Tha Phra Chan, otherwise Talad Phra Chan is a market where all kinds of weird amulets are sold. Some even say that the place even sold Kuman Thong (the amulets with real human babies, ew...horrific...). It is said that the black markets still sell those in many urban legends only, but hey, who knows what really is going on underground.
Since Tha Phra Chan is full of weird things there are many strange stories being told. From our tour guide, we had a few "Phi" stories, from her, one is the serial killer bringing the victims to the temple (or house?) of the Achaan... The previous story if you had not read it. The other 2 or 3 is about Tha Phra Chan. She said she used to grow up there and her grandparents used to own an antique shop (hmm...a born sells hey?).
Anyhow, so me and my friend and the tour guide went to a place where they do Thai Fortune telling, yes, one of those said to be very famous seers or fortune tellers.
We had a simple snack at an out door restaurant? (Simple, not too hygienic and nothing fancy.) We had some phat-thai and some... I think is a kind of local soft drink, yogurt like but watery and kind of fruity, and waited for our turn. Oh yes, they had numbered tickets and will shout out the number IN ENGLISH (like NUMBER THIRTY-EIGHT!).
We saw lots of Kuman Thong replicas on our way (but hey, who knows what really they are), the tour guide did not even stop-by to peek over or listen to the sellers.
"Tha Phra Chan is a place full of stories, but most not worth listening" said the tour guide. I snorted as if I have been listening to all the lies around me (no, really a bad habit I know. I don't really take those things seriously).
We walked into an alleyway; dirty, wet and muddy. "NUMBER TWO TWO FOUR!" Shouted a woman peeking out of a building. The tour guide leaded us to the woman and gave the ticket to the woman.
The woman leaded us to a room quite new compared to the surroundings. There waited a blind old woman (which seemed to be the seer). The woman who lead us spoke to the blind woman in Thai, "Sit here, please" the woman then spoke to us. The blind woman was whispering in a strange language and even I can tell that it was not Thai (sounded like some African language?... Full of clicking and none vocal mumbles).
I suddenly felt some breeze around me, my friend shook her shoulders and put on her scarf. I thought it could be the air conditioner. The woman who lead us started to become little emotional and started to sob as if someone important has passed away. The tour guide pressed her hands together (like the praying position) and started to pray as if she knew this was going to happen.
I and my friend were confused, to be honest I thought the blind woman was having health problems because she was spinning her head and shaking. All the sudden the woman spoke in what seems like some fake Japanese? It seems to mean "I am here to see you" And pointed at my friend, my friend was so frightened that she could not speak at all.
She spoke like if she was a man, from old period? Not about the "Curse" again, I thought.
"Who are you?" My friend spoke up.
The blind woman nods her head, the now emotional woman came close and slapped the blind woman's back hard, of course she coughed hard and turned back to the "blind woman waiting in the room". From that I suddenly remembered the ceremony back in Brazil when I went in the Amazons to meet my grandmother's tribe, where they called my grandmother's spirit and spoke to me... It was quite real if you have any chance to read that story, probably in my previous account.
While I was thinking, my friend said "She seemed to be someone I know for just a few seconds ago." I absolutely understand that this time.
"Aya, I know, but this woman sure have different vibe... I mean in a strange way, it seemed to be a ritual that I experienced in the past" I explained to my friend.
I still could feel the breeziness in the room, I saw the tour guide holding on to what seemed to be the Buddhist prayer beads, and started to mumble some prayers.
The blind woman spoke, the woman who lead us went close to her wiping off her tears and listened close. "Aya, your grandpa lonely... Asking you to go see him" The woman spoke to my friend. My friend was a little shocked since she did not go back to her hometown for this year's Obon (August time, a Japanese custom where they will go back home to clean their ancestor's cemetery).
That was really it to write as my own experience, my friend said she even dreamed that night and said that she saw her grandfather in her dream, not going to be detailed since it is considered different thing here, she will go back to her hometown after this trip.
PS I am writing this on 2024 December time. The dates maybe past. I was thinking what to delete and what to share so that it is easier to understand.
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