“GHOSTS, OCCULTS &EXORCISTS”, a book containing narrations on ten real life experiences of Parur S,.Ganesan with apparitions was released to-day by Senior Advocate Mr.S.Venkiteswaran at a function organized by the Rotary Club of Deonar before a large gathering. Given below is a profile of the book.
It may be recalled that while reviewing Harry Potter, a few years ago, “The Week” had yearned for a national writer :
“In a few years from now, we could probably hope that one writer who could break the glass ceiling and pen desi best seller, but till thence will have to make do with what we have and encourage it”.
Ganesan’s book has arrived as an answer. It contains ten interesting stories which are real life experiences of the author covering about 60 years of his life from the age of 5 to 60. While five of the stories center round his home town in Kerala . four are Mumbai based and the remaining one relate to his interaction with miracle men spread over India. .
.
The Book opens with an abandoned fort in his native town which due to neglect over a period of time became a haunt for ghosts witches and wandering spirits.. The author has traced the history behind this, taking the reader through an interesting episode dating far back to the days of Tipu Sultan.
He then proceeds to narrates in graphic details the havoc played by an imp ( called Kuttychathan in the colloquial language) on an immigrant Advocate of the town from Tamilnadu, set by jealous local brethren in the profession through a thanthrik practising black magic to unnerve him He has presented in detail the horror tricks of the black spirit on a day to day account The nonchalant immigrant lawyer was determined and unmoved. The imp was finally packed off, but not before it caused severe mental bruises to a member of the Advocate’s family.
The second story relates to a single breasted siren in the town which solicited machos of the town to have sex with her and the gullibles who responded to her overtures were robbed of their lives and their abandoned corpses found in the streets with the genitals missing. The spirit of one of such victims- an Inspector of Police- started troubling regular users of a public tank in the town. The story relates to the author’s own experience and how he managed to come out of the shackles.
.
There is then the gory tale dating back to 1932- 1943 ,of a rich and greedy landlord who caused the murder of one of his lowly tenants, which resulted in the sudden abortion of the tenant’s pregnant wife and her becoming lunatic out of shock and frustration.. The spirit of the wronged entered the body of a promising youth in the family- the land lord’s younger brother studying in a college in a far off city turning lunatic overnight- and caused untold misery for twenty long years until certain elaborate propitiatory rituals were performed. by the landlord himself, involving millions of rupees to redeem his brother through exorcism although with partial success. The author a witness to it, narrates in detail the lengthy process and procedure for exorcism, lasting 12 days, monitored by astrologers at every stage. The extricated spirit which did not take it kindly, spared no one who had directly or indirectly participated in the rituals or became beneficiaries thereof. It retaliated with mightier force on all those who worked for its extrication exercise.
A narration on karma, its lateral attacks and long chase in perpetuity for generations have been well brought out within the free flow of the story theme in a lucid and simple language for consumption of the lay reader. The author has not missed to highlight the contemptuous attitude and views of the rationalists on ghosts and rituals. The feudal structure of the society in Kerala including the wealth promoting craftiness of the land owning community has been very well highlighted in this with subtle humour.
If for the land lord of Kerala, avarice was the reason to commit a heinous murder, it was the phobia of insecurity in the mind of a Corporate honcho of Mumbai, arising out of a brilliant young scientist employee’s successful inventions which prompted him to organize a foulsom murder through supari .To escape any possible suspicion the industrialist opted to be away from Mumbai to New York with his wife on a pretended holiday when the supari was executed. But the spirit of the murdered youth attacked his innocent wife and caused hallucinations and mental disorder for several months until the spirit was weaned away by an exorcist. “Spirits travel faster than light and lightning and they do not need any entry visa anywhere” is the strong message communicated in this story. Here again as in the case of the landlord, the extricated spirit retaliates fatally on the exorcist himself. In presenting this story the author takes the reader into the side lanes and by-lanes of the corporate world , and its intrigues within, including the role of head hunters.
Sometime around 1985, Jolly Maker Bhavan, Nariman Point, Mumbai witnessed the suicide by a young girl, just returned from a honey moon by jumping from the 15th floor. The corpse was abandoned by all her relatives and two Samaritans- a man and a lady- took initiative for the postmortem and cremation of the corpse.. Unable to go beyond the astral planes the spirit of the dead girl was hovering around . Often it made appearances before the two in Mumbai, and even when they were in far away places like Aurangabad and Kolkatta. For long they were scared of this ghost and resisted her in all possible ways. However, after a long spell of five years they realized that the spirit meant no harm and that it was only seeking their favour again for an exit solution beyond the stratosphere.. The sympathetic two finally found a solution and acceded to her request through a simple formula and helped its redemption. The story contains an analytical discourse on inequality in life after death and a scientific explanation on reincarnation.
That the ghosts and spirits are not evil and they are good too is further established by the author in the penultimate chapter of a friend’s ghost which just wanted a lunch promise to be fulfilled. If the book begins with an abandoned fort in his native town, the book ends with an abandoned 500 year old church inside SEEPZ in Mumbai from which a spirit was given the ethereal transmission by a catholic priest.
All the above stories are presented in graphic melodrama injecting in between a soft and interesting dissertation on the Hindu concept of karma and life after death even without the reader becoming consciously aware of it.. Some of the stories are indeed palpitating even while reading due to the goriness described in extra ordinary details with authenticity and emotion. .
As if to present a peaceful interlude to the otherwise mind boggling horror stories, the author has thoughtfully sandwiched two chapters between the Land lord’s and the Corporate Honcho’s cruelty stories .These are his personal experiences with men of intuition and those who practise exorcism in simple rustic style devoid of extravaganza. The author’s personal experiences of Siddhas in Mumbai, Delhi and Nagpur indeed bring great relief and anti climax out of the two horror stories. A point worth mentioning here is a theory that even animals have a life after death, projected through an experience.
That it has taken the author several months to plan and organize the stories from his memory system spanning five decades is evident from the story lay outs of the ten chapters . What is amazing is the author’s grip on and the graphic presentation with characteristically equal ease, the life ethos in rural Kerala and the fast life in urban America - the two polarized segments. The means adopted to liquidate inconvenient ones- whether a reluctant tenant or a misunderstood employee- by feudal lords and industrialists are the same
Shri.V.R.Krishna Iyer, Former Judge of the Supreme Court, has written the Foreword for this book. . He has highly commended with the author’s presentation of events and the style of his narration.
”Parur Sri.S.Ganesan, the author deserves appreciation for his honest narration of many strange events that have happened in his own family and the neighboring houses. Each incident described is thought provoking as to whether it is all reality or only an illusion.”……”The Book is a nearly correct exposition of some of the bizarre secrets of human life, including the author’s own experience. I commend the book with probity and prudence between its quite daring as a discussion of the evidences for and against human survival after death and other riddles. I find that all relevant phenomena are examined unemotionally and a reflection on the evidence is offered with veracity and sober temper so badly needed in this world which is tired of materialism and its rejection of any alleged reality outside its sensory scope. One of the aspects I so much appreciate in all the chapters is the total freedom from meek sentimentality.”
Interestingly, some film/TV producers have evinced interest in the theme stories.
Report by:
S. GANESAN
Author contact:
S.Ganesan,
28/103 Vidya
Pestom Sagar
Chembur
Mumbai-400089
Phone: 25222525
e-mail: karlagan@mtnl.net.in
It may be recalled that while reviewing Harry Potter, a few years ago, “The Week” had yearned for a national writer :
“In a few years from now, we could probably hope that one writer who could break the glass ceiling and pen desi best seller, but till thence will have to make do with what we have and encourage it”.
Ganesan’s book has arrived as an answer. It contains ten interesting stories which are real life experiences of the author covering about 60 years of his life from the age of 5 to 60. While five of the stories center round his home town in Kerala . four are Mumbai based and the remaining one relate to his interaction with miracle men spread over India. .
.
The Book opens with an abandoned fort in his native town which due to neglect over a period of time became a haunt for ghosts witches and wandering spirits.. The author has traced the history behind this, taking the reader through an interesting episode dating far back to the days of Tipu Sultan.
He then proceeds to narrates in graphic details the havoc played by an imp ( called Kuttychathan in the colloquial language) on an immigrant Advocate of the town from Tamilnadu, set by jealous local brethren in the profession through a thanthrik practising black magic to unnerve him He has presented in detail the horror tricks of the black spirit on a day to day account The nonchalant immigrant lawyer was determined and unmoved. The imp was finally packed off, but not before it caused severe mental bruises to a member of the Advocate’s family.
The second story relates to a single breasted siren in the town which solicited machos of the town to have sex with her and the gullibles who responded to her overtures were robbed of their lives and their abandoned corpses found in the streets with the genitals missing. The spirit of one of such victims- an Inspector of Police- started troubling regular users of a public tank in the town. The story relates to the author’s own experience and how he managed to come out of the shackles.
.
There is then the gory tale dating back to 1932- 1943 ,of a rich and greedy landlord who caused the murder of one of his lowly tenants, which resulted in the sudden abortion of the tenant’s pregnant wife and her becoming lunatic out of shock and frustration.. The spirit of the wronged entered the body of a promising youth in the family- the land lord’s younger brother studying in a college in a far off city turning lunatic overnight- and caused untold misery for twenty long years until certain elaborate propitiatory rituals were performed. by the landlord himself, involving millions of rupees to redeem his brother through exorcism although with partial success. The author a witness to it, narrates in detail the lengthy process and procedure for exorcism, lasting 12 days, monitored by astrologers at every stage. The extricated spirit which did not take it kindly, spared no one who had directly or indirectly participated in the rituals or became beneficiaries thereof. It retaliated with mightier force on all those who worked for its extrication exercise.
A narration on karma, its lateral attacks and long chase in perpetuity for generations have been well brought out within the free flow of the story theme in a lucid and simple language for consumption of the lay reader. The author has not missed to highlight the contemptuous attitude and views of the rationalists on ghosts and rituals. The feudal structure of the society in Kerala including the wealth promoting craftiness of the land owning community has been very well highlighted in this with subtle humour.
If for the land lord of Kerala, avarice was the reason to commit a heinous murder, it was the phobia of insecurity in the mind of a Corporate honcho of Mumbai, arising out of a brilliant young scientist employee’s successful inventions which prompted him to organize a foulsom murder through supari .To escape any possible suspicion the industrialist opted to be away from Mumbai to New York with his wife on a pretended holiday when the supari was executed. But the spirit of the murdered youth attacked his innocent wife and caused hallucinations and mental disorder for several months until the spirit was weaned away by an exorcist. “Spirits travel faster than light and lightning and they do not need any entry visa anywhere” is the strong message communicated in this story. Here again as in the case of the landlord, the extricated spirit retaliates fatally on the exorcist himself. In presenting this story the author takes the reader into the side lanes and by-lanes of the corporate world , and its intrigues within, including the role of head hunters.
Sometime around 1985, Jolly Maker Bhavan, Nariman Point, Mumbai witnessed the suicide by a young girl, just returned from a honey moon by jumping from the 15th floor. The corpse was abandoned by all her relatives and two Samaritans- a man and a lady- took initiative for the postmortem and cremation of the corpse.. Unable to go beyond the astral planes the spirit of the dead girl was hovering around . Often it made appearances before the two in Mumbai, and even when they were in far away places like Aurangabad and Kolkatta. For long they were scared of this ghost and resisted her in all possible ways. However, after a long spell of five years they realized that the spirit meant no harm and that it was only seeking their favour again for an exit solution beyond the stratosphere.. The sympathetic two finally found a solution and acceded to her request through a simple formula and helped its redemption. The story contains an analytical discourse on inequality in life after death and a scientific explanation on reincarnation.
That the ghosts and spirits are not evil and they are good too is further established by the author in the penultimate chapter of a friend’s ghost which just wanted a lunch promise to be fulfilled. If the book begins with an abandoned fort in his native town, the book ends with an abandoned 500 year old church inside SEEPZ in Mumbai from which a spirit was given the ethereal transmission by a catholic priest.
All the above stories are presented in graphic melodrama injecting in between a soft and interesting dissertation on the Hindu concept of karma and life after death even without the reader becoming consciously aware of it.. Some of the stories are indeed palpitating even while reading due to the goriness described in extra ordinary details with authenticity and emotion. .
As if to present a peaceful interlude to the otherwise mind boggling horror stories, the author has thoughtfully sandwiched two chapters between the Land lord’s and the Corporate Honcho’s cruelty stories .These are his personal experiences with men of intuition and those who practise exorcism in simple rustic style devoid of extravaganza. The author’s personal experiences of Siddhas in Mumbai, Delhi and Nagpur indeed bring great relief and anti climax out of the two horror stories. A point worth mentioning here is a theory that even animals have a life after death, projected through an experience.
That it has taken the author several months to plan and organize the stories from his memory system spanning five decades is evident from the story lay outs of the ten chapters . What is amazing is the author’s grip on and the graphic presentation with characteristically equal ease, the life ethos in rural Kerala and the fast life in urban America - the two polarized segments. The means adopted to liquidate inconvenient ones- whether a reluctant tenant or a misunderstood employee- by feudal lords and industrialists are the same
Shri.V.R.Krishna Iyer, Former Judge of the Supreme Court, has written the Foreword for this book. . He has highly commended with the author’s presentation of events and the style of his narration.
”Parur Sri.S.Ganesan, the author deserves appreciation for his honest narration of many strange events that have happened in his own family and the neighboring houses. Each incident described is thought provoking as to whether it is all reality or only an illusion.”……”The Book is a nearly correct exposition of some of the bizarre secrets of human life, including the author’s own experience. I commend the book with probity and prudence between its quite daring as a discussion of the evidences for and against human survival after death and other riddles. I find that all relevant phenomena are examined unemotionally and a reflection on the evidence is offered with veracity and sober temper so badly needed in this world which is tired of materialism and its rejection of any alleged reality outside its sensory scope. One of the aspects I so much appreciate in all the chapters is the total freedom from meek sentimentality.”
Interestingly, some film/TV producers have evinced interest in the theme stories.
Report by:
S. GANESAN
Author contact:
S.Ganesan,
28/103 Vidya
Pestom Sagar
Chembur
Mumbai-400089
Phone: 25222525
e-mail: karlagan@mtnl.net.in
