From sightings of ghosts walking backward at Golcon-da Fort after nightfall to the helpless screams of a dead girl in an old haunted Goan Portuguese villa, the story of baby cradles being rocked in the middle of the night in a Rajasthani haveli can spook anybody. The question that lingers is whether paranormal activity really exists.
People may niff and naff about ghosts and evil spirits, but with over 150 cases being reported every year from across India, paranormal investigators are having a field day out there. “I think paranormal is as normal as Oxygen in our lives. It’s everywhere,” claims Sarbajeet Mohanty, Co-founder, Parapsychology and Investigations Research Society (PAIRS) & Ghost Encounters, India.
Sarbajeet sheds light on how what is usually preconceived as paranormal may simply not be true. “White sarees, long nails, flying hair, these common misconceptions about a ghost are simply not true,” quips Sarbajeet. He shares how as paranormal investigators, the topmost priority here is to remove irrational fears and superstitious beliefs.
Ghost-Busters
Paranormal investigators not only investigate haunted factories or spooky trees but most importantly one thing — they help debunk superstitious myths and irrationality! “It’s not people’s fault, rather the content they consume along with individuals they come across makes them think things a certain way,” says Siddharth Bantval, a certified paranormal investigator from the Indian Paranormal Society.
He says that there are instances when during client calls, they come across stories of people hearing footsteps, experiencing paranoia and lights flickering in houses. He adds, “Some even claim to see shadowy figures or black masses out of the corner of their eyes.” However, Siddharth and his team do not jump to conclusions until a ‘thorough investigation’ is done at the location. They gather evidence to determine whether the house or area is genuinely haunted or perhaps there could be a possible rational explanation for the same. Siddharth says, “We interact with people who believe they are being influenced by evil energies or black magic.” His team raises awareness by getting to the root cause of the issue rather than fuelling false beliefs.
These paranormal investigators do indeed stumble upon genuine cases that go beyond the powers and reasons offered by science as well. Siddharth speaks of a scary case in Kuldhara village, Rajasthan which his team was investigating. “We experienced a lot of anomalous phenomena here — from witnessing a child’s handprint on our car out of nowhere, to experiencing sudden malfunctions with the cameras and other filming equipment,” he says. Siddharth even shares how many of the investigators themselves reported seeing ‘shadowy figures’ and hearing footsteps. “Our experiences in this village were documented by news channels and are available on YouTube,” he says.
Spooky Stuff
Watching a horror movie may satiate one’s quench to feel good jump scares. The same wouldn’t stand true for paranormal investigators. “Paranormal and Spirituality go hand in hand. All of us are meditators and strongly believe in spirituality,” says Sarbajeet. He ventures into the depths of the unknown to shed light on the 3-step process they follow while going in for any paranormal investigation.
They usually start with a psychic reading that’s taken over by Pooja Vijay, a co-founder at PAIRS. Along with a Reiki grandmaster and Shamanic healer who head their spiritual department. He shares how a place is read solely by a photograph sent to the psychic team. They are told nothing of the case. The team then proceeds to have a thorough investigation done. Gadgets like EMF (electromagnetic fields) sensors, EVP (Electronic Voice Phenomenon) recorders, full spectrum cameras, thermal cameras along with static sensors are usually used. Sarbajeet adds, “Through psychic readings, we try and find a hotspot or any particular entity that perhaps is haunting the place. Many times, there may be no hauntings at all.” If the place is haunted, spiritual, and metaphysical remedies are suggested like cleaning the house with salt water or smudging or meditation which help strengthen the aura of the place, he explains. However, if the place isn’t haunted, Sarbajeet’s team counsels the client to get rid of any rooted fear or trauma.
Mind Games
The Indian Paranormal Society witnessed a surge in cases/complaints via emails, especially during the pandemic. Siddharth says they receive around 100-150 new cases each year. “Some cases might have been a result of mental health conditions arising from loneliness or similar situations,” says Siddharth. The team is not able to address all the cases. “But out of the hundred cases received maybe only one or two are genuine,” he says. There may indeed be believers of the paranormal, while others may simply shun such claims, however, there is no denying that there have been instances at some point, somewhere which do leave a lasting impression on one’s mind.
We often interact with people who believe they are being influenced by evil energies or black magic” — Siddharth Bantval, Certified professional paranormal investigator, Indian Paranormal Society
