Revenge of the Soul

The incident dates back to 1904. A man once said to me that near the shrine of Hazrat Khwaja Nizamuddin Auliya (Delhi), there was no well, and the water of the baoli was brackish. He offered to build a well near the eastern gate of the shrine if I permitted it. I agreed, saying that sweet water was badly needed and perhaps a well would provide it.

The man hesitated, pointing out that there were many graves in the area, and digging a well would require disturbing them, which could be disrespectful. I replied that the bones could be carefully removed and reburied elsewhere with respect, as water was a necessity. After that, I left for Allahabad, and the man began digging the well.

As the digging continued, bones from old graves were uncovered and respectfully reburied. However, when they reached near the water level, they discovered a complete human skeleton. Everyone was shocked. The upper graves had broken bones, yet this deep skeleton was intact. How had such a deep grave been made, and why was the skeleton preserved?

The laborers were terrified and refused to touch it. Finally, the man overseeing the work tied a basket to a rope and descended into the well himself. He struck the skeleton’s knee with a pickaxe to break the bones and remove them. The moment he struck it, his fair complexion turned dark, and he began speaking incoherently like a madman. A laborer hurriedly tied him into the basket and pulled him out with great difficulty.

A large crowd gathered. People were astonished—only moments ago he was fair-skinned, now he was completely dark. He kept repeating, “I broke my nephew’s leg, I broke my nephew’s leg.” Famous spiritual healers were called, but none could cure him. Finally, on the third day, the well was sealed, filled with soil and bones, and leveled with the ground. After that, his color returned to normal and his mental condition improved.

When I returned frm Allahabad, my wife narrated the entire incident. I was lying on my bed reading a newspaper while my wife and mother-in-law sat on a mat below, cutting betel nuts. I sat up and asked my wife why she thought the man turned dark and insane. She replied that it must have been the grave of a saint, and due to disrespect, the spirit punished him. When the grave was restored, the spirit forgave him after three days.

I disagreed. I explained that bones buried for centuries contain phosphorus, which becomes poisonous. When the bone was struck, phosphorus gas entered his body through breathing, poisoned his blood, turned it dark, and affected his brain. I added that if spirits truly had power, they should punish me, since I allowed the digging. I openly challenged the idea of spiritual punishment.

My wife warned me to repent, but I laughed and returned to my newspaper. Within five minutes, while lying on my back, I felt an electric shock shoot through my feet and spread across my body. The pain was unbearable, as if knives were cutting through my veins. I screamed, yet my wife and mother-in-law continued talking as if they heard nothing.

I cried out, begging forgiveness, promising never to disrespect saints again. Gradually, the pain receded from head to toe and vanished. When I called my wife again, she responded immediately. She said I had fallen asleep and dropped the newspaper. I asked how I could hear their conversation if I was asleep. She had no answer. Perhaps science may one day explain it.

Perhaps science may one day explain it.