to open say or do anything when the door to the principal’s office swung open .
There stood Rudra holding Ashtputre by the scruff dragging him inside the room. And without saying as much a word he threw the vice principal on the table.
All of us were looking at both of them when again the voice that had stopped us from leaving echoed in the room. “Has he said anything?”
It had come from the the principal’s chair from the seat that father Andrew was occupying less than a minute ago. I looked up and so did everyone else and we saw him.
Father Sebastian had left his portrait above the principal’s chair to occupy the chair itself.
“why do you people look like you have just seen a ghost. Well I don’t blame you , as you actually have, two of them.” He said and chuckled.
“Sir, they know...” Rudra started
“..nothing” Father Sebastian cut him off. “Absolutely nothing even Andrew. So before we deal with this piece of lowlife over here I think it may be wise to tell the others in our company who we actually are I hope we have a margin of ten minutes. Don’t we Ashtputre” he said and stretched his neck to rreach close to Ashtputre’s face. The girls shrieked. Even I felt a strange urge to throw up. Father Andrew crossed himself.
“Cut it out Andrew, we are not evil spirits trying to destroy this place. We are just bound by a vow and children am sorry but it will be it will simply easier to deal with this vermin in this manner. But first let me tell you about myself and my students.”
“You see it all started on their passing out day. Overwhelmed by emotion that day they pledged eternal service to this institution. And somehow god took them seriously”
“We came to know this on the thirteenth of April in the year 1919 when I died.” Rudra said.
“How?” father Andrew asked .
“well” rudra started. “My actual name is or when I was alive was Rudra Pratap Saha. I had done law after passing and was a barrister. I had a good practice in Lahore, though not as good as the legendary barristers of that age but still good enough.
“In the spring of 1919 the Rowlatt act was passed by the British declaring a sort of emergency all across the state people were oppressed and made to.”
“I think they know the history Rudra” father Sebastian cut in. Come to the main point.
“well It was around 4:30 in the evening at the Jallianwala bagh and a local leader was speaking from a raied platform when I heard foortsteps. Not actually footsteps but an entire regiment marching towards us. I expected a lathi charge. But they stood still and loaded their guns. Something told me all was not going to be well. And then before we knew it the policemen fired. I felt hot pain ripping through my leg. Just then someone pushed me from behind. I lost my balance as my injured leg gave way. I felt a foot upon my neck. And then I found myself standing in this office.”
“He had erupted out of nowhere it took me a while to figure out what was wrong.”
“And then two years later I died of typhoid”. Came a voice and as we looked a shape materialised out of thin air.
“In short all of them came back to the college after their deaths. But they needed someone to guide them so even I decided to stay on.” Father Sebastian smiled.
“But what’s going on around here.” Anup had finally found the courage to ask this all important question.
“That my son is a question that we all want answered and that’s why we have intruded upon professor Ashtputre’s privacy.” With this he extended both his hands to grab Ashtputre by the sides and lift him up.
***
“So Rajshekhar” Father Sebastian said to Ashtputre , his voice menacing. “Are you going to inform me of your plans or should I learn them the hard way? You must have realised by now that I can tear you apart like a paper or just tighten my grip on your shoulders by a little amount and crush them to dust or give a slight jerk to my thumbs and rip your head off. Really it will hardly take me a second. And don’t think I will be worried about the life of someone who traded the lives of hundreds of innocent students for money. ”
Rhea had moved closer to me visibly shaking with fright.
“No wait I will tell you everthing.” Ashtputre pleaded.
“better” Said one of the ghosts .
Once seated Ashtputre started his confession.
“It all began around three and a half years ago with father Andrew cracking down on the private coaching centres run by the college teachers. Most of us were rather upset on losing a source of extra income so we decided to protest against him. You must know all the details of the protests against him the way we worked for reducing his power and influence in this college for more than two years.”
“And making me the ceremonial head of this college. As starting this term security of the campus was the only job that was left to me.” Father Andrew said bitterly.
“Yes and that was precisely the reason that we starting this year we took the security of this campus in our hands.” Said Rudra.
“Because I suspected that you will do something to undermine the security of this place. Please continue enlightening us.” Father Sebastian added.
“Then in the beginning of this term I had an offer from some unknown source. He offered me $15 million for helping in organising a terror attack at the college fest starting tomorrow.”
“And you accepted”. One of the ghosts shouted and lunged at him.
“What else could have I done they are too powerful what is too be gained by opposing them.” He said without any trace of shame or remorse in his voice.
“What is to be gained?” father Andrew said incredulously moving forward to slap him across the face.” Rhea grabbed my hand while Anup and Chetna’s expressions had changed from fear to amazement to sheer disgust.
“What is to be gained by fighting injustice what is to be gained by saying no to a massacre nothing Innocent lives but perhaps you cant understand that. ” Father andrew was shouting while shaking him. Even I was too shocked to move or feel anything. A terrorist attack at our college fest.
“Andrew. Please, we don’t have much time to stop this nonsense. Let him continue.”
“This would have served their purpose well. On one hand They could have killed hundreds before any help would have come and on other hand this would have made the people feel that top rated colleges were not good places for children to study. Infact they infact would be scared to send their children out to study. Crippling the greatest asset of this country.”
“Beautiful. Simply beautiful. I feel like wrenching your neck here and now don’t stop.” Fr. Sebestian said.
“They would attack the rock event “bandwagon” dressed as band from some other college. They could hide their weapons in the cases meant for musical instruments and would open fire as soon as their performance would begin”
“And the auditorium is jam packed during that event.” Rhea’s voice trembled.
“they were to plant bombs in the playground. Where a makeshift stage was being prepared for mature dramtics events. Scheduled at the same time as bandwagon.”
“Our event “ Chetna said and broke down.
“Yes but the people who were to identify good spots to plant the bombs were..”
“found dead hanging in the same playground. That was my job. The terror high command thinks that they saw ghosts and were scared to death. Well they actually did.” Rudra smiled.
“This entire story leaves one question still unanswered” . Father Sebastian said , “their identities. Who are they because they must have entered the college campus by now.”
“y..yes” Ashtpure replied.
“Well it is our job then to stop them. BOYS.” The ex(pired) principal roared “ I want all of them rendered useless without spilling a single drop of mortal blood as I don’t want to spoil the fest for my children, do you understand me.”
With this he jumped and resumed his place in the portrait.
The ghosts around us disappeared into nothingness.
Ashtputere tried to move but a hard blow on the head from our present principal made him lose his consciousness.
-continued.
