How many times has the coin moved on your Ouija board? Have you ever wondered about the reasons why such things happen?.City Express talks to experts in the field and gives you a clear picture about the paranormal phenomenon
CHENNAI: From using the traditional Ouija boards and nervously trying to conjure bloody Mary while facing a mirror, to switching to modern EMF (electromagnetic frequency) detectors and ‘spirit boxes’, the concept of testing and experiencing the paranormal phenomenon has always been an intriguing subject for many. With Halloween less than a week away, City Express explores more about the phenomenon, awareness and beliefs.
Vinitha and her friends were among the self-confessed paranormal buffs who took to visiting alleged haunted spots every weekend, in the city. It was 12 am; for a change, the group of five amateurs decided to try the classic Ouija board in her terrace. “We have always been fans of the international reality shows where such haunted places are investigated. This was our first attempt with an Ouija board and we had it printed from the net,” she shares.
Following instructions from the internet, the group of 20-somethings began calling for ‘good spirits’. About 20 minutes into the session, Vinita claims that the coin started moving by itself. “While we are at the Ouija board, we need to hold our hands and not break the group until we close the session. But, once the coin started moving we panicked, left the board and ran,” she recalls, shuddering. “The next day we went to get it back and haven’t tried it ever since. Whatever it was…I don’t think Ouija should be called a ‘game’ like most people do!”
While such claims of hauntings and alleged possessions are common in the city, the awareness on approaching it in a scientific way seems to be lacking, opine the enthusiasts. “In Chennai, we don’t have a forum to discuss about our genuine experiences. When people rant about this through social networking, they are labeled as ‘weirdos’ or ‘crazies’. Healthy conversation on the topic is something we lack here,” rues Neelam.
We had a chat with Siddharth Bantval, professional metaphysical researcher of the Indian Paranormal Society, about investigative approaches and the mushrooming of several research teams. He says, “After 2009, new research teams have sprung up in different cities across India and our organisation is happy that it has paved way to a healthy way of looking at such incidents instead of immediately tagging it as supernatural,”
he says.
While majority of the evidences for ghosts is largely anecdotal, most incidences go without being established as a fact and, just stays a claim. For example, ‘My grandmother always used to speak about the haunted well in her village’. At times, it could truly be paranormal, but a lot of people ignore it or dismiss it due to ignorance.
Stating that 95 out of 100 cases they receive have a logical explanation, Siddharth says a genuine paranormal experience is, indeed, rare. “But, we have had some amazing experiences during our investigations which till date remain unexplained. We always try to encourage healthy scepticism where you would believe in a particular incident only after a thorough investigation,” adds Siddharth.
“At the time of the investigation, a researcher has to take several precautions when he/she is gathering evidence or documenting the case digitally.”
For example, investigators consider orbs (dust caught on cameras) to be significant. The most common explanation for orbs is this: flash of the camera reflects on dust particles, thereby creating big white circles. “During an investigation, it’s common for investigators to receive false positives. How the investigator treats this would be based on his/her discretion! We always encourage our investigators to take the courses we offer so that they have enough knowledge about using the equipment, develop the right approach and also be professional about their work,” he elucidates.
True science is limitless and hence the argument that metaphysical research falls under the pseudo-science category is meaningless, opine experts in the field of paranormal research and automatic writing (writing said to be produced by a subconscious agency). “Paranormal research falls under forensic science (which involves investigation, evidence collection, evidence analysis and conclusion) and projected science (where an event is measured at the time of its occurrence and the conclusion is based on the measurements,” says Siddharth.
But Kashmira Ellavia a professional automatic writing practitioner shares that the process is ‘spiritual and karmic.’ “I come from a spiritual background and I have trained many auto writers. It’s something not everyone can do,” she says. With the practice still remaining scientifically unproven, Kashimira avers that spirituality and para science do go hand-in-hand because, ‘in the end it’s all about finding the greater truth or reality.’