Ghanshyam Charitra
Lesson 26

Ghost in Well

Once, everybody in Ayodhya was frightened by hearing the arrival of Nawab, who was very cruel and kidnapped children. He violently beat people in every village he went to. Many a times, people left their village and settled on near-by villages due to his tyranny.

So Dharmadevalso left Ayodhya and went to Tinva Village where there was Prathit Pande who was a relative of Dharmadev. He offered Dharmadev a place at his house. So he did. Prathit's wife was Vachanbai. She fed Ghanshyam delicious cakes and sweet butter everyday. Bhaktimata helped her cook food and helped on all other works.

One day, Vachanbai warned BHaktimata while she was going to fetch water from the well, "You should never go to the well after sunset, because there are many ghosts in the well. Whoever goes in the evening never come back. So never go at night."

Vachanbai frequently warmed Bhaktimata because she did not know the condition of the villiage. Bhaktimata also used to fetch water in the orning everyday - enough to last the whole day.

Unfortunately, one day, all the pots full of water became empty and the sun had already set. Not remembering Vachanbai's warning Bhaktimata went to the well to fetch some more water. She tied the pot to the rope and let the pot down into the well. THe ghosts grabbed the pot and when Bhaktimata tried to pull the pot back up, she couldn't. So she peeped inside the well and saw thousands of ghosts. She shocked and went quickly back home. Ghanshyam saw the frightened expression on her face and asked, "Why do you appear so frightened mother?" Bhaktimata narrated the whole story.

Ghanshyam thought, "It is dangerous for every women of the village so it must be destroyed at once. I have descended on this earth with the target to desolate the evil spirit of the world and nourish my truthful followers. I will rid this dangerous point from this village."

The next day in the evening he went with intention to jump into the well. People dissuaded him from doing there. "To damn the evil spirit is as difficult as to chew irangram. You should understand, otherwise it will hurt you." Ghanshyam smiling replied, "Behold! What will happen? Who, I or they will be demeaned? Do you see with your own eyes?" Still people who distrusted his Godhood tried to discourage him. But nothing could hold back Ghanshyam. So he left for the well. When he got there, he leapt into the well. The ghosts began to yell, "How lucky we are! Our food unexpectedly approached us." They were busy laughing. As soon as Ghanshyam came up from the bottom, his body was shinning so they could not touch him. More so, the ghosts were burning in it.

So they requestedf to distribute an apology. Ghanshyam asked, "How have you achieved this body?" They replied, "O my God, how can we expose our sin? O God! What such matter that you not aware? But listen to us God, we were people many years ago. We were habituated to drink wine, toeat meat, and to gamble. Once a war was declared by our king against an enemy king. We fought in the battle and died in combat. So from that day we lived here. I am certain you are an extraordinary person. You are God himself or his blessed servant. Your body is very bright. O Lord! Save us from this great curse. Forgive us. Forgive our past sins." So Ghanshyam showed his merciful sight upon them and dissolved their sins and bestowed them dwelling in Badrikashram. After that, people were able to fetch water from the well any time of the day without fear.

1. What was the nature of Nawab?
2. Who was the relative of Dharmadev in Tinva?
3. Who was Vachanbai?
4. What did Vachanbai warn Bhaktimata?
5. Why did Ghanshyam ask his mother if she was frightened?
6. What did Ghanshyam do in the well?
7. Why did the people become ghosts?

Exercise 2:
Make a meaningful sentence by choosing this correct choice and matching from the following table.

• King Well
• Bhaktimata lived in Tinva
• Vanchanbai was Dharmadev
• Dharmadev was the wife of Cruel
• Prathit Pandey Ayodhya
• Ghosts God
• Ghanshyam Prathit Pandey
  

Exercise 3:
Fill in the blanks choosing the right word from the bracket.

1. Dharmadev left __________ and went to __________ village. (Tinva, Ayodhya)
2. Everybody was going to fetch water from the well in the __________. (evening, morning)
3. Bhaktimata could not get the pot out of the well as it was held by __________ tightly. (fish, ghosts)
4. Ghosts were __________ initially when Ghanshyam jumped int the well. (happy, unhappy)
5. Many years ago, people were habituated to drink __________ (milk, wind) and to eat __________. (Fruit, meat)
6. Ghanshyam bestowd them dwelling in __________. (Badrikasham, Sveldwip)