Supernatural Creatures and Haunted Places: True Spine chilling stories.

Malajpur: The Only Ghost Fair in the World!

Every year in the village of Malajpur in Betul district, Madhya Pradesh, the 'Ghost Fair' or 'bhooton ka mela' takes place. India is one of those countries where the diversity of people's views defies description! Having said that, the Malajpur Ghost Fair has been going on for 400 years and draws visitors from all across the country on Vashant Panchami where this fair is held on the tombstone of Hindu Saint "Gurusahab Baba".

Every year ghost fair lasts roughly three weeks, and during that time, people who have been possessed by evil spirits and devils rush to the area to free themselves of negative energy. Malajpur Ghost Fair has a long history dating back to the 18th century.

Once upon a time, the community was visited by a holy man named Deoji Maharaj, who held some magical abilities. According to villagers, he possessed incredible abilities, which he utilised to feed his companions by transforming earth into jaggery and stones into coconut.

Later, Deoji used his abilities to control evil spirits and aid those who were afflicted by them. This became his legacy, and inhabitants in the village later built a temple-like structure. Priests today refer to Deoji as their ancestor and assist people in exorcising demonic spirits.

Thousands of possessed individuals, mostly women, flock to this location every year. Only the bravest of hearts can witness the gruesome scene of men and women being dragged by their hair and severely beaten with brooms in the name of exorcism. While combating the spirit, you can hear the priest sing "Guru Maharaj Deoji Ki Jai" the entire time.

A sari-clad woman with wild hair scrambles on the floor, as if trying to flee from an unseen foe. Her face is filled with horror as she falls on her knees and sobs loudly. A man also appears to be urgently attempting to flee from some unseen fear, frantically running around and screaming at the top of his lungs.

They are those who have been "possessed." Some of the patients become agitated as a result of their treatment. Women fling their hair or roll around on the ground with ferocity.

When their family bring them before the exorcists, who speak in loud, authoritative tones and the patients comply to their directions, some run wild or yell and shout.

For locals, it's nothing out of the ordinary, but for visitors, it may come as a surprise. The priest will interrogate the 'possessed' spirit and make angry gestures against the attacker within the human. After a few minutes, he'd claim that the woman or man in question is truly possessed by a djinn or chudail, and that this is the best spot to rid themselves of that otherworldly being.

In a terrifying display, evil spirits who have found safe refuge inside human bodies are exorcised into the night air. People act erratically, as if they have no idea what they're doing. As their family grasp on to them, a disproportionate number of ladies writhe about violently, hair scattered, eyes unfocused. To keep them from fleeing, some are shackled. Some people have convulsions as a result of an unknown panic, shouting and rolling around on the floor.

The priests of Malajpur's temple begin chanting when the temple bell tolls. It's time to start the exorcism. A large line of people snakes up to the location of the ceremony. Many people, it appears, are in need of protection from bad spirits. The monks drag both men and women who have been possessed by the hair and beat them mercilessly with brooms. This, they claim, is an attempt to terrify the person's tormenting spirit. "Who are you?" and "Where have you come from?" are some of the inquiries the priests ask.

After confirming that the person is possessed, the priest begins to beat the person until the demon has left the body. The person has been declared cured, and chanting of "Guru Maharaj Deoji ki jai" can now be heard. Meanwhile, the wicked ghost has hung itself upside down on one of the nearby banyan trees. The majority of exorcised spirits have decided to spend the rest of their life in the haunt.

Thousands of ghosts and malevolent spirits have been "expelled" from human bodies, according to the priest, who lives in the temple's two banyan trees. The individual who has been "cured" of the ghost encircles the temple and is certified "cured" before leaving with or without paying the fees.

People who appeared to be possessed were magically cured, according to eyewitnesses. The patient's thinking, according to psychologists, is to blame for this miracle. For a long time, human activists have attempted but failed to put an end to this practice. Regardless of superstitions, the fair is a huge hit, and it may be an experience you'll never forget.

Several human rights organisations and campaigners have attempted to put an end to this heinous practise, claiming that the 'possessed' victims are almost always mental patients, but no meaningful steps have yet been done. Whatever it is, it's remarkable to see people with such a religious system in an age when the world has progressed to the next level.

Priests and peasants in Malajpur have succeeded in keeping this practise alive even after hundreds of years. Call it superstitious nonsense, yet thousands of people continue to flock to Malajpur because they believe the town has the potential to ward off evil spirits.

Just to see the power of exorcism and bhooton ka rajmela, it's worth visiting Malajpur at least once in your life!