A Recurring Encounter

This is not a conventional ghost story. It has a paranormal entity involved in it but it turned out to be a noble one as I found out...

It was back in 1996, November 17th, when I was 21. I was on my way home to Harnai to visit my grand-parents house in Kokan region. I had left Mumbai late in the afternoon and had a flat tire on way so was delayed unexpectedly.

Harnai is a famous beach village in Kokan, There are two routes to go to Harnai. One via Khed -Dapoli where you take NH3 up to Bharana Naka and other via Goregaon-Ambet-Mandangad-Kelshi-Anjarle where you leave NH3 at Tole (a village, not toll) and take inner route after Goregaon. This is a short but pretty deserted and lonely route in the night. As I was getting late, I took this route.

It was about 11. 30 pm when I was on outskirts of Mandangad on way to Kelshi. I was surprised to see a girl waving her hand to my car. There was a small hill on right side of the road and a house at some distance from where the girl may have popped up.

Nevertheless, I stopped my car. The girl was about 15-16 years old. Coming close to passenger side seat, she knocked on the glass. I pulled down the glass and looked at her. She was strikingly sweet looking girl and there was a feeling of calmness on her face. She was wearing a salwar-kameez with the dupatta wrapped around her ears to prevent the cold. I asked her what was the matter, to which she replied,

"Mala Anjarlyala jaycha aahe, urgent aahe, sodtos ka?"

("I need to go to Anjarle urgently, will you drop me?")

I was bored on a long drive of about 7 hours and the delay anyway, and since Anjarle was on my way, I decided to give her the ride. At least I have found someone to talk to than just listening songs and driving. She sat on the passenger seat and we moved on.

We started talking after some time. Her name she told was Ratna and she had gone to see her uncle at Mandangad. She had missed the last bus that leaves at 10 in the night and had to reach Anjarle urgently as she was in 10th and had an early morning school. I was taken aback completely and asked her how her uncle allowed her to travel alone at this hour of the day to which she replied that she wanted to leave early, but uncle said he would drop her after dinner and he caught up with fever suddenly, so she had no option.

We kept on chatting on our way on different topics. In about an hour we had crossed Kelshi and were approaching Anjarle when she asked me to stop the car. I stopped and looked around. On my right side, there was a beach and on left was small hill...! Where was this girl going to go?

She got down from the car. I asked her where she was going to which she replied that her home was just behind the hill. I offered her to walk with her to safety of her house to which she replied very curtly,

"Nahi. Ithparyantach, pudhe nahi... Punha bheten kadhitari mi tula... Ja tu!"

("No, uptill here only, not ahead. I will meet you sometime again... Go away")

I noticed the change in her voice. She was pointing towards Anjarle village. Her face was motionless. I was about to say something but she gave me such a look that I decided not to argue more with her.

I got back in car and moved on. I reached my grandparents house in another half and hour and they both were surprised to see me reaching so late. I narrated them the whole incident and my encounter with Ratna. They both warned me not to stop there ever as that area is known for being haunted in the night. As I didn't believe in paranormal world then, I turned deaf ear to it and went to bed.

I had couple of rest days and visited Suvarnadurga fort which is an island fort like Janjira and Sindhudurga. I had a made few friends on my earlier visits to Harnai and we decided to have a day trip to Anjarle beach. After some time on beach, as we were relaxing, I saw a figure coming down the hill. It was a man of about 40 coming down on the road. He was surprised to see us as Anjarle beach is very lonely one.

I asked him where did he stay to which he replied he stayed on other side of hill. Something struck my mind... That was the exact location Ratna had mentioned...! I casually enquired about his family to which he replied, he had wife and 2 sons. No daughter. I asked him if there was another home nearby to which he replied, his was the only home there and rest all were fields. I asked him if he knows about a girl called Ratna staying nearby. He gave me weird look the moment I asked about her.

"Dada, Ratna mazi mulgi hoti. 10 varsha zali geli ti...!"

("Ratna was my daughter, she passed away 10 years ago.")

I had shock of life...! I could not utter a word for few moments... Slowly I gathered myself. How was it possible that the girl I met couple of days back was dead 10 years ago? I told him that I had dropped Ratna at that very point two nights back. He looked at me weirdly. I narrated him the whole story how I picked her at Mandangad after her uncle getting ill suddenly and her missing the last bus. He listened to it carefully and told me the other side of the story. Ratna was indeed coming form Mandangad on the night she had died. His brother was at Mandangad then who had got ill and Ratna had hitch-hiked a ride in a car after she had missed the bus. The car had met an accident at that very spot, as the driver was tired and felt asleep while driving. He survived with multiple injuries but Ratna had died on the spot!

I was not convinced still. It was possible that the girl I was talking about was a different girl with same name, Ratna.

I walked along with him to his house on other side of the hill. The moment I entered his house, I saw a girl's photograph on the wall with flower garland around it. No doubt it was the same girl whom I had met couple of days earlier. She was the daughter of the farmer who had passed away 10 years ago! As I was standing there, suddenly a thought crossed my mind. What would have happened had I insisted on walking her to the house? How would have she reacted at that? I had met her on 17th November and to my astonishment, her brother said that it was same day that she had met her end 10 year earlier. I had cold sweat down my spine. I enquired carefully with the family if anyone had encountered or felt her presence ever around or if anyone had seen her like I did in last 10 years to which everyone replied negative. I made few enquiries in Anjarle and Harnai village as well as in Kelshi during my stay if anyone had given ride to a girl from Mandangad. I could not find a single person who had met her ever.

After my vacations were over, I drove back the same road to my home. I could not separate her thoughts from my mind and tried to have clarification as much as possible. I had no doubt in my mind that the girl I had met was the farmer's daughter as I could make it clearly from her photograph. The details she had told me about her activities on the night she died were matching perfectly with the night 10 years ago. Some questions which remained in my mind were:-

1. Where was she in these 10 years?

2. What made her to come back suddenly after 10 years?

3. Of all the people, why did she meet me that day exactly 10 years after her death?

4. Why did she say, "I will meet you again!"?

Was I supposed to have another encounter with her?

I was sure of one thing that she didn't have any intention to hurt me or scare me. Had that been her intention, she had all the opportunity as I was with her for an hour or so.

As days passed on, slowly the memories of my encounter with Ratna faded. I had joined a new job and was really busy with my office and other activities. I had not visited Harnai for a couple of years now though I had met my grand-parents when they had visited us in Mumbai. It was very difficult for me to find vacation from office, but this time around I managed to get a week's leave from office and decided to take a trip to Harnai. The moment I thought of trip to Harnai, Ratna's memories came rushing back. Will I meet her again this time? What if I meet her again? What should I ask her? What would she do if at all I meet her? I was not afraid and was now looking forward to the encounter. I left Mumbai late keeping in mind to reach Mandangad by about 11 in the night, but this time there was no signs of her. I waited at that spot for 10 minutes anticipating she would make an appearance, but no avail. Thinking that it was a chance encounter I moved on.

Another year passed and I happen to visit to Harnai again as my grand-father had organized a get-together of all family members at his home. My parents had left earlier and I was supposed to join couple of days later. I was once again on way to Harnai, leaving Mumbai late in the day. Busy with daily schedule, Ratna's thought had been out of my mind for a while now.

I left NH3 at Tole phata and had reached Mandangad at about 11. 30 and as I reached the same spot where I had picked her about 3 years back, I saw her again! This time though, she was not waving down to me, but was expecting me to stop. As she approached my car, I looked at my watch and the date on it showed 17th November! She calmly opened the door of the car and got in without a word. It was the same salwar-kameez she was wearing and same calm expression as it was 3 years ago! I was not scared at all at her presence, cause I was sure she didn't mean to hurt me. As we moved on, she asked me,

"Mi kon he tula kalala aahe, bhiti nahi vatat tula?"

("You know about me now, are you not scared?")

I told her that I was surprised to know about her but was not scared as I knew she didn't intend to hurt me at all. She nodded understandingly but warned me though that everyone is not like her and some are really nasty ones.

I had so many questions in my mind. After my first encounter with her, I had taken keen interest in paranormal world and had read lots of stuff and met few people in this field. And now I had a paranormal entity sitting right next to me in my car. It was a situation of its own kind.

I started asking her questions one after the other and she answered all of them with detailed information. The information she gave me was so detailed that I can not give it all here. As I had already read many books on this subject it was confirmation of what I had read from her. She told me what exactly happens at the time of death and immediately afterwards.

I asked her where she was for 10 years after her death and our first encountered to which she replied that she was in 'Bhuvar-lok' in form of Sukshma Sharira (small physique) which is made up of thin air.

Why did she chose me to communicate that to after 10 years, to which she replied that, it was because I was the first person with whom she could communicate at sub-conscious level. There was some more relation between us which she did not disclose. It is not possible for everyone to interact with a paranormal entity and it's the other way round as well. Paranormal entities can not communicate to everyone as well!

Why could I not see her last year on my way to Harnai?

She could not take a human form that night though she was able to see me waiting for her to appear.

How long would she be in this state and would make appearances?

She said, her life span was supposed to be few more years in mortal world and because she had died in an accident, she had to spend those remaining years before she could progress to next lok which is "Swarga lok" or re-born in "Bhu lok" which is mortal world unless she's instructed otherwise. I asked her how long was the span but she replied, she didn't know exact amount of time.

What if I wanted to meet her sometime or somewhere else?

She said that she had no restriction of place, but she can not meet me frequently whenever I wanted to as it would be interfering with the strict restrictions to which every paranormal entity is bound to and would prolong her stay in Bhuvarlok.

We had reached the spot where she had died and she recounted the whole incident to me how it had happened. She had died instantly after she was thrown out of car after the accident and her head had hit a stone. We continued our conversation for some time. She had been helping people near death to get used to paranormal life after their death as this was her assigned task. After some time she said, its time for her to go now. I asked her,

"Mala punha bhetshil?"

("Will you meet me again?")

She replied that she can meet me anywhere as she had said earlier, but I have to be very careful to be alone and it can be preferably after evening. Also I have to ensure that the meetings are not frequent. I assured her that I would not want to interfere in her world and would be glad to meet her when it is possible for her and she herself appears before me again.

I got in my car and moved on. I had met her for second time!

I didn't have any encounter with Ratna for year or so after that.

My dad had retired from office and we were looking to get a new home in suburbs. We had almost finalized down on an apartment and were about to sign a deal. After discussion with the property dealer for the price and bank regarding the loan, I came back home exhausted after a long day. I have a habit of taking a walk after dinner. As I was too tired that day, I just went to terrace of my apartment for a stroll. As I entered the terrace, there was no body there. I began walking up and down on the terrace and as I started my 3rd round, I saw someone standing on the other corner. I wondered who it can be as I had the door behind me and was certain that whoever it was didn't come that way.

Walking at a normal pace I reached over near that person and it was none other than Ratna! She had appeared on my terrace this time! I was happy to see her again but before I said anything. She said very curtly,

"Nako jaus tya gharat, tula hech sangayala aale aaj, ti jaga changli nahi tuzyasathi"

("Don't go there, I came today only to tell you this. It is not a good place for you.")

I was startled! Why did she say that? It was a really nice apartment and we had bargained a lot with the property dealer and I had taken enough pain to get loan from the banks and now this girl was putting me off. I asked her why she insisted me on not taking that apartment but she refused to give me any details. She flatly told me that it was not good for me and my family, that's all. I could sense a definite concern and urge in her voice about stopping us to move there. That moment itself I decided to cancel the deal. I told her I won't go there at which point she smiled and just went away to other corner of the terrace and as I was watching, she just mixed away with thin air and disappeared.

Later on I came to know that previous owner of the apartment had committed suicide and prior to that there was a murder that had occurred in that apartment! Perhaps that was the reason Ratna wanted to keep me away from there.

I had few more encounters with Ranta. I asked her once if I can take a picture of her but she refused. She had told me many details of life beyond death and different kinds of paranormal entities and about the powerhouse we call it as god. My wife also happened to see her once before we were married. I clearly remember the date as it was 10th September 2005... The last time we had seen her... She told me that time had come for her to move to a different life and we won't meet again. She blessed us and left without ever coming back.

To this date, I have never seen her again. I hope wherever she is in whatever state she stays happy. I wonder what it was between two of us that kept her bringing back again and again, I only guess that there was some sort of relation between us for sure.

I have encounters with paranormal entities after that but I will share those later sometime. If anyone is interested in the information Ratna gave me about life after death, I would be willing to share.