| Himachal Pradesh is a mountainous state in northern | | | | father I initially took it with a pinch of salt. But some |
| India. It has no railways and the connection between | | | | study in this field and a visit to Himachal confirmed to |
| distant villages is only by roads or mountain paths. My | | | | me that a chaleda is very much a spirit that is in |
| father tells me that when he used to visit his village | | | | existence and has the power to appear before a |
| which was on the border with Himachal Pradesh he | | | | human in different forms. It could take the shape of a |
| would often venture for a walk into the wild mountains. | | | | beautiful woman or an animal. It is an evil spirit and |
| He told me that one day he and a friend of his decided | | | | plays with the victim by taking different forms and then |
| to go for a long trek in the mountains. After walking a | | | | may either maim or even kill him. |
| mile or so my father and his friend saw a black cat | | | | The chaleda as per popular belief is a spirit of a man |
| sitting on their path. As they moved closer the cat | | | | who has died a premature or violent death. Such spirits |
| continued to purr and refused to give way. So my | | | | are doomed to roam the earth till their day of salvation |
| father's friend who carried a lathe (wooden rod) had | | | | when they can gain entry into the gates of the spirit |
| swiped at the cat. But before the rod could descend | | | | world. |
| on the cat it vanished. My father and his friend laughed | | | | There is big debate whether there is anything like |
| and thought it to be an illusion. They continued further | | | | spirits or an after life. But the phenomenon that I have |
| and this episode was repeated. A faint alarm now | | | | narrated is difficult to explain. Yes, the chaleda is not |
| rang in their mind. | | | | heard of anywhere else in the world or for that matter |
| As they continued further they saw child standing on | | | | in any other part of India. This spirit appears to be |
| the road and he was crying. My father thought his | | | | peculiar to Himachal Pradesh. Thus there is a possibility |
| mother must be nearby. So he lifted the child and | | | | that a legend may have been built up by the people |
| shouted for the mother. But says my father the child | | | | there from some different episodes. But this is a |
| then started laughing and slowly his weight started | | | | simplistic argument. I for one have no rational |
| increasing. Alarmed my father dropped the child and | | | | explanation of what or who is a chaleda. |
| ran back to the village loudly reciting the Jap the prayer | | | | Times are changing and scientific thought has |
| of Guru Nanak. | | | | permeated the world over. But a lot many mysteries |
| He told me no uncertain terms that what he had | | | | are still to be explained. Bizarre happenings and events |
| accosted was a chaleda. This was a term I heard for | | | | like appearance of a Chaleda need further study. |
| the first time. Though the tale was narrated by my | | | | |