BY JALAL-UD-DIN SHAH
A friend Sohail Iqbal desires to comment me on these mythological characters about whom our elders narrated so many fantastic stories and we are repeating to our children and grandchildren with added spice as per the taste of present generation stories are so absorbing that we at our times eagerly waited grandmothers to open their mouths. Although these illiterate ladies were confined to home and around their relations but they would take us across the mountains and hillocks, take us for a voyage across seven oceans. The more interest we took in listening, more curious we became. Thus as per my childhood consumption I am explaining these mythical mysterious as below:
- PASSING DHAR – a pious being living in or around our households and taking care of our well being and protects us from any evil or untoward. Sometimes spirit of an elder person who had recently passed away, mostly lives in at upper storey of house attic (Baer kani) but visits bathroom in the mid of night wearing a wooden khraw and long rope, colorful tapestory round cape. Some ladies called him Dayet sob or Dayet Ded if female. He would not allow unknown guests to sleep in pious worship room or thokur
kouth of pandiths. The stranger would find himself sleeping in the corridor (wuzz) along with bedding and luggage. - Woi wouph – A strange voiced lady looking shabby and cursed, long hair, never washed face dirty black appearance, searching her cave in dreaded snowy nights whosoever comes in its way, may face severe consequences. If you snatch her cap, you have chances to become wealthy “langoor” (kind of a monkey) searching for food in winter would make cries like humans or a big cat were mistaken as the mystical creatures as people said that Wai Wouph jumps across the walls as well.
- Youch – This unknown specie was treated most inauspicious, Hungry and dirty creature roaming in wilderness and grave yards, eats everything whatever comes its way. Sometimes flesh of dead animals, humans and fish, finds its mention in old chronicles of hindu mythology. Kashmiri pandiths were scared of him and would place some food on earthen plate outside their homes.Why tomato is called youch phal,a village in Budgam is youch kot and above all my beloved principal at NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL was called Shayam lal youch.I have no answers.
- Bram Bram Choke – A mysterious character who had a lamp on his forehead he would choke the way of a stranger in dark nights. This creature is mentioned in the folklore poetry by Witty Kashmiris Joum gachanukh kotah assum shokh – mounz balus behiut ouss bram bram chokpuith toli wuin marus challu lolu – wonu khabra banahali balu lolu – jabluv suithe woluhai dalu lolu – wannu khabrah banahali balu lolu Pandith reffered him as brahma chok instead bram bram choke may be some relevance with lord brahma as well.
- SHOTUIL BOUD -Then we were told about “Shotuil Boud” an old woman spotted sweeping very early in the morning time when smallpox would spread and kill children of tender age. Thus old women would mark the household where from her next victim would fall prey. Milky rice (doudh woghre) would be placed out side door to please her.
- POUIT KOKUR -Another mystical character was pouit kokur, a fat hen spotted in open space alongwith numerous chicks and soon it would
disappear along her offsprings. Eidgah area was known for such happenings. - RANTUSS DOUN – This character was of a witch and expert in witch craft ,a lady with twisted feet,her ankles in front of the feet .She would
mostly meet stray travellers to mislead them and go away with their belongings,even occassionaly kill them.Dayns were cursed and were supposed
to change their shape and stance. Kishtwar area was treated as abode of rantass community .In recorded history some women were de shaped on being suspicious dayns in remote areas of Doda,british traveler have recorded it .This mystery of witches was also enough to label in some innocent ladies responsible for unexpected untoward in her in laws house.
Time has advanced much ahead and nobody is ready to listen such fantastic hypothetical tales when children are playing with cell phones and other digital equipments round the clock.
Jalal-Ud-Din Shah is an MSc ,LLB, Retd.Geo Scientist.