Kurseong is considered by some to be the most haunted hill station in India, and this is singlehandedly thanks to the notorious reputation of Dow Hill School. Numerous stories are told of hauntings around the school and the surrounding forests. Hundreds of tourists flock to the hill station in search of paranormal activities and the locals themselves have numerous stories of hauntings that have taken place there. You do get a bone chilling vibe as you travel through the thick woods enveloped in a thick fog that is characteristic of the area.
The stories that are told however are scarier than the place itself. A headless boy whose mother abandoned him and still searches for her, a lonely woman who talks sweetly but will devour you whole if you let her. The characters have rich back stories and the ghosts have deep motivations, the stories themselves have twists and turns and you are left at the edge of your seat in absolute fear. It is truly an art the manner in which these stories are told.
Similar stories can be found of locations in and around the Darjeeling Hills. From the tales of those who drive the road from Ghoom to Bijanbari to those who have lived at Morgan House in Kalimpong. Roy Villa of Darjeeling too has a sinister reputation with numerous stories to accompany. The people of the Hills seem to have an affinity for ghost stories and storytelling in general. And this is not by accident as many of the Gorkha people have tribal origins. These tribes passed down information about traditions, culture, nature, history, religion, livelihood, morals and ethics in the form of stories. Most traditions and culture of the tribes have elements of the occult and supernatural. Beliefs in spirits and deities are common among the tribes of the Gorkha people. Thus much of the information related to such aspects of their society were transferred and maintained from generation to generation through the medium of stories.
Let us take the example of the Lakhe dance to show how tradition and storytelling are intertwined in the Gorkha people. It is performed by the Newar community in Darjeeling during the "fulpati" rallies and is a hauntingly captivating dance that is an experience to behold. The Lakhe dance is originally performed during the Indra Jatra festival in Katmandhu. It is a eight day performance in which the demon is worshipped for its divine power. Lakhes are considered to be demons who protect the Newar community from diseases and epidemics. The rigorous and energetic nature of the dance is meant to signify the washing away of diseases and alludes to the history of the Newar people. Through the dance the story is told of how the demon arrived from South India, befriended the Newar people and protected them. The dance is also a representation of the dance the demon did for the King of the Gods Indra. Thus we see how this one dance and story serves as a memory of the history and traditions of the Newar people.
It is no surprise then that with such rich traditions in storytelling, stories have become a part and parcel of life in the Darjeeling Hills. Stories are often helpful in imparting knowledge in a fun and effective way. Tell a kid not to go to the forest and he wont listen, but tell him a scary ghost story about the forest and he will avoid it. Another interesting factor that could be the reason for the amount of scary stories could be the amount of scary locations in the Hills begging for a scary story to be told about them. The ubiquitous pine trees coupled with fog and mist and cold weather makes for a lot of spooky locations all around the Hills.
It is also true that for a region that heavily depends upon tourism, the notorious reputation of its scary locations do drive tourism. Dow Hill itself is responsible for a large amount of tourists visiting Kurseong. However the abundance of ghost stories in the Hills is much more than just a marketing gimmick. It is an aspect of the very soul of the people that live in these areas. Who are surrounded by the eerie beauty and cant help but weave beautifully haunting stories about them. To listen to one of these stories is quite an experience and the intricacy in which the story is told is nothing short of an art. The steady build up of suspense leading to the climax, the intricate backgrounds and motivations of the characters involved, the most unexpected twists and turns, and of course the most intricately haunting and mysterious ghosts and entities.
Thus it is very sad to note that like everything else in the Gorkha culture, storytelling too is a dying art. Efforts are made to keep it alive, such as societies that curate and share folk and local stories. However it is nearly not enough when the community itself has largely been shifting away from its traditional roots. Stories are all we have that tie us to our past and the people who came before us. I am sure that one of the fondest memories of most people who grew up in the Hills, is that of sitting with their grandparents and listening to stories. Stories remind us of the tradition we are a part of, the history that we are a part of, the community that we are a part of. It would be a sad day if all our stories are lost, then our culture too shall be a ghost in a story.
Written by Ariyaan Moktan.
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