Don’t believe in ghosts? Think again, for they’re not always limited to the make-believe world of the big screen. A number of places in Chennai are testimony to this fact: they’ve acquired the ‘haunted’ tag.
Take this instance. In the serene suburb of Thiruvanmiyur, the apartment No F-2 on 3, Seward Road in Valmiki Nagar, stands out—it has the dubious distinction of being a bhoot bangla. It is said that the owner’s daughter committed suicide there some years ago, and that her spirit haunts the place.
For years, the apartment remained vacant, until finally in 2008, five friends moved in. Now however, only two remain. Initially when his friends told Anand Natesan, a fashion designer and the current tenant, that the place was haunted, he didn’t believe them. Now though, he’s less sure. “Mysterious sounds, sobs and screams emanate from this place. I haven’t seen an apparition here, but there’s an intense negative vibe. The doors slam shut every night at 2 am. I keep getting the feeling that someone is watching me. I haven’t been able to sleep in the past few nights,” said Natesan, adding that he is hoping to leave the apartment in a few months.
Similarly, a ‘numberless’ house in Besant Nagar has been lying vacant for more than 10 years now. The dilapidated house, located amid the woods of the Theosophical Society, has been known for years to be haunted. People claim to have seen ghosts along that road, especially near the premises of the Theosophical Society.
Close encounters of the spooky kind are also linked to D’Monte Colony that joins St Mary’s Road. Ten identical houses on the road are not only intriguing, but also supposed to be haunted. According to a few old-timers, the land was owned by John D’Monte who lived there back in the mid-19th century. Some say that companies or parties who took the property on lease subsequently, have all vanished.
And so, a legal wrangle has left these houses in a limbo. They are unsold and without any maintenance. The road leading to the houses too, is deserted, except for a few hardy souls who venture occasionally. Anil Kumar, who used to frequent the lane said, “Once I was retuning after a party around 1 am, and I took this lane to get to my house. As soon as I entered, I felt a strong, negative vibe pulling my bike towards one of the houses and I heard someone calling my name. I immediately sped away and never went back.”
Incidentally, another house in Kotturpuram is said to be haunted by the spirit of a man from the neighbourhod who died a few months ago. The present owner of the house, Ganesh Ram, and his friends, have experienced eerie moments in the night. There are cold spots in the rooms, and they have seen a spirit walk through closed doors.
“Paranormal activities have become common in this house. In fact, we have started living with the spirit and have named him Kumar. Sometimes, when we are alone, we can hear someone whispering in our ears. Once, at 2 am, we heard someone knocking on the door, but when we opened it, we found nobody,” said Ganesh.
Such spooky stories are not a piece of fiction or drama, but accounts of experiences from real life. You never know, but someone may be watching you while you are reading this newspaper. Sshhh…